University of Toronto - Hart House Student Centre
With objectives including reducing cost, increasing safety and creating greater sustainability,the Hart House Student Centre on the campus of the University of Toronto adopted the Tersano Stabilized Aqueous Ozone (SAO®) system for cleaning, sanitizing, and deodorizing. The SAO solution is sustainable and safe and would provide the students and faculty a healthier environment to teach, learn, and gather.
Hart House conducted a three-month trial of SAO in specific areas of the commons building. The goal of the trial was to demonstrate a level of cleaning on par with or better than the previous chemical-based cleaning that was in-use — while also simplifying the process of maintaining the Hart House building.
OVERVIEW
The Tersano SAO system:
- Uses on-site generation thereby eliminating the need to purchase, transport, distribute and manage multiple cleaning products.
- Dramatically reduces traditional chemical usage by replacing sanitizers, deodorizers, and stainless steel, glass, general purpose, carpet, and floor cleaners.
- Increases productivity through an all-in-one solution thereby lowering labour costs.
- Is non-corrosive and safe for any surface.
- Has SDS of 0-0-0. Offers Hart House staff a zero-risk alternative from toxic chemical cleaners.
The Tersano system is working out great. We just placed an order for two more SAO units—and we will probably order still more. We love the savings, the safety, and the sustainability.
Nigel Faulkner
Facilities and Caretaking Supervisor
Hart House Student Centre
University of Toronto
Opportunity
The Hart House Student Centre at the University of Toronto serves over 2,200 students, staff, and guests every day. With nearly 175,000 square feet of cleanable space, Hart House employs a staff of 225 cleaners to maintain the building 24 hours a day.
"We were using nearly 15 different products to clean, sanitize, and deodorize our student centre. It got to be just too much," says Faulkner. "We decided to try and simplify while also increasing our sustainability and reducing our cost. Our current director had adopted Tersano SAO at his previous workplace—and so we gave it a shot."
Faulkner prepared for the trial by getting the power and plumbing infrastructure in place ahead of time and then brought in the SAO. After three months of trial use, it was a success.
Action
Faulkner uses SAO to clean a multitude of surfaces: walls, floors, tables, chairs, tile, grout, terrazzo, wood, LVT and much more. He explains, "We have reduced our chemical inventory from nearly 15 products down to just four: SAO, a disinfectant, a degreaser, and ProScrub. It's made a tremendous difference.
The only challenges to converting from chemicals to SAO has been putting the power and plumbing in place and convincing the staff that SAO actually works. It has no smell, no color, and is 100% safe. Over time, as they used SAO they began to understanding the savings and now they love it.
The benefits of SAO are many: Financial savings, sustainability, safer for our staff, and most of all the simplicity. It's just easier to run a program with SAO than with so many chemical products.
Nigel Faulkner
Impact
- SAO reverts back to water and oxygen and can be disposed down the drain without negatively impacting waterways.
- Hart House has been able to reduce its chemical usage by over 75%.
- Using SAO led to program and process simplicity.
- Hart House has not sacrificed any cleaning performance by switching from chemicals to SAO.