Dunkin' Donuts Opens First 'Green' Store

Dunkin’ Donuts on Friday celebrated the grand opening of its first "green" store. The St. Petersburg, Florida restaurant is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified and includes other "green" initiatives such as innovative recycling programs like worm casting and food donations to the local food bank.

LEED certification, created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), is a widely recognized standard for "green"
construction in the United States. The LEED rating system sets
specific criteria that constitute a "green" building and LEED
certification provides third-party verification that the criteria have
been met.

The store is a first for Dunkin’ Donuts, which said the design will serve as a prototype for future green construction projects. Green features include: energy-efficient insulated concrete foam walls to reduce air conditioning usage by approximately 40%; energy-efficient lighting, including motion sensors for restrooms and offices; water-efficient plumbing fixtures; low-flush toilets; and the usage of well water rather than potable water for all irrigation.

In addition to these LEED enhancements, customers will notice other "green" features including:

• Recycling — On-site Earthworm Casting facility, a collaboration between Dunkin’ Donuts and local company Mother’s Organics (www.mothersorganics.com). The solar powered tank houses 80 lbs. of small red earthworms that will eat the waste produced by the store, such as coffee grounds and paper products. The worms’ waste will then be converted into fertilizer for local farms and gardens.
• Reusable Mug Program — Customers are encouraged to bring their own mug, and will receive a discount toward the purchase of a beverage.
• Paper Hot Cups — Hot drinks are served in paper cups made from renewable resources.
• Food Donation — Leftover baked goods are donated to America’s Second Harvest, a local food bank.
• Green Cleaning — Cleaning products meet LEED requirements and California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards.

"At Dunkin’ Donuts we are committed to growing our business in a way
that is both achievable and sustainable for our company, our
franchisees, the communities we proudly serve, and the environment," Dunkin’ Donuts President & Chief Brand Officer Will Kussel said. "With the opening of our first LEED certified store in
St. Petersburg we look forward not only to playing an important role in
the daily lives of the people who live and work here, but also applying
what we learn in this store to Dunkin’ Donuts overall, as we continue
to evolve the brand."

The opening of the first LEED store is part of Dunkin’ Brands’ commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform, which covers four main pillars: Philanthropic, Social, Economic, and Environmental–each pillar is associated with specific goals, including serving those who serve in our communities, embracing diversity and inclusion, sustainable development of products and materials, and volunteerism.

Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin’ Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. The company has more than 7,900 restaurants in 30 countries worldwide.