Subway franchisee Ahmad “Mike” Abdallat recently opened his first green restaurant with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification, and he says he couldn’t be happier. The two-unit franchisee worked with Green Tech Consulting Inc. on the logistics of opening the green building, which he says is a hit with both employees and customers. He recently talked to Nation’s Restaurant News about how the building’s features are already saving him money.
Tell us about your LEED-certified Subway unit.
It looks very normal, actually, like a regular store. It’s just that everything is updated and it’s very healthy for the environment. It’s got sensors so when you walk into the bathrooms the lighting shuts on and off. It’s got low-flush toilets, and the equipment doesn’t [require] the same amount of power as the other traditional stores.
I’m very happy and excited. The store is designed to help create an overall smaller environmental footprint. It’ll consume less electricity and water, offer more natural light, heating and cooling to our customers. In addition to all that, we’ve included another eco-friendly element: extensive use of recycled materials.
How did you get interested in going green?
[Subway] talked to me about the [eco-store] idea. I really liked it. It’s all about saving money and the future of the environment. I paid an extra $20,000 to build this store, but in the long run I will save a lot of money. I’ve already saved 60 percent on my utility bills, and that’s a very large amount of money. I have two other Subways and I pay almost $700 a month just for electric. This store is about $340 a month for electricity and water.
What has the reaction been so far from customers and employees?
My employees are having a great time working in the store. They just love it. The store, the lighting, the happiness, everybody is just happy and has a good attitude.… They are really happy with the atmosphere. I will never do another store that is not green.— [email protected].
