# Moe’s is first LEED Silver certified restaurant in VT

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/06/moes-is-first-leed-silver-certified-restaurant-in-vt/
- Published: 2011-06-13T20:45:48-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

**_Fast casual burrito concept in Williston, VT honored for sustainable construction
and design –_**

Moe’s Southwest Grill announced today that the location in Williston, VT has been
awarded LEED Silver certification making it the first restaurant in the chain and
in the state of Vermont to earn this high honor.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the nation’s preeminent 
program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings
established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green
Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

“The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the
most-important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence
on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health,”
says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council.“
The work of innovative building projects such as Moe’s Southwest Grill is a fundamental
driving force in the green building movement.”

By using less energy and water, LEED certified buildings save money for families,
businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier
environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

Local Franchise Partners Sueayn and Philip Wood set out to build a restaurant and
achieve LEED certification two and a half years ago.

Some of the green design and construction features that positively impacted the 
project itself and the broader community include LED lighting, energy efficient 
cooking equipment, and a technologically advanced air control system that they anticipate
will reduce energy consumption by 22 percent.

In compliance with LEED standards, the building materials were locally sourced and
the laminates, paint and adhesives are all low-emission to help enhance the air 
quality of the restaurant.

In addition, this new location features low flow sink aerators, low flow toilets
and waterless urinals.

Finally, a unique regional feature is the Freeaire management system for the walk-
in cooler that overrides the condensers and evaporators once the outside air reaches
a temperature that is equal to or cooler than the desired walk-in temperature.

“It has been an amazing experience building a green restaurant from the ground up,”
says Sueayn Wood. “We’re proud to offer our guests a well-rounded eco-friendly dining
experience, from the building design to our sustainable ingredients like grass-fed
steak, grain-fed pork and organic tofu.”

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
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Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
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