Case Studies

Rolla Public Schools Earns 2013 Green Cleaning Award for K-12 Schools Using Tornado® CV 30 Vacuums and BR Vario Scrubbers


"We chose our floor care equipment carefully, making sure it provided excellent productivity, quiet operation, and the environmental features we were looking for as a part of our green cleaning program."

Chris Headrick
GCI Executive and Director of Custodial Services Rolla Public Schools, Rolla, MO

Rolla Public School (RPS), home to 4,000 students, is the proud recipient of the 2013 Silver award in the K-12 school category for the National Green Cleaning Award, sponsored by American Schools and University Magazine, in conjunction with the Green Cleaning Network, and the Healthy Schools Campaign. This prestigious award recognizes educational institutions across the country for their outstanding achievement and efforts in creating healthy and sustainable cleaning programs that are designed to protect the health of students, staff, and building occupants, without harming the environment. These awards follow guidelines developed in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) policy, and are determined by a jury of green-cleaning experts based on the comprehensiveness and quality of an institution’s cleaning program including:

  • Green-cleaning products
  • Equipment and supplies used
  • Procedures and practices
  • Recycled paper and plastic products
  • Shared responsibility initiatives involving students, staff and teachers

Equipment Fuels Green Program

Tornado® is proud to play an integral part in RPS District’s green cleaning programs through the use of our CRI-approved CV 30 Vacuum, the PV 6 Backpack Vacuum, and the BR Vario Compact Scrubber with cylindrical brush technology.

“ The CRI-approved Tornado CV 30 Vacuum and PV6 Backpack Vacuums both offer three-stage filtration with a HEPA filter cartridge to help minimize fine particulate and dust, which can help to improve indoor air quality (IAQ). Plus, the units are very quiet with a low decibel level so they can be used to vacuum during the day.”

Dave Thompson, GCI President


How The EHS Program Works

Utilizing education from Green Clean Institute (GCI) courses, the RPS Environmental Health Service (EHS) team worked closely with GCI President, Mr. David Thompson, while moving to Tornado floor care equipment to clean the facility’s carpeted spaces, as well as its hard floors. “We chose our floor care equipment carefully, making sure it provided excellent productivity, quiet operation, and the environmental features we were looking for as a part of our green cleaning program,” states Chris Headrick, GCI Executive and Director of Custodial Services at RPS. “The CRI-approved Tornado CV 30 Vacuum and PV6 Backpack Vacuums both offer three-stage filtration with a HEPA filter cartridge to help minimize fine particulate and dust, which can help to improve indoor air quality (IAQ). We use the backpack vacuums in hallways and staircases to improve air quality and reduce dust. Plus, the units are very quiet with a low decibel level so they can be used to vacuum during the day,” says Mr. Thompson. Day cleaning can reduce energy consumption levels consumed while keeping the building open at night for cleaning. Additionally, RPS takes a holistic facility approach, integrating air-scrubbing plants throughout school facilities to further improve IAQ.

For hard floor cleaning, RPS choses cylindrical technology for all autoscrubbers and utilizes the BR Vario cylindrical brush floor machine, which cleans hard floors using two counter-rotating cylindrical brushes instead of disc pads. “Cylindrical brush units not only penetrate grout and uneven floors backed by the power of 650 rps, they offer low-moisture deep cleaning with less chemical and water waste, and they are very quiet,” states Chris. “We feel good that we are protecting the health and safety of frontline workers, students, staff and visitors alike, while reducing energy consumption through our ‘Best Practice Standards’ and procedures,” concludes Mr. Headrick.

About Green Clean Institute

With over forty years of experience in the janitorial industry, David Thompson has been honored with a number of awards, including ISSA Green Clean Expert Certification. As president of the Green Clean Institute, Dave brings his experience and knowledge to front-line workers via educational programs designed to maximize cleaning productivity while protecting the health of workers, building occupants, and the environment.

Since 2006, the Green Clean Institute (GCI) has educated more than 2,000 people each year on the basics of green cleaning. Dave has participated as a sub-committee member establishing the Missouri Green Cleaning Guidelines for Schools, which was adopted by the State of Missouri and signed into law in 2009. Dave is also a senior sales member at a leading janitorial distributor based in St. Louis, Missouri, New System Janitorial & Maintenance. New System is a noted and well respected, authoritative source for Green Cleaning products, education and training.


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