Chick-fil-A goes for green with LEED Gold, energy and water retrofits

Fort Worth, Texas -- Chick-fil-A received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for its restaurant at Montgomery Plaza, Fort Worth, Texas. It is the first LEED Gold-certified restaurant in Fort Worth. The chain has committed to build four more LEED designed restaurants in 2012, and will incorporate energy conservation measures and recycled materials into all new restaurant construction activities.



In addition, by the end of 2012, over half of Chick-fil-A’s 1,600-plus restaurants will receive energy and water retrofits. These enhancements are part of the company’s commitment to energy conservation and are expected to result in significant cost savings for each restaurant.



Chick-fil-A at Montgomery Plaza was built in conjunction with the company’s environmental stewardship initiative, which is aimed at minimizing the company’s environmental footprint. The initiative places emphasis on four main areas of operation: cup recycling, energy and water efficiency in existing restaurants, sustainable new restaurant development, and sustainable supply chain.



The Montgomery Plaza location 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, resulting in a 14% energy reduction over industry standards.



Air Quality: Materials used in construction at Montgomery Plaza were specially selected because they do not emit harmful gasses. As a result, it has 30% more fresh air than a typical building.



Diverting Waste: Twenty percent 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.



Out of the company’s new LEED designed restaurants in 2012, the first will be in California, and is projected to open in summer 2012