Sep 30 2009
LEED-accredited professionals now available for consultation xpedx helps building managers document LEED-eligible purchases, reducing administrative workload
xpedx® is helping building owners and managers across the U.S. achieve and maintain LEED certification for their existing properties.
xpedx, one of the largest U.S. distributors of cleaning and maintenance supplies and equipment, now has LEED-accredited professionals on staff to help building owners and operations managers pursue this important environmental certification. The company also provides LEED-eligible purchase reporting capabilities, which are essential to maintaining certification.
"Making buildings sustainable is a big challenge today for many property owners and managers," said Michael Feenan, vice president of marketing for xpedx. "We have developed new programs and services for our customers across the U.S. to help customers obtain certification -- and have worked diligently to match our reporting tool to the LEED reporting requirements."
Registrations for LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) have increased three-fold in the past two years and demand is expected to remain strong, according to Bethesda, MD-based real estate information provider CoStar Group.
xpedx launched an initiative this year to increase the number of its sales representatives as LEED accredited professionals. These accredited xpedx employees serve building owners and operations managers in the commercial, education, medical, retail, industrial and hospitality markets. "Our initiative to certify more employees as LEED -- accredited is an important step in helping our customers become more sustainable, cost effective -- and more profitable," said Feenan.
The company's certified experts consult with building owners, showing them how they can qualify for credit under five of the seven building standard's policies: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation in Operations.
Throughout the process, building owners also learn how to reduce total operating costs through streamlined procurement, waste reduction and budget controls, as well as product standardization and training.
xpedx also recently launched LEED-EB product procurement reporting capabilities to minimize administrative-intensive work related to certified product tracking. LEED reporting is available to customers via the company's business-to-business site at xpedx.com.
"With a few clicks on xpedx.com, customers generate reports that can be submitted to the U.S. Green Building Council," said Feenan. "These reports help them obtain or maintain their LEED certification by documenting their purchase of eligible products while reducing administrative burden."
These same reporting capabilities can assist all customers with their corporate sustainability marketing. Users will be able to generate reports on purchased products containing certifications from, or meeting guidelines of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Green Building Council (LEED®), Green Seal®, EcoLogo(TM), DfE (Design for the Environment), GreenGuard®, Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) and other organizations.
xpedx has also compiled the most current information available about environmentally preferable cleaning products in its Environmental Solutions portfolio. The portfolio is a comprehensive resource for any building owner or manager who needs to understand the environmental benefits, attributes and certifications of the products and equipment they purchase most often and includes information by top manufacturers including Georgia Pacific, 3M, GoJo Industries, Heritage Bag, JohnsonDiversey, Kimberly-Clark, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, SCA Tissue, Tennant/Noble and many more including the company's own brands, Regency® Professional and Reliable® Brand.
Reliable recently achieved the EcoLogo certification for most of its towel and tissue products and is expected to obtain environmental certifications for the rest of the towel and tissue products in its portfolio early next year. The EcoLogo certification assures customers they are purchasing a product that has met stringent environmental criteria established by a third party. The newly certified Reliable items meet LEED-EB certification requirements and sustainable purchasing practices.
Source: https://www.veritivcorp.com/