The CEO for CKE Restaurants Inc. cut the ribbon on his firm's new eco-friendly Carl's Jr. this week with a goal of making it the flagship for the company's green building efforts.
The restaurant is just two miles from the headquarters of CHK, which operates the Carl's Jr. and Hardee Restaurant chains.
If the new shop lives up to its expectations for energy efficiency, water conservation and other environmental performance areas, it will become the model for projects to build or retrofit restaurants in both chains, according to CEO Andrew F. Puzder.
Green features of the new restaurant include:
• Energy Star-rated equipment.
• Solar reflective roofing material, which contributes to the reduced need for energy to heat and cool the building.
• Rainwater reuse and smart irrigation systems.
• An energy management system that electronically controls lighting and zone temperatures in the building,which was designed without light switches.
• LED parking lot lights.
• The installation of a catalyst to convert charbroiler particulate into carbon dioxide and water, reducing smoke, odors and emissions.