Tim Hortons opens its first LEED-certified restaurant
Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons has opened its first LEED-certified restaurant at 969 Upper Ottawa Street in Hamilton, Ontario.
The restaurant was constructed in 2011 on a former parking lot near downtown Hamilton.
As part of the green design, more than 40% of construction materials were regionally manufactured and extracted within an 800 km radius of the restaurant, or recycled from the site. The parking lot surface itself was crushed and reused as granular fill. A total of 99% of construction waste materials were diverted from landfill through recycling and innovative salvage efforts.
Additional green restaurant design features include a white roof to reduce heat island effect of the building, keeping the interior temperature cooler in summer and warmer in winter; LED Interior and exterior signage lighting to reduce energy consumption by more than 18%; usage of low "E" glazed windows across the building to increase insulation, reducing energy consumption and maximising the amount of natural light coming in; and usage of locally manufactured millwork using Forest Stewardship Council-Certified wood.
The restaurant also features local drought-resistant plant species for the exterior landscape, which does not require an irrigation system to maintain, to reduce water consumption. Low VOC adhesives and sealants were used throughout.
Tim Hortons registered four restaurants for LEED Certification in 2012. The company is planning to open 30 LEED-certified restaurants by the end of 2016.
