McDonald’s Flagship-Disney Aims for Net-Zero Status

The McDonald’s Flagship-Disney, located in Orlando, Florida, recently completed construction, and aims to become the first net-zero restaurant in the quick-service industry. Under a shed clad in solar panels, the 8,024-square-foot restaurant, built by Southland Construction and designed by Ross Barney Architects, was envisioned and developed in response to the Florida climate.

Energy consumption is reduced by optimizing building and kitchen systems. Energy is generated onsite by 18,727 square feet of photovoltaic panels, 4,809 square feet of glazing integrated photovoltaic panels and 25 off-the-grid parking lot lights produce more energy than the restaurant uses.

As Orlando experiences significant humidity, the building is naturally ventilated approximately 65% of the year. Jalousie windows, operated by outdoor humidity and temperature sensors, close automatically when air conditioning is required. An outdoor porch featuring wood-louvered walls creates an extension of the indoor dining room.

The technology, developed in Norway and used to create the external timber product, is an environmentally friendly and patented process which modifies sustainably sourced softwoods by heating the wood with furfuryl alcohol—an agricultural by-product. By polymerizing the wood’s cell wall, the softwoods permanently take on the attributes of tropical hardwood, including high durability, hardness and dimensional stability. This unique process also provides the cladding with its characteristic appearance, which only grows more beautiful with time.

Additional sustainable strategies include paving materials that reduce the urban heat island effect, surfaces that redirect rainwater, 1,766 square feet of living green wall that increases biodiversity, new LED lighting and low-flow plumbing fixtures.

The newly remodeled building is located on the west side of Disney’s property and will also pursue the International Living Future Institute’s Zero Energy Certification over the next year.