It’s doesn’t have to be hard or expensive to Certify your business as a Leader in Energy and Environmental Design by the U.S. Green Building Council. It does take careful planning, creative use of materials, and a willingness to learn about sustainability. The rewards will be a life changing educational experience and lower material and energy costs.
Here is a list of the features and upgrades we suggest for your restaurant. If they are completed, you can display the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Certification. You would be the first restaurant to do so in the region.
• Wind turbine or solar panels that generates 1% of the building’s total energy use
• Light colored roof and/or green roof to reflect the sun’s heat, cooling the neighborhood
• No city water used for landscaping, we would use a rain barrel and draught tolerant plants
• In a neighborhood with basic community services nearby
• Is along public transit lines
• Provides bike racks. Provides shower and changing rooms for employees
• Provides incentives for employees to use public transportation and education/car pool opportunities
• Reduces water use by 20% with waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, low flow fixtures, efficient dish washers and ice makers
• Reduce lighting power density by 20% but provide the same amount of light with compact CFLs and LEDs
• Use 50% Energy Star equipment
• Zero use of harmful ozone depleting and global warming refrigerants.
• Occupancy sensors for 75% of lighting load
• HVAC systems that are 15% better than ASHRAE 2007
• Demonstrate 15% better performance of heat loss and gain from ASHRAE 2007 baseline
• Engage in a two year Green Energy contract for 50% of energy use
• Recycle glass, metal, plastic, cardboard and paper
• Sign a 10 year lease
• Maintain at least 60% of interior non-structural components
• Reuse existing furniture
• Roofing material to include at least 10% recycled materials
• No smoking within 25′ of entrances
• Repaint and caulk with low VOC materials
• Install walk off mats and MERV 13 air filters
• Provide lighting and thermal comfort controls for 90% of employee areas, conduct post remodeling survey
• Provide views to the outside for 90% of regularly occupied area
• Use Green Cleaning methods
• Use the restaurant to educate the public about sustainability
These ideas will give you 56 points. Six over LEED Silver requirements at 50 points. The minimum for Certification is 40 points, so you don’t have to do them all.
Get in touch if you would like us to tell you more about the process and show you where in the Tri-State these ideas have been accomplished.
(12-2-19 301 redirect from lohre.com)