Life Cycle and Hygienic Evaluation of Green vs. Traditional Cleaning Protocols in Civil Buildings

The transition toward low-impact facility management requires robust evidence that environmental optimization does not compromise hygienic reliability. In the professional cleaning sector, sustainability claims are often based on product substitution rather than on integrated performance validation. This study provides a dual-perspective evaluation comparing a conventional cleaning protocol with the Pfe Green system, an eco-designed approach compliant with the Italian Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM, D.M. 29 January 2021), implemented in a civil building of Renault Italia S.p.A. in Rome. A combined Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and microbiological evaluation was conducted under real operational conditions to quantify both climate-related and hygienic outcomes. The LCA, performed in accordance with ISO 14040–44 and ISO 14067 standards, demonstrated that the Green protocol achieved an approximately 30% reduction in Global Warming Potential over a 100-year horizon (GWP100), mainly attributable to structural process optimization, including reduced detergent mass, lower laundering temperatures, improved dilution control, and energy-efficient machinery. Microbiological monitoring, conducted according to ISO 14698 and UNI EN ISO 18593, showed that both systems ensured high levels of microbial abatement, with the Green protocol exhibiting slightly higher average reductions in total viable counts (96.1% vs. 94.2%). These findings confirm that lower chemical input and eco-formulated products do not compromise hygienic performance when supported by standardized procedures and microfiber-based mechanical removal. By integrating life-cycle metrics with microbiological validation, this research proposes a replicable assessment model for sustainable cleaning services. The results demonstrate that CAM-aligned green protocols can simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain hygienic effectiveness, thereby supporting evidence-based sustainable procurement and corporate environmental strategies. The originality of this study lies in the integration of life-cycle environmental assessment with real-world microbiological validation under operational conditions, providing a comprehensive framework for evaluating sustainable cleaning systems beyond product-level substitution.