Charlotte News Observer
Fast, hot and green: Arches go eco-friendly: Local McDonald's could be third in U.S. to earn Green Building seal
September 18, 2008

Fast, hot and green: Arches go eco-friendly: Local McDonald's could be third in U.S. to earn Green Building seal

The golden arches are turning green in Cary.

McDonald's franchisee Ric Richards is planning an environmentally friendly redo of his restaurant in Saltbox Village shopping center, off Kildaire Farm Road.

The 4,150-square-foot restaurant, which has been there since 1985, is to be torn down and rebuilt with a design aimed at earning a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

If successful, the $2 million project would be the first LEED-certified McDonald's in the state, and the third in the nation.

"I believe in the whole philosophy of renewable resources and trying to help the environment," Richards said.

That's important, but so is the bottom line. Richards says that building green will cost more than building a traditional McDonald's, but he expects to make up for the expense with higher sales and cheaper utility expenses.

Retailers have been greening up in recent years to save money through operations and lure eco-conscious customers.

The McDonald's in Cary would be the latest Triangle fast-food joint to seek LEED certification.

On Wednesday, Subway opened a restaurant on Market Street in Chapel Hill that has recycled floor tile, high-efficiency heating and air-conditioning systems, low-flow faucets and lots of natural light. If approved, it will be the state's first LEED certified Subway.

Richards expects to use at least 40 percent less water than a traditional McDonald's by including features such as low-flow toilets and an irrigation system that uses rain that runs off the roof.

Skylights and LEDs throughout the restaurant would diminish electricity costs. He also plans to re-install existing equipment, rather than buying new.

McDonald's, the nation's biggest hamburger seller, no doubt will be watching the Cary project, which is to begin in January and finish in May.

Last month, McDonald's opened a Chicago location that was designed with LEED certification in mind. For instance, permeable pavers absorb stormwater and filter it back into the water table.

That project, near McDonald's Oak Brook, Ill., headquarters, is an educational tool for the company's designers. "We consider it our learning lab," said Max Carmona, senior director of U.S. restaurant design at McDonald's.

Growing movement

Green design is new, but growing. The green stores will help McDonald's zero in on potential savings in its 13,700 locations nationwide.

The U.S. Green Building Council established the LEED rating system in 2000 to promote construction of buildings that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

Developers earn points toward certification by incorporating innovations such as recycled materials and systems that conserve water and energy and lighting that reduces dependence on heating and air conditioning systems.

In Cary, Richards plans to recycle anything in the existing McDonald's -- from building materials to interior decor -- that isn't reused in the rehab. Front counters will be made of recycled glass and concrete, and the parking lot will be made of recycled concrete.

When the LEED system was introduced, green buildings were seen as a novelty -- stuff for conservation-minded designers or feel-good public relations for developers. But the practice has flourished in the past several years as energy prices have surged.

Now municipalities from North Carolina to California have begun to require green design, and developers are pushing green-only projects. Having some know-how could keep McDonald's and other companies growing in certain markets.

"We'll have that in our hip pocket as we need," Carmona said. "More importantly, at least for the near future, we can ... [take away] the strategies and tactics that we'll figure out from this green building that we can implement on a broader scale."

The company is learning from the first green McDonald's, which opened in Savannah, Ga., three years ago. It features water and energy-saving features such as glass that helps keep the heat out.  (Abercorn Common)

"It's been a better savings than my [12] traditional stores," said Gary Dodd, the franchisee who owns the store. "But not that much better."

About 85 percent of McDonald's are owned by franchisees such as Dodd and Richards.

Dodd thinks that savings will increase as energy-saving elements are spread across his stores. "Any type of energy savings is a pass-through to me," he said.

A pitch for loyalty

The green push follows the chain's efforts to make its packaging more environment-friendly. And it comes on the heels of a major makeover of many of McDonald's U.S. stores. Many have traded the red-and-white mansard roof with a gently curved golden arch that stretches across the front of the roof.

Inside, franchisees, who often cover much of the upfit costs, have been installing interiors with softer lights, colors and seats. They have added Internet connections and plasma-screen televisions and enjoyed more design freedom.

The goal is to lure the sit-and-stay crowd that fled to Starbucks or other casual-dining restaurants.

"The motivation of our business is really to sell more hamburgers, have fun and make money," Richards said. "Sell food fast, friendly, hot and fresh.

"If we're doing that, we'll attract some customers. If we do that in a dining atmosphere that looks more contemporary, we should sell even more."

Will green design help boost sales? "I don't know that being green is going to change somebody's preference," Carmona said, "but it certainly could help with loyalty."