McDonald's is leaner, greener

By Vickie Jean DeHamer, Staff Writer, The Cary News

McDonald’s iconic colors of red and yellow have changed to green and green.

At least they have at 1299 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary, where franchise owner Ric Richards opened the state’s first “green” McDonald’s restaurant on July 14.

“Passion is what built this restaurant,” Richards said, standing among over 100 people gathered around him — including other McDonald’s owners, staff, friends, family and even Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Ronald McDonald — for the grand opening ceremony.

The 25-year-old building was torn down in March and underwent a four-and-a-half-month rebuild in hopes of becoming LEED-certified, the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard. Richards and his consultants spent two years researching the accreditation process and planning the new restaurant.

“All we are right now is LEED registered,” said Richards, explaining that the restaurant is under review by the Green Building Council. “As you complete the submittals, you are awarded points and that determines what certification you arrive at.” Richard hopes for a response by October.

Only two other McDonald’s nationwide — in Savannah and Chicago — have met the stringent LEED certifications, which rate energy efficiency, water conservation and use of recycled materials, among other features that demonstrate environmental friendliness.

It’s becoming a trend for local restaurateurs, who are going after the green certification to lessen their impact on the environment and appeal to eco-conscious customers.

Richards said it can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor.

“The learning curve was immense,” he said.

The rebuild cost about 10 percent more than a traditional McDonald’s, according to Richards. All told, he said the swanky re-model totalled a little over $2 million, but he expects to recoup some money over time in utility and water savings.

Some of the green features include: high-efficiency kitchen equipment; low-flow toilets; tables made from sunflower seeds, wheat, bamboo and kirei board; drought-tolerant landscaping; and, Richards’ personal favorite, the solatubes.

The dining room is lit by 19 light cylinders, called “solatubes,” that filter sunlight through fat pipes in the ceiling. The rest of the light streams through jumbo windows that encase the restaurant.

“The lighting is warm, soft and comfortable,” he said. “And, you know what? It’s efficient.”

At night, a white “wave wall” illuminates the dining room. Richards is thrilled with how it all came out.

“The seats you’re sitting on, the colors you see ... we picked out all the colors. Not bad for a couple of guys,” he said.

Several of those “guys,” members of Richards’ consulting team, spoke at the opening, wearing white shirts and green ties.

Richards referred to them as his “green team,” and he thanked collaborators from mostly local companies: Cree Lighting, NovaCharge, Quality Automation Graphics, Skanska and Solatube.

Cary Mayor Weinbrecht received a gift from Richards and spoke to the crowd, who munched on complimentary McDonald’s biscuits, parfaits, sweet tea and coffee.

“I had the pleasure of meeting these guys at the Hibernian after a long day at work, and all I could say was ‘wow,’” Weinbrecht said.

“Wow” could also describe the sophisticated interior of the restaurant. Not a plastic chair in sight. Instead, the color scheme is blonde wood and grassy greens, topped off with three flat-screen TVs — one of which is an educational touch-screen that gives a virtual tour of the interior and exterior, explaining more about the restaurant’s “green” features.

The playground is gone, but the parking lot has two recharging stations for electric cars. Richards said he’ll offer the electricity free for a couple months.

“You can plug in your laptop or your iPod,” he said. “If you need to recharge your electric grill before a party, you can come on by to do it.”

His restaurant staff has remained largely the same, Richards said, and just about doubled at 75 members for the launch. The menu is also the same, save for the addition of the Angus burger.

Richards said he’s excited to show the place off to the Cary community.

“I am so proud to be part of this,” he said. “And the good news is, in the next 15 years, I won’t have to change any light bulbs.”