Bishop Ranch Installs Drought Tolerant Landscape Program to Save Water Annually

Bishop Ranch, the premier business community created by Sunset Development Company that is home to more than 600 companies in San Francisco’s East Bay, announced the addition of a Drought Tolerant Landscape Program to its list of sustainable practices.

At the height of one of the most severe droughts to strike California, Bishop Ranch removed 226,000 square feet of grass around 2600, the 1.8 million square foot next generation workplace it purchased last year with partner, MetLife. The grass will be replaced with an environmentally conscious alternative that will save 4,520,000 gallons of water each year. The program included 32 drought tolerant species and the installation of over 50,000 plants.

“For the Drought Tolerant Landscape Program we selected plants that would thrive in the California climate without depleting our resources,” said Del Fitchett, Landscape Superintendent for Bishop Ranch. “With the changes we made at Bishop Ranch, we are now able to save a significant amount of water and money, all while lessening our ecological footprint.”

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Bishop Ranch’s continued commitment to sustainability sets it apart from other business communities across the nation. In addition to the Drought Tolerant Landscape Program, Bishop Ranch’s sustainable practices include award-winning transportation programs, Energy Star and LEED Certified buildings, composting, and a comprehensive recycling program. In 2015, Bishop Ranch will also be switching to reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation.

“We are always looking for new ways to make a positive impact on the environment and set the highest standard for ourselves in all areas of operations,” said Alex Mehran, Jr., President and COO at Sunset Development Company. “Our participation in sustainable practices are enjoyed by the employees working in Bishop Ranch who enjoy a healthier, eco-friendly lifestyle.”

For additional information, visit bishopranch.com/sustainability.

About Bishop Ranch

Bishop Ranch, owned and operated by Sunset Development Company, is built on a legacy of sound planning and smart growth. Located on 585 acres, it is the largest mixed-use business community in Northern California today. For more than 30 years, Bishop Ranch has been creating a diverse, dynamic business community that continues to flourish. More than 30,000 people, including tenants and employees, enjoy a wide range of amenities and on-site services, including award-winning transportation services, seminars and networking opportunities, special offers and discounts, gourmet food trucks and a farmers market.

Home to 600 thriving companies in more than 30 industries, Bishop Ranch tenants include Fortune 500 companies such as Chevron, GE Technologies, IBM, PG&E, Robert Half International, Bank of the West, Toyota and AT&T. Exciting small businesses in high tech, bio/clean tech, and social software such as Affiliated Computer Services, Aon eSolutions, Cognizant Technology Solutions and AGIS Network are also located in one dynamic business environment. Bishop Ranch provides a wider range of leasing options for companies of all sizes, and its tenants occupy spaces that start as small as 150 square feet and go up to more than 500,000 square feet. For more information, visit bishopranch.com.

About Sunset Development Company Sustainability

The Sunset Development Company is committed to a broad range of green initiatives and sustainable principles and practices that are at the core of the company’s mission to preserve human, financial, and national resources for the future. It recognizes that environmental responsibility is critical to the health and vitality of our communities and has established clear guidelines for responsible building practices and landscaping along with benchmarks in recycling, transportation, waste management, energy use and water conservation.

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