Chick-fil-A has received LEED Gold certification at its Fort Worth, TX location. The first Gold-certified restaurant in Fort Worth, the location has inspired the company to plan four more LEED designed restaurants in 2012.
How does a restaurant go about acquiring LEED Gold? Initiatives placed emphasis on four main areas of operation: cup recycling, energy and water efficiency in existing restaurants, sustainable new restaurant development, and sustainable supply chain.
As the chain’s first sustainable restaurant, the Montgomery Plaza location serves as a living laboratory as the company evaluates a variety of environmental initiatives as part of its overall growth strategy. The restaurant includes a host of sustainable features:
Water Usage – The restaurant utilizes low-flow fixtures in both the restrooms and the kitchen. An underground cistern (the size of a swimming pool) collects rainwater for landscape irrigation. As a result, Montgomery Plaza uses 40% less water when compared to a typical Chick-fil-A Restaurant.
Energy Efficiency – The restaurant features skylights in the dining area and windows in the kitchen, as well as the installation of energy efficient appliances. As a result, Chick-fil-A at Montgomery Plaza uses 14% less energy than industry standards.
Air Quality – Materials used in construction at Montgomery Plaza were specially selected because they do not emit harmful gasses. As a result, this restaurant has 30% more fresh air than a typical building.
Diverting Waste – 20% of the building material budget for Chick-fil-A at Montgomery Plaza was spent on products with recycled content. In addition, more than 50% of construction waste was diverted from the landfill. All cardboard and foam cups used in the everyday operations of the restaurant are being recycled.
Following the success of the Montgomery Plaza restaurant, Chick-fil-A will incorporate energy conservation measures and recycled materials into all new restaurant construction activities, and by the end of 2012, over half of the chain’s 1,600+ restaurants will receive energy and water retrofits.
