KFC Starts Environment Protection New Pattern Xuan Wu Men Restaurant Awarded with LEED Certification

Sep 19, 2013 2:30 PM ET

September 19, 2013 /3BL Media/ - KFC, the leading catering brand in China, held a press conference on September 16, 2013 in Beijing announcing its new breakthrough in environmental protection field: KFC Xuan Wu Men restaurant is awarded with LEED Gold Certification. Currently, KFC China has three restaurants certified. In China fast food industry, KFC is the only brand with LEED certification.

During the press conference, Nellie Cheng, the Global Marketing Director of US Green Building Committee, presented the LEED Gold Plague to Ms. Zhao Li, General Manager of BJ KFC Co., Ltd. Mr. Mahesh Ramanujam, COO of USGB Committee and President of Green Building Certification Center, shared with us that USGB has been promoting LEED Certification system in China since 1998. It has a complete set of standard and rating system in terms of restaurant site selection, water/electricity energy control, construction material usage and indoor environment quality. The certification is divided into four levels.  The Gold Certification that KFC Xuan Wu Men restaurant obtained needs to get quite high rating and meet the strict requirement of the above-mentioned aspects.

KFC takes serious action on environment protection

Eric Han introduced to all participants that KFC has taken root in China for 26 years and has become a good neighbor to Chinese people. As a beloved and trustworthy brand, advocating environment protection and implement environment protection action is our obliged social responsibility. KFC has the courage to innovate and breakthrough. It is trying every effort to find out an effective environmental protection and energy saving mode through cautious study/testing on different restaurant equipments, construction material and operation environment, as well as the whole team’s great support

Years before, KFC has started studying and advocating new energy saving equipments and got to know the LEED certification system widely acknowledged in the US.  After great effort, KFC Hangzhou Lin Yin restaurant and Shanghai Jin Pan restaurant was awarded with LEED gold certification in 2012 June and September individually.  Eric Han indicated that getting the certificate is just step one. KFC will keep complete tracking and evaluation on the energy saving performance. Take Hang Zhou Lin Yin restaurant which has operated more than one year for example, it can save more than 100,000 kwh annually compared to other restaurant. 

Mr. Li Ya Guang, Vice chairman of China cuisine association, claims that the LEED Gold certification shows that KFC has achieved international acknowledged green and energy saving high standard. This has set forward a new and higher bar for domestic catering enterprises.  He hopes that Chinese catering enterprises can learn from KFC to act on energy saving and environment protection to positively contribute on protecting our home.

Details on Green Restaurant

After visited in the Xuanwu Men restaurant, reporters found that compared with ordinary KFC restaurant, there are quite a lot new equipments used: e.g., white efficiency 3 layer display holding cabinet, electronic menu etc. As introduced, the current three green KFC restaurants all use LED lighting system. From this year, the lighting system has replaced traditional one in all KFC new and IE restaurants in China. Besides that, the FOH lighting is equipped with sun induction control to reduce electricity consumption.

In order to provide a comfortable temperature and fresh aired dining environment and at the same time to save energy, ventilating system in the restaurant is designed to be very special.  In BOH, there is high efficiency hood used to not only secure the smoke exhaust effect but also save the exhaust air. The fresh air system ensures the air circulation from FOH to BOH of the restaurant and supplement to the exhaust system in the kitchen. There are non-fresco refrigerant air conditioning system used in the restaurant and partition controlled by function.

In terms of water saving, there are also new facilities adopted. For example, low flow flush valve in wash room; induction faucet with bubble devices installed in hand wash counters etc. In addition, there is an energy consumption monitoring system installed in KFC green restaurants to track real-time monitoring of electricity and water to help the company continuously optimize its energy saving design in the future. 

Mr. Ramanujam also mentioned in the press conference that to achieve "green" standard, in addition to its own operating standards, the restaurant also needs to drive the downstream suppliers. He highly appreciates the efforts done by KFC. According to LEED report statistics, the construction waste recycling rate is up to 98% in KFC Xuan Wu Men restaurant. The restaurant requires the supplier to strictly control the construction process, to ensure that the recyclable materials were collected and disposed processed, and reduce the pollution as much as possible. 

###

* This Press Release was originally distributed on September 18, 2013