Cleaner Air
1 sq ft of living wall filters fine dust, absorbs 2.3 kg CO₂, and produces 1.7 kg oxygen per year.
Fast Food Goes Green: McDonald's Orlando
McDonald’s has opened its new, sustainable, energy-neutral flagship restaurant at Walt Disney World. Ross Barney Architects selected nearly 2,000 sqft of SemperGreenwall living walls to purify the air and enhance biodiversity.
Cradle to Cradle Certified
SemperGreenwall systems meet the highest standards for quality and sustainability, holding a Bronze-level Cradle to Cradle certification.
Extends facade lifespan
A living wall shields your facade from the sun, rain, wind, and temperature changes, extending its lifespan.
McDonald’s has opened a new and sustainable flagship restaurant in the heart of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. With this pilot restaurant, McDonald’s aims to be the very first energy-neutral fast food restaurant in the world. To contribute to cleaner air, stimulate biodiversity, and lower the ambient temperature, Ross Barney Architects chose to have almost 2,000 sq. ft. of SemperGreenwall living walls installed.
Green the whole year round
The plant assortment of the walls has been created in collaboration with Ross Barney Architects and the Florida-based architectural and engineering firm CPH. It has also been tailored to the subtropical climate of Orlando. To keep the facades green throughout the entire year, they have been equipped with the unique Plant Care System. This web-based system ensures that the plants are provided with the correct amount of water and nutrients. The walls are monitored remotely, so the quantities can be adjusted if necessary.
Project Brought to Life By
Learning hub for sustainable solutions for restaurants worldwide
McDonald’s ambition with this pilot restaurant is to receive a zero energy certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). This certification is a goal for McDonald’s within the Scale for Good sustainability program. To live up to these sustainability ambitions, 1,000 solar panels have also been installed on the V-shaped roof in addition to the SemperGreenwalls. To share the knowledge that is gained with this pilot project, the building will be used as a learning hub. In this manner, McDonald’s wants to greatly reduce the energy and water use of all restaurants.
The data and experiences from this pilot restaurant will be a future source of information to the benefit of McDonald’s global sustainability efforts
The fast-food chain also wants to inform its customers about the importance of sustainability. Therefore, the restaurant offers fun and ‘green’ amenities, like bikes which customers can use to generate electricity and light up the McDonald’s logo on the restaurant. The lit arches of the ‘M’ create a beautiful contrast with the green walls surrounding them. Visitors can also play games which help them discover more about sustainable energy.
Photo credits: Kate Joyce/Ross Barney
Photo credits: Kate Joyce/Ross Barney
Photo credits: Kate Joyce/Ross Barney
Photo credits: Kate Joyce/Ross Barney
The products we used in this project
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