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Tim Hortons Celebrates Earth Day with its First LEED® Certified Restaurant

By: Tim Hortons |  12 Shares     123 Reads

Hamilton restaurant is "Making a True Difference™" with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Certification by the Canada Green Building Council

April 23, 2013 // Franchising.com // OAKVILLE, ON - What was a parking lot two years ago, has now become a learning environment for potential sustainable building and design innovations in other Tim Hortons restaurants in Canada. To celebrate Earth Day, Tim Hortons executives cut the ribbon today on the company's first LEED® Certified restaurant, located at 969 Upper Ottawa Street in Hamilton, ON. Knowledge gained from this location will help Tim Hortons build more efficient restaurants across the chain, as the company works towards its goal of registering 30 projects for LEED® certification by the end of 2016.

"At Tim Hortons we acknowledge we have an environmental impact in the communities we serve and we are committed to continuously improving our restaurant footprint, from how we source material, to how we use energy, to how we design our restaurants and manage our waste," said Paulo Ferreira, senior director, International Strategic Design and Building Standards, Tim Hortons. "Our first LEED® Certified restaurant in Hamilton represents a significant achievement for us in our sustainability journey."

LEED® Certified buildings meet one of the highest environmental performance standards in the world, assessed by site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, material selection, indoor air quality and innovation in design.

"I'd like to congratulate Tim Hortons on their first LEED certified restaurant," said Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. "This certification is significant not only because one of Canada's most well recognized brands is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, but for the excellent example it sets for other national companies and restaurant chains. Sustainability can only be achieved through tangible efforts like these, and we look forward to working with Tim Hortons as they roll out their sustainability initiatives."

A LEED® Certified restaurant benefits from a 23 per cent cost reduction in regulated energy which translates to thousands of dollars in annual savings in operating costs.

"The benefits of a green restaurant are long-lasting and for business owners they pay off in the long run," said Sharon Kennish, Tim Hortons restaurant owner, Upper Ottawa Street, Hamilton. "Not only does environmentally friendly design result in a significant bottom-line savings over time, but it helps create a greener community, supports local suppliers and encourages individuals to make simple greener choices, like taking advantage of the priority carpool parking spots available or using our bike racks."

The Upper Ottawa Street restaurant was newly-constructed two years ago on a former parking lot near downtown Hamilton. As part of the green design, more than 40 per cent of construction materials regionally manufactured and extracted within an 800 km radius of the restaurant, or recycled from the site, were used. The parking lot surface itself was crushed and reused as granular fill. And, a total of 99 per cent of construction waste materials were diverted from landfill through recycling and innovative salvage efforts.

Some additional Green Restaurant Design features include:

• A white roof to reduce heat island effect of the building, keeping the interior temperature cooler in summer and warmer in winter
• LED Interior and exterior signage lighting to reduce energy consumption by more than 18 per cent
• Use of low "E" glazed windows across the building to increase insulation, thereby reducing energy consumption and maximizing the amount of natural light coming in
• Use of locally manufactured millwork using Forest Stewardship Council Certified wood
• Use of local drought-resistant plant species for the exterior landscape, which don't require an irrigation system to maintain, reducing water consumption
• Use of low VOC adhesives and sealants throughout

In 2012, Tim Hortons registered four restaurants for LEED® Certification in Toronto, Ancaster and Nepean, ON and Syracuse, NY, with five additional restaurants in the process of being registered in Scarborough, ON, Vancouver, Surrey and Langley, B.C., and Syracuse, NY. The company plans to register an additional 20 restaurants across North America within the next three years.

For more information on Green Restaurant Design and environmental stewardship at Tim Hortons visit www.sustainabilityreport.timhortons.com.

About Tim Hortons Inc.

Tim Hortons is one of the largest publicly-traded restaurant chains in North America based on market capitalization, and the largest in Canada. Operating in the quick service segment of the restaurant industry, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of consumer tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, espresso-based hot and cold specialty drinks including lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots, specialty teas, fruit smoothies, home-style soups, fresh Panini and classic sandwiches, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches and fresh baked goods, including our trademark donuts. As of December 30th, 2012, Tim Hortons had 4,264 system-wide restaurants, including 3,436 in Canada, 804 in the United States and 24 in the Gulf Cooperation Council. More information about the Company is available at www.timhortons.com. Follow Tim Hortons on Twitter: www.twitter.com/timhortons.

About the Canada Green Building Council

The CaGBC (www.cagbc.org) is the leading national industry organization advancing green building and sustainable community development practices. It works closely with our member organizations who are involved in the design, construction and operation of buildings and homes in an effort to make every building greener. The CaGBC is the sole license holder for the LEED green building rating system in Canada.

SOURCE Tim Hortons

Contact:

Hailey DeDominicis
dedominicis_hailey@timhortons.com
(905) 337-5349

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