Energy-efficient Popeyes constructed in under two weeks

Popeyes continues its expansion in Canada with a new location that was built with near-zero construction waste and in record time. 

Opening by fall 2021 and located in Abbotsford, British Columbia, the new restaurant was constructed in less than two weeks by green construction technology company Nexii Building Solutions Inc. Nexii anticipates that its technology will reduce the new Popeyes’ operational building carbon emissions by approximately 30% due to the building material and assembly process. 

Nexii’s green building products are manufactured in plants to project specifications using 3D software. The process means that Nexii panels are able to fit together like jigsaw pieces onsite, accelerating standard build times from 50% to 75% (compared to the historical time required to build a stand-alone restaurant of similar size in Canada), according to the company.  

With the products manufactured offsite and assembled on-site, the process also enables Nexii to eliminate almost all onsite construction waste. (Nexii previously partnered with Starbucks on a store in the same center as the new Popeyes.) 

The Nexii panels are made of a proprietary material that is more thermally efficient and less carbon-intensive than concrete, the company said. When assembled, the panels create an airtight building envelope that improves energy efficiency and, in turn, significantly lowers the greenhouse gas emissions for ongoing building operation. 

“As a company, we are committed to building the most loved restaurant brands in the world, and reducing our environmental impact while doing so,” said Robert Manuel, general manager for Popeyes in Canada. “We are therefore excited to partner with Nexii to reduce the carbon emissions of an upcoming Canadian restaurant in British Columbia. This is just one of many steps we’re taking as a brand to positively affect climate change, and we’re looking forward to continuing this important sustainability journey with our restaurants.”

In December 2020, Nexii constructed a first-of-its-kind sustainably built Starbucks drive thru store. The Starbucks store and the Popeyes restaurant are both located in the same retail development in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and Nexii is in talks to deliver further projects at the site.