Via Sanitairy Maintenance:

The number of cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections has increased by more than 90 percent during the last decade, according to research from Princeton University.

In 2006, there were 278,203 reported cases of MRSA-related infection, more than double the number in 1999, according to the study. The growing number of MRSA cases reflects the increasing resistance of Staphylococcus bacteria to antibiotics.

The study also shows that hospital-associated MRSA infections, occurring mostly in patients with weakened immune systems, have been more common than community-associated MRSA infections, occurring among those who pick up the bacteria in fitness centers, common restrooms, and other public places.

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As seen on Earth911.com.

Environmental Leader reports that the U.S. green building market is set to grow 146 percent by 2013, according to research released by Zpryme.

The public facilities sector showed the largest potential growth of almost 30 percent, with the education and commmercial sectors trailing closely. This growth could move the green building sector into a market worth of more than $128 billion in the next three years.

However, other researchers disagree with these findings. According to GreenMarketResearch.com, “The market will grow less significantly, with the real estate market continuing to see difficulty through 2010.”

No matter where the actual numbers fall, current market trends and future predictions show that the green building sector is expected to grow, adding jobs to the economy.

And reducing our energy consumption in our buildings can result in big savings: According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), buildings in the U.S. account for 72 percent of all electricity consumed.

Cities are already toying with the notion of instilling green building codes, which would stimulate further investment in the industry. However, there are some snags in the plans.

In December, New York City nixed a scheme that would have required over equired all buildings of 50,000 square feet or more to take steps to become more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the bill would have created 19,000 construction jobs. However, opponents argued that this is an overestimate, as the real estate industry is still reeling from the recession.

The popularity of green buildings are also on the rise. A landmark study by CB Richard Ellis and the University of San Diego found that tenants in green buildings experienced increased productivity and fewer sick days. Additionally, according to the study, “public image, recruitment and retention of employees are enhanced in green buildings.”

Via Cleanlink:

The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) at its annual meeting reaffirmed previously published practice guidance for the minimal time for proper cleaning and surface disinfection of patient rooms. The reaffirmation is due to wide variations in cleaning practices. Over the last several years the emergence of new microorganisms and the process for removing them from surfaces has required more time and attention, particularly to high touch surfaces.

The following statements are taken from the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services Practice Guidance for Healthcare Environmental Cleaning.

Cleaning an Occupied Patient Room
To ensure consistent quality of cleaning and adequate staffing resources for infection prevention, a total facility cleaning standard should be agreed upon in advance by environmental services, infection control and operations or administrative management.

By following all of the recommended practice steps, an occupied patient room clean will take approximately 25-30 minutes per room. Time is determined by the number of tasks and the time to perform each task in an efficacious manner.

Terminal Cleaning of the Patient Room (Discharges or Transfers)
To ensure consistent quality of terminal cleaning and adequate staffing resources for infection prevention, a total facility cleaning standard should be agreed upon in advance by environmental services, infection control and operations or administrative management.

By following all of the recommended practice steps, a terminal clean will take approximately 40-45 minutes per terminal clean. Time is determined by the number of tasks and the time to perform each task in an efficacious manner.

Specific guidance for cleaning and disinfecting can be found in the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services Practice Guidance for Healthcare Environmental Cleaning. Time adjustments may be needed due to factors such as the size of the room, number of high touch surfaces and the amount of furniture in the patient room. If times require an adjustment, a detailed time and task study should be employed to ensure all areas receive proper cleaning and disinfection. The Infection Control committee should approve any deviations from recommended cleaning times based on the ASHES Practice Guidance manual.

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Via Cleanlink:

As school doors across the nation open for the new school year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is set to launch year three of its National Green Schools Campaign, a broad-based initiative involving policy makers, teachers, parents and students who want to substantially improve the indoor environmental quality of America’s schools, along with making them more energy efficient, water efficient and resource efficient.

On September 8, USGBC and 11 educational and environmental groups kicked off the Coalition for Green Schools at a meeting featuring remarks by Martha Kanter, Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, about the multiple, but critically important pathways for greening America’s schools. This first ever alliance between the nation’s leading educational and environmental organizations brings together the country’s strongest advocates for healthy, safe and sustainable K-12 learning environments prized for their contribution to higher test scores among students, higher retention among teachers and lower absenteeism rates for both groups because of improved indoor air quality.

On the heels of the Coalition event, Adobe Systems announced its support of the Mayors’ Alliance for Green Schools by funding renovation and repair projects for three schools identified by the Alliance in three U.S. cities including Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. The Alliance, initiated in October 2008 by Mayor Martin Diaz of Miami and Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle in partnership with USGBC, is a coalition of mayors across the country looking to promote the benefits of green schools in their communities.

Later in September, USGBC will host its 2nd Annual Congressional Advocacy Day, bringing more than 100 advocates from USGBC Chapters to Washington, to call on their Congressional Representatives about the importance of green schools, and to thank them for their support of the stimulus funding that is helping make the renovation and repair of many schools possible. USGBC has also begun year two of its 50 for 50 Initiative. 16 have been established so far, with another dozen in formative stages.

Fully twenty percent of the nation’s population spends their days in a K-12 school, and too many of those schools are substandard by any measure. Green schools cost less money to operate and use substantially less energy and water. Those savings add up and put money back into the classroom. On average, green schools save $100,000 per year, which could pay for two new teachers, buy 100 new computers, or purchase 5,000 new textbooks.

“There is no more important work we have before us than making sure that every one of our children attends a school where the learning environment works for them, not against them” said Rick Fedrizzi, President and CEO, USGBC. “Our National Green Schools Campaign has sought to make this a priority agenda item for school districts, local and state government bodies, and for those who set the national agenda in our schools, who like USGBC, would like to get this done within our generation.”

Fedrizzi noted that there had been significant progress in the past 12 months, including federal, state and local initiatives that have has passed, including the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Facilities Act, funding for green school construction and renovation as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the “Making green Schools a Reality” Resolution.

USGBC’s LEED for Schools green building certification has helped grow the stock of green schools nationwide, and more than one school a day registers with LEED on average. There are currently more than 185 LEED certified schools and nearly 1,706 more have registered their intent to seek certification.

“However, given that there are some 126,000 schools in America, we clearly have more to do,” Fedrizzi said. “We anticipate that this effort will continue to attract policy makers, parents, student, teachers, and the many groups who see this as a concrete way to care for our children’s future, and save taxpayer dollars in improved long-term operations of these facilities.”