LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Yum! Brands Inc., parent company of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC, has opened an environmentally friendly KFC-Taco Bell restaurant in Northampton, Mass. The restaurant is the company's first effort to pursue certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
"The Northampton KFC-Taco Bell is part of our E3 Initiative focusing on the Energy, Environment and Economics of our buildings," said Jonathan Balas, AIA, LEED AP, KFC Project Architect, the architect who spearheaded and coordinated the project.
Highlights of the restaurant's design can be categorized by several key aspects: reducing carbon footprint, water conservation and quality, and sensible building materials and resources use. The restaurant, designed to use 30 percent less energy and water than a conventional building, also cuts CO2 emissions, reduces waste going to landfills/incinerators and educates visitors and employees on sustainable design.
Efforts to reduce the store's carbon footprint include:
- Solar energy preheats fresh air coming into the building, reducing the use of natural gas
- A sophisticated lighting control system that maximizes the use of natural light
- LED lights utilized where feasible both inside the restaurant, in the parking lot and on signage
- More energy efficient kitchen and building equipment
- Purchasing renewable energy credits
Water conservation is a high priority in the new KFC-Taco Bell restaurant, and efforts include:
- Harvested rainwater used for irrigation
- Fixtures with lower water consumption rates
- A rain garden with filters to improve storm water quality
Other environmentally friendly efforts include:
- Use of build materials with recycled content, such as counter tops and building insulation
- Use of sustainably harvested wood
- Composting and recycling of waste, including enhanced cooking oil reclamation
- Use of the building as a testing "lab" to confirm the feasibility and green performance of new technologies in addition to new construction
Corporate responsibility report, awards
Yum! Brands issued its first Corporate Responsibility Report titled "Serving the World" during the fourth quarter of 2008. The Report examines Yum! Brands' social, environmental and economic impact based on company and external stakeholder expectations, with focus on: Corporate Governance and Ethics, Public Policy and Government Affairs, Culture and People Development, Health and Nutrition, Environment, Supply Chain, and Community Giving.
Yum! Brands has been named one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine, for its ongoing commitment to corporate responsibility, the company also has announced.
