Going Green at Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center

At Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center, sustainability is part of our long-term commitment to caring for pets and the community. We have been a 24-hour primary care, referral, and emergency hospital since 1991, and when we opened our 22,000-square-foot facility in 2008, we intentionally used that opportunity to reduce our environmental footprint.

Repurposing & Smart Design

Our hospital was created inside a former Super Duper grocery store that had been vacant for more than 15 years. Reusing the existing structure prevented demolition waste and avoided new land development — a meaningful step in conserving local resources.

Inside, large windows and skylights (including two in treatment and one in the lab) provide natural light and reduce the need for artificial lighting. The space was designed with earth tones and calming elements to create a welcoming, park-inspired atmosphere.

Energy Efficiency

Operating 24/7 requires significant energy, so efficiency was built into the design:

10 energy-efficient, zoned HVAC units to regulate specific areas of the hospital
Motion-activated lighting that shuts off automatically after 5 minutes
Fluorescent fixtures with multi-bulb “dimming” capability
Ongoing conversion to LED lighting

Zoned heating and cooling also resolved inefficiencies from our previous retrofitted building, where temperature control was difficult and wasteful.

Reducing Paper & Going Digital

We significantly reduced paper use by transitioning to electronic medical records in 2010 and becoming more fully integrated in 2015 with ezyVet. ICU treatment sheets are completed electronically through Smart FlowSheet, integrated directly with our practice software.

Paper recycling bins are located throughout the hospital, and secure documents are shredded and recycled. Employees are encouraged to bring recyclable paper from home. Materials are collected in Paper Retriever dumpsters.

Recycling & Waste Diversion

Recycling is embedded into our daily workflow, including:

Cardboard recycling for high inventory shipments
Plastic, glass, and metal recycling in medical and staff areas
Bottle deposit collection near vending areas
Ink and toner cartridge recycling through Recycle4Charity, with proceeds supporting our Pet Emergency Fund
Cell phone recycling
Electronics recycling through Sunnking, which donates proceeds to Camp Good Days & Special Times

Since 2014, we have recycled 28,994 pounds — over 14.5 tons — of electronics that would otherwise have gone to landfills.

Styrofoam & Shipping Materials

Vaccines and medications are often shipped in molded Styrofoam (number 6). Rather than discarding hundreds of containers annually, we partner with Armstrong Brands Inc and Thermal Foams to ensure the material is processed and reused.

Additional Green Initiatives

Hydrogen peroxide–based disinfectants that are effective while being less harsh than traditional quaternary ammonia products
Filtered water bottle filling stations for clients and staff
Tree planting on campus and annual Earth Day seedlings for employees
Free dual-vehicle electric charging station installed in February 2021, operated through ChargePoint