by Shane Henson — July 29, 2013—Retail facilities managers who take great care to ensure the inside of their facilities are in tip-top shape and operating as sustainably as possible can find the information they need to maintain and improve buildings’ surrounding landscapes as well in a new publication released this month by the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM).
Retail Facilities Outdoor Site Maintenance was launched to help the retail facilities manager plan and develop a comprehensive approach to all outdoor maintenance operations, especially landscaping. According to the new guide, “standards exist for sustainable structures (green buildings), yet there are no comprehensive guidelines and performance benchmarks for those who want to create and measure sustainable landscapes. Landscapes have great potential for both environmental benefit and severe environmental damage.”
To support the retail FM in taking advantage of this opportunity to advance their company’s green mission, PRSM Association’s Sustainability Council has defined metrics, development options based on store needs, tools and case studies to help facilities managers modify their outdoor service plan, which includes roofing, landscaping, sidewalks, outdoor pest control, outdoor lighting and stormwater runoff, says PRSM. The guide provides retail FMs with six “first steps” to get started. They include guidance in these areas:
- Building Exterior and Hardscape Management Plan
- Integrated Pest Management, Erosion Control and Landscape Management Plan
- Stormwater Quantity Control
- Heat Island Reduction, Non-roof
- Heat Island reduction, Roof
- Light Pollution Reduction
Retail Facilities Outdoor Site Maintenance and other guides can be found within PRSM’s online Sustainability Resource Center.
PRSM publishes outdoor site maintenance guide for retail FMs
