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National Pet Hospital Headquarters Seeks Highest LEED Certification

VANCOUVER, Wash. — The corporate headquarters of Banfield Pet Hospital, relocating from Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, is seeking the highest LEED certification for its dog-friendly workplace. The 206,000-square-foot pet hospital is 44 percent more energy efficient and 40 percent more water efficient than a typical building its size. It is aiming for LEED Platinum certification, the highest LEED rating for new buildings.

Built to accommodate solar energy panels, the facility will feature a living green wall in the lobby as a central visual element as well as floor-to-ceiling windows, which will bring an open feel and natural light into the 800-plus workspaces. A capture and re-use rainwater system will be used to operate toilet flushing for optimal water savings. A geothermal heating and cooling system will also be set in place, creating an extensive network of underground water pipes that will also help heat the building in the wintertime. Outside, the landscape of the 17.5-acre site will be a habitat for wildlife.

Designed by TVA Architects of Portland, Ore., the pet hospital is three structures that merge into a central area for employees, pets and visitors. Keeping in mind the millennial demographic, which makes up a large base of Banfield’s workers, there is a rooftop terrace for breaks, a dog ramp for the nearly 150 dogs that accompany their owners to work, open workspaces and meeting rooms instead of offices, a reflection room with privacy glass and desks that can change from sitting to standing.

A three-story campus building contains a large cafeteria and six “micro-cafes” with vending machines, ice and coffee for employees wanting to stay closer to their workspace. Twice the size of the event center at Clark County Fairgrounds, the facility is expected to score the 80 points or more required for LEED Platinum certification. Construction through Portland, Ore.-based general contractor Skanska is nearly finished, and employees should start moving in late June.