KFC has opened its second LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifiable quick service restaurant at Lidcombe in NSW.

LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based, market driven program that provides global third party verification of buildings with best in class sustainable building strategies and practices.

Michael Clark, chief supply chain officer for KFC Australia, said he was proud of the company’s continued sustainability initiatives.

“We chose to open this LEED certifiable store in Lidcombe because of the community’s interest in protecting the environment,” Clark said.

“This opening is a significant milestone in our journey towards creating more sustainable restaurants, our first LEED certified store resides at East Maitland in NSW. It has been successfully operating for more than 18 months, and since opening the store, power use has been reduced by 19.4 per cent,” Clark said.

“We believe it is our responsibility to minimise the impact our business has on the environment and this initiative forms part of our overarching strategy – to build more sustainable stores and create a sustainable supply chain.”

The restaurant features environmentally friendly building design, operations, and technology. Overall energy use is expected to be reduced by at least 16 per cent, through the installation of LED lighting throughout the entire site, and installation of daylight and movement sensors in strategic areas.

The restaurant is expected to also reduce water use by up to 40 per cent, following the introduction of rainwater tanks for irrigation, tankless water heaters, and low water use taps, bathrooms, and urinals.

Once officially certified, KFC Lidcombe will be the 22nd LEED certified restaurant in KFC’s global network, with other locations in the US, UK, China, Turkey, France, India, Germany, and Thailand.