Its golden arches have become one of the most recognizable and ubiquitous logos in the world, and, every day, millions of customers enter a McDonald’s restaurant for a quick meal. Now, the corporation is exploring what it would take to turn one of its stores into a net-zero energy building.


A recent study by the Rocky Mountain Institute, Fisher Nickel Inc. and New Buildings Institute explored the feasibility of such an undertaking. Locations in Chicago; Orlando, Fla.; and Washington, D.C., were the focus of the study. Each store was individually assessed, and various scenarios were formed that could get these locations to net-zero energy.


For this study, emphasis was placed on kitchen and heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, but every energy-consuming aspect of the store was explored.


The plan to get to net-zero is purely conceptual at this point—further research is necessary before detailed plans and costs can be drawn up—but for McDonald’s Corp., this will be a high-priority project.


“Our Global Energy Leadership Board sees net-zero energy as an opportunity for McDonald’s as we work to advance the energy performance of the restaurants and proactively pursue opportunities for integrating emerging technologies,” said Roy Buchert, global energy director, McDonald’s. “This net-zero energy concept could change our approach from incremental improvements to substantial advances in energy-efficiency and renewable-energy integration where it makes sense.”


McDonald’s hopes to build a pilot net-zero energy restaurant that can act as a learning lab to test technologies and methods that can be used in stores in the future. However, loyal McDonald’s customers may be curious as to how these changes will affect their experience at the restaurant. Both the corporation and Rocky Mountain Institute have claimed this won’t be an issue.


“There’s plentiful opportunity to optimize and reduce energy use without compromising the consistency and quality of the end products,” said Stephen Doig, Rocky Mountain Institute.