A veterinary center with a dream to be green has opened in
Shadyside. Located at 5875 Ellsworth Ave.,
East End Veterinary Medical Centre is run by doctors Andrea Cangin and Ken Fisher.
After commuting to offices in Butler and the
South Hills, the
Squirrel Hill residents recognized a need for additional animal care options in the city, and pursued the chance to work closer to home.
Designed by
evolve EA, the 3,000 square-foot facility houses exam, treatment and surgery rooms, waiting areas and a small office. “It was an empty shell. There wasn’t even a floor,” says Cangin, who strives to run an environmentally friendly practice. “From the standpoint of construction, they used recycled drywall and they recycled wood and cardboard. Our faucets have flow control features; all of our lighting is fluorescent. We have digital x-rays with no chemicals, and we’re a paperless practice.”
Cangin, who consulted with the
Green Building Alliance and researched project designs in
Veterinary Economics Magazine, is unaware of other veterinarians in the nation who have designed green private practices. “To our knowledge, we’re the first in the region. We’ve been trying to figure out if we can get
LEED certified. It’s something we feel passionate about. The technology is there and we wanted to do everything we could afford. A lot of it was having a good architect who could listen to us and knew what we wanted.”
The center—which offers Saturday hours—already has 250 clients. “Pets are becoming more like family members. People are willing to spend much more on their pets,” adds Cangin, who says the practice serves many young cat and dog owners.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource: Dr. Andrea Cangin, East End Veterinary Medical Centre
Photograph copyright © Brian Cohen