Company Details
Company NameKebony
Address123 Victoria Street
123 Victoria Street
London
United Kingdom
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NameGordon Cole-Schmidt
Job TitleAccount Director - Kebony
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
Phone07747345105
Role of this organisation in the project being enteredConsultancy PR Firm
Category
  • Commercial Building - Buildings that are used for commercial purposes, and include retail, hospitality, workplaces, factories and warehouses and buildings where commercial services are provided. At least 50 percent of the buildings’ floor space will be used for commercial activities. 
Name of organisation entering the Awards (if different from above)Kebony
Role of this organisation in the project being entered (if different from above)Kebony Wood
Project Name (written how it should appear)Kebony McDonalds
Project Address1596 W Buena Vista Dr, Orlando, FL 32830-8489N/A
Florida
Florida
United States
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Client NameMatteo Lenzi
Designer/Architect NameRoss Barney Architects
Contractor NameN/A N/A
Project Description

Completed in July 2020, the new flagship restaurant has been built on a previous McDonald’s restaurant site at Disney World in Florida, which Smithsonian Magazine once described as a ‘classic example of American commercial architecture defined by signage and symbolism within a roadside context.’

Prior to the redevelopment of the original restaurant, McDonald’s had focused its sustainability efforts on its supply chain, not on buildings. However, after consultation with Ross Barney Architects, the concept of creating the world’s first net-zero quick service restaurant was conceived and received full support.

Combining futuristic architecture, innovative environmental technology and the extensive of use of sustainable construction materials like Kebony wood, the striking 8,024 sq/ft restaurant has set a benchmark for conscious design as nations, governments and the world’s leading corporations strive towards a vitally important net-zero future.

Architects, Ross Barney stated that the firm was going to build the ‘most sustainable McDonald’s because that’s where your corporate values say you should be.’ The new McDonald's at Walt Disney World completed in July last year, has now become a flagship restaurant for the worldwide quick service industry, whilst at the same time serving as a lab for McDonald’s to test sustainability solutions that the company can later replicate elsewhere, including new kitchen equipment that can help shrink energy use.

Representing a vital step to securing a greener future, the flagship building creates enough renewable energy on-site to cover 100% of its energy needs on a net annual basis. The striking structure also makes extensive use of Kebony, a global leader in the production of sustainable wood, which has been listed as one of the world’s most promising clean technology companies in the Global Cleantech 100 seven times to date.

Under a canopy clad in solar panels, the Kebony exterior creates an innovative indoor-outdoor dining experience for its visitors which helps foster an active relationship between the interior and exterior spaces, whilst a large outdoor “porch”, featuring Kebony wood louvered walls, acts as an extension of the indoor dining room.

Due to the enhanced physical properties of Kebony, many of the challenges which so often plague construction were also addressed efficiently by the use of the wood. Kebony cladding can be installed, either by mounting the product with self-drilling screws or with rainscreen clips; it does not require any additional treatment and therefore confirms Kebony is an extremely easy material to work with. As a result, the use of Kebony meant that construction delays were significantly decreased.

In addition to the extensive use of sustainable construction materials like Kebony, the reduction of energy consumption has been optimised onsite by 18,727 square feet of photovoltaic panels, 4,809 square feet of glazing integrated photovoltaic panels (BiPV), and 25 off-the-grid parking lot lights which produce more energy than the restaurant uses. As Orlando experiences significant humidity, the building is naturally ventilated approximately 65% of the year and Jalousie windows, operated by outdoor humidity and temperature sensors, close automatically when air-conditioning is required. 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.

A true reflection of the ground-breaking nature of the net-zero restaurant, the building’s design represents a departure from the typical commercial architecture associated with the brand and moves towards a stylish yet recognisable design. The Kebony clad building represents an unprecedented move in the quick-service industry which successfully creates a net-zero environment without compromising on design or efficacy.

For each outlet, McDonald’s selects from a standard set of interiors however, for this site, a new design consultancy was appointed. A durable material palette, with laminate, solid surfacing, and ceramic tile, is what you would expect for fast food, but here it has a more refined air.

As an energy intensive building typology and arguably an enabler of automobile culture, the McDonald’s Flagship – Disney explores its role as a sustainable steward, revolutionising an industry, and its customers, to be more thoughtful, strategic and impactful.

Materials Used

The flagship restaurant is clad in Kebony wood, which is acclaimed for its striking aesthetic, sustainability credentials, and for having the durability class of a hardwood. Developed in Norway, Kebony’s revolutionary technology is an environmentally friendly process which modifies sustainably sourced softwoods by heating the wood with furfuryl alcohol - an agricultural by-product.

Kebony was the perfect surface solution for this outstanding development project; in addition to its superior environmental credentials, it can be easily installed, either by mounting the product with self-

drilling screws or with rainscreen clips and it does not require any additional treatment. Due to the enhanced physical properties of Kebony, many of the challenges which often plague construction were addressed efficiently using the wood.

The building’s steel-frame nestles into the lush landscape, which has been planted with all-native species. The internationally acclaimed Kebony wood cladding, sits elegantly within the verdant landscape, and with time, it will age to develop a unique silver-grey patina.

As Orlando experiences significant humidity, the building is naturally ventilated approximately 65% of the year and Jalousie windows, operated by outdoor humidity and temperature sensors, which close automatically when air-conditioning is required. The building also makes use of 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.

Sustainability

By 2030, emissions from McDonald’s restaurants and offices will need to drop 36%, compared to 2015, to meet the company’s science-based targets. This new restaurant, now open at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, is one step toward that goal.

Kebony diverts demand for rainforest timber and is FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council), which incentivises forest owners and managers to uphold FSC principles to ensure sustainable forest management. In recognition of its innovative technology, Kebony was announced as Europe and Israel’s Company of the Year in the Global Cleantech Awards in 2018 and has been listed as one of the world’s most promising clean technology companies in the Global Cleantech 100 seven times. Kebony has continued to defy all expectations of how a small and sustainable company can revolutionise and proactively influence design and construction on a global scale.

Kebony’s environmental credentials have been proven by environmental consulting firm Bergfald & Co, which demonstrated that Kebony has a substantially lower carbon footprint than its tropical hardwood equivalents. The results of this study show that the carbon footprint for Brazilian Ipê is in the range of 7,500–15,000 kilograms per cubic metre; whilst the carbon footprint of modified Kebony is approximately 459 kilograms per cubic meter (both figures include treatment and transportation to Northern Europe).

In addition to the extensive use of sustainable construction materials like Kebony, the reduction of energy consumption has been optimised onsite by 18,727 square feet of photovoltaic panels, 4,809 square feet of glazing integrated photovoltaic panels (BiPV), and 25 off-the-grid parking lot lights which produce more energy than the restaurant uses.

Issues Faced

Achieving this ambitious project was not without its challenges and required an ambitious design vision that could balance aesthetics, sustainability and meet the restaurant's specific energy requirements while remaining net zero.

Ensuring the restaurant blended with its natural surroundings and did not appear out of place was a challenge which was overcome through the use of world leading and sustainable materials, such as Kebony wood.

Kebony is at the more costly end of the timber market which presented an issue in the overall selection of materials. However, the benefits of installing a Kebony exterior surface quickly outweighed any concerns over pricing. With Kebony there is no need for costly paint or oil treatments, it is therefore very cost effective over its life cycle; and the lack of treatment required makes it far less difficult to maintain than cheaper alternatives.

Kebony cladding comprises a hard-wearing wood with a natural texture and tactile quality. The unique modification process for Kebony wood ensures that the wood cell walls are 50 percent thicker and therefore require little to no maintenance. The wood will age naturally to form a unique silver-grey patina, ensuring that the building will remain attractive for years to come.

Additional Comments

The new net zero energy-designed McDonald’s is the first of its kind amongst the fast-food giant’s 40,000-plus restaurants. Easy on both the eyes and energy consumption, the global flagship restaurant combines modern architecture and design with technology to create enough renewable energy on-site to cover its energy needs on a net annual basis.

This recently remodelled location in Orlando will serve as a learning hub for McDonald’s to test solutions for reducing energy and water use, representing the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainable innovation.