Materials in a LEED Restaurant

Founded in February 2006, Pizza Fusion’s LEED-certified restaurants feature a number of unique, eco-efficient products, techniques and designs, including eliminating the use of water heaters and air heating units by recycling heat from their ovens to warm their water and the restaurants themselves.

Other eco-friendly store elements include countertops made from 100 percent recycled detergent bottles, bamboo flooring, 30 percent recaptured industrial concrete, ceiling panels made from 74 percent recycled aluminum cans and 24 percent post-industrial metals, USG gypsum board made from pre-used drywall, insulation made from recycled blue jeans, ceiling baffles made from recycled composite board, low-voltage and low-heat lighting, seat cushions made with soybean oil, furniture made from reclaimed wood, and much more. In addition, Pizza Fusion utilizes eco-friendly paints from Green Planet Paints, compact fluorescent bulbs, panels from 3form, reclaimed wood for tables and cutting boards, smart lighting systems with occupancy sensors, FSC-certified wood, ENERGY STAR appliances, recycled greywater, and recycled heat (from ovens).

Green Practices

Pizza Fusion operates green, too, by using eco-friendly cleaners throughout facilities, and employees and customers use 100 percent post-consumer recycled toilet paper and paper towels. Food is served in containers made of cornstarch, designed to decompose in landfills in 60 days, and SpudWare utensils are made from potatoes. Employees even wear apparel made from 100 percent organic cotton. Finally, 100 percent of Pizza Fusion’s power consumption is offset through the purchase of renewable energy certificates.

Pizza Fusion employs green strategies in its marketing, operations, education and philanthropy. For example, customers earn discounts for bringing back pizza boxes to recycle. Glass bottles from the stores are being recycled to create flooring tiles for future locations.

Food and the Future

Beyond an organic menu of gourmet pizza, sandwiches, salads, beer and wine, Pizza Fusion proudly offers health-conscious alternatives for people with selective diets and food allergies.

Since launching the franchise program, Pizza Fusion has grown from a single privately-owned restaurant to a highly successful franchise concept with more than 50 locations already sold in seven states, including California, Nevada, Colorado, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Florida. Pizza Fusion is currently opening several new locations throughout the south and northeast United States, introducing several states to their first-ever LEED certified restaurant establishments.

Information courtesy of Pizza Fusion. For additional information, visit www.pizzafusion.com.