Miami, Fla., January 19, 2010 – Pizza Fusion (http://www.pizzafusion.com), an organic pizza franchise based in Fort Lauderdale, was recently awarded LEED certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for its North Miami Beach restaurant. This recognition makes Pizza Fusion the first LEED certified restaurant in Miami.
“We’re very pleased to receive this recognition from the USGBC. It represents the dedication and hard work of many individuals, from our architect to our staff, who upholds our environmental practices daily,” Moe Arpacilar, managing partner of Pizza Fusion, continues. “We’re very proud to provide the residents of Miami with a delicious means of giving back to the planet… one pizza at a time.”
Pizza Fusion’s restaurants feature a number of unique, eco-efficient products, techniques and designs. Pizza Fusion Miami’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, low voltage, low heat lighting, and much more – all the way down to the 100 percent recycled toilet paper in its bathrooms.
“We are very proud to bring Miami its first LEED certified restaurant,” Vaughan Lazar, president and co-founder of Pizza Fusion states. “We hope other businesses will follow in our footsteps throughout South Florida and nationwide, as we continue to franchise nationally.”
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 likeminded franchise and area developer candidates for their national expansion over the next five years.
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.
