Atlanta, Ga., December 8, 2009 – Pizza Fusion (http://www.pizzafusion.com)
was recently awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for its
Atlanta restaurant. This marks the fifth Pizza Fusion location nationally to
receive LEED certification.
“It’s very rewarding to be the first restaurant in Atlanta to be
individually certified under the strict requirements of the LEED program”,
Jeff Melnick, owner of Pizza Fusion Atlanta, states. Â “While there are other
restaurants in Atlanta located inside LEED Certified buildings, Pizza Fusion
in Buckhead is the first and only Atlanta restaurant to receive LEED
certification for its interior build-out and on-going operations. I’m very
proud of the team of people who made this ambition a reality, especially our
contractor Joshua Gregory at Batson Cook.”
LEED certification, established by the USGBC, is based on site/location
planning, energy conservation, water management, materials usage, indoor
environmental quality, and innovation in the design process. Â Pizza Fusion
restaurants feature a number of unique, eco-efficient equipment, techniques
and designs.
Pizza Fusion Atlanta’s eco-elements include countertops made from recycled
concrete and glass, soy stained concrete floors, tables made from reclaimed
wood, eco-friendly paints, 30% recaptured industrial concrete, energy star
certified appliances, insulation made from recycled blue jeans, ceiling
baffles made from recycled composite board, low voltage, low heat lighting,
and much more – all the way down to the 100 percent recycled toilet paper in
its bathrooms.
“We’re very proud to announce the LEED certification of another Pizza Fusion
restaurant,” Vaughan Lazar, president and co-founder of Pizza Fusion,
states. Â “Pizza Fusion Atlanta reflects the strict environmental approach we
apply to every Pizza Fusion, whether it’s LEED certified or not. Â We are
committed to providing a healthy environment where our customers can enjoy
Pizza Fusion’s delicious organic food.”
In the United States, restaurants are the top electricity consumer among
retail businesses, accounting for 33% of the total consumption. Each
restaurant produces an average of 50,000 pounds of waste per year. Pizza
Fusion’s LEED certified restaurants reduce water waste by 40 percent and
electricity consumption by 20 percent annually.
Pizza Fusion is considering qualified franchise candidates for its national
expansion throughout the United States.
About Pizza Fusion
Founded in the best interest of the individual and the environment, Pizza
Fusion combines a fresh, organic menu with an industry-leading environmental
approach to restaurant service in chic dining destinations built to LEED
certification standards. Pizza Fusion specializes in a full-service approach
to gourmet pizza, ciabatta sandwiches, salads, desserts, and organic beers
and wines, all in their purest form – untainted by artificial additives,
such as pesticides, preservatives, antibiotics and hormones. With numerous
franchises opening across the U.S., Pizza Fusion is pioneering the organic
and environmental restaurant movement as the most eco-friendly restaurant in
America. For additional information, visit: http://www.pizzafusion.com.