While McDonald’s may not be the first thing you think of when you think of net zero, its new net zero quick service restaurant in Orlando, Fla., has set the bar for restaurants. Completed in June 2020, the 8,024-square-foot restaurant was designed by Ross Barney Architects, Chicago, and creates enough renewable energy on-site to cover 100% of its energy needs on a net annual basis.
On-site renewable energy design aims to cover 100% of the restaurant’s energy needs
The newly remodeled building is located near Disney’s All-Star Resorts. Taking advantage of Orlando’s subtropic climate, the restaurant can be naturally ventilated approximately 65% of the year. Jalousie windows, which are operated by outdoor humidity and temperature sensors, close automatically when air conditioning is required. To create an extension of the indoor dining room, there’s a 6,000-square-foot outdoor porch with wood louvered walls and fans.
The steel-framed building features a variety on on-site energy generation strategies, including 18,727 square feet of photovoltaic panels on a v-shaped roof, 4,809 square feet of glazing integrated photovoltaic panels (BiPV), and 25 off-the-grid parking lot lights, which help offset more than 9,000 kWh per year. There’s also 1,766 square feet of a living green wall, which absorbs CO2, promoting biodiversity and retaining water. The landscape features all-native species, and to mitigate runoff, permeable paving is used for the entry plaza and outdoor dining area. Additionally, stormwater from the 1.5-acre site drains to two adjacent ponds before going through the resort’s water-management system.
The global flagship restaurant also serves as a learning hub for McDonald’s to test solutions for reducing energy and water use. The company will be pursuing the International Living Future Institute’s Zero Energy Certification, and the data and learnings will inform McDonald’s global sustainability efforts, including its progression toward its science-based target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 36% in restaurants and offices by 2030.