Our Initiatives

“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

If it is true that a company’s first job is to create and keep a customer, its second job must be to keep that customer alive and thriving through healthy lifestyles*. As a medical office building owner and developer since 1967 with a commitment to northeast Oklahoma, WPBC takes a long term view on the community’s health. That’s why WPBC continues to improve on the ways that it creates environments for visitors and patients to receive compassionate care. Recycling, conservation, indoor air quality, life safety programs and green building practices are currently WPBC’s primary tools for helping to create a healthy and sustainable community. In the future, WPBC’s intentions include implementation of more regenerative practices. For now, most WPBC practices focus on being “less bad”.

Current Practices

Recycling, including paper, plastic, glass, aluminum, metal studs, light bulbs, batteries and carpet.

• Green Cleaning Processes – In all WPBC managed buildings, all materials, products, supplies and procedures meet the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Cleaning Service, GS-42. In fact, WPBC has earned a LEED innovation point for its green cleaning program.
• Indoor air quality emphasis including the use of UV filters and automated monitoring in some buildings.
• Energy conservation including demand side management, free cooling, tenant metering, cogeneration using waste heat, lighting retrofit, occupancy sensors, green roofs, energy management systems and LED lighting in some buildings.
• Water conservation, including flushless urinals and the use of rainwater catchment, air conditioning condensate and grey water treatment for storage and irrigation in some buildings.
• Storm water Best Management Practices including the use of mechanical filtration to remove sediment and sludge from storm water runoff at some buildings.
• Elimination of new building products using benzene, antimony trioxide, chromium, and asbestos, and asphalt containing coal-tar-based pavement sealants.
• Significant reductions in the use of volatile organic compounds, PVC, and products containing known endocrine disruptors.
• Use of regenerative carpet products.
• Tree planting – over 1,000 trees planted at WPBC campuses.
• Carbon Footprint Benchmarking

LEED Buildings

• Natalie Building – The first LEED registered building in Oklahoma.
• Bishops Building – The first LEED Gold certified commercial building in Tulsa. Watch Video
  Meet the Architect: Dana Brandle
• No tobacco use policies on all campuses.
• Public transit availability at all major campuses.
• Administration of TulsaTownies community bike sharing program.
• Free rent to over 21 unrelated, non-profit entities.

Future Practices

• Renewable energies. All of WPBC’s significant medical office building HVAC systems are solar thermal ready when the grid price justifies the application. WPBC’s newest parking garage was also designed to readily accept solar thermal panels.
• Use of more regenerative or cradle to cradle products.
• Increased recycling scope as more and more local businesses provide recycling services.

* Statement credited to William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

Tenants are in a prime position to create a culture of sustainability. Here are some ways to get involved.

Save Resources in the Office

There are plenty of simple (and painless) ways to cut waste and energy use in offices.

• Set your computer monitor to “sleep” when it is idle for 10 to 15 minutes, or just turn your monitor off when you will be out of your office for a half hour or more.
• Always turn lights off when rooms are not in use.
• Take advantage of natural light. Avoid using incandescent task lights.
• Use Energy Star office machines, and choose the most efficient options. Ink-jet printers typically use less energy than laser printers, and laptops typically use less energy than desktops.
• Plug machines into “smart” power strips that automatically turn off equipment when you’re gone.
• Turn off lights, monitors, printers and copiers at night and on weekends.
• Unplug appliances, such as coffeemakers, shredders, fans and battery chargers, when not in use. These can draw electricity even when they’re “off”.
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs for desk lighting – they can last 10 times longer than regular bulbs and use approximately one-quarter the energy.
• Replace your outdated office fridge with an Energy Star appliance.
• Purchase recycled paper and other recycled products.
• Consider the value of energy in computer purchase decisions. Ink jet printers can use 1/5 the energy of laser printers; laptops can use ¼ the energy of desktop computers; and flat panel screens can use 1/3 the energy of conventional monitors.
• Ride your bike: Most of our campuses have showers and bike storage available for your use.
• Use MTTA.

Recycle & Reduce Waste

• Use the collection bins in all campus buildings for paper, plastics, glass and cans. Every little bit you keep out of the trash helps save energy and reduce landfill waste.

With Your Tenant Improvements Request:

• Separate metering of your suite; so you can monitor your energy use.
• Regenerating and recycled building materials.
• LEED for commercial interiors certification.
• High efficiency Energy Star appliances, and water efficient toilets and lavatories.