Build green from within
Going green is about more than installing energy-saving light bulbs. Use environmentally friendly materials to build a green hospital from the inside out.
Many veterinary practice owners consider their practices to be green, but at East End Veterinary Medical Centre in Pittsburgh, Pa., nearly every surface is made from environmentally friendly materials. In keeping with their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint, Drs. Kenneth Fisher and Andrea Cangin meticulously chose each set of materials, from the floor to the ceiling. Recycled carpet tiles line the floors in the doctors' offices, while polyurethane flooring allows for easy cleanup in the pet care areas. Steel framing in the practice's walls and the interior drywall contain 25 percent and 90 percent recycled content, respectively. A drop ceiling contains 50 percent recycled material, and construction teams used formaldehyde-free plywood for architectural highlights throughout the facility. The practice has taken many other steps toward becoming a green facility, but at East End Veterinary Medical Centre, an environmentally friendly attitude starts from within.
East End Veterinary Medical Centre, a Merit Award winner in the Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Competition, will be featured in the Jan. 2010 issue of Veterinary Economics.
