Green Building Council Membership

McDonald's Joins U.S. Green Building Council

In a further step toward sustainability, McDonald's has joined the U.S. Green Building Council. National membership will enhance our developing relationship with the World Green Building Council and help us learn how we can adapt our restaurant designs, construction, and operations to better protect the environment and human health. The U.S. Green Building Council is the sponsor of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System—a nationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Buildings of all types can achieve LEED certification by meeting specific standards for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. In 2005, McDonald's owner/operator Gary Dodd opened the first McDonald's LEED-certified restaurant, in Savannah Georgia. This pilot restaurant is providing us with insights for other construction and renovation projects. To learn more about our journey toward sustainability, please visit Open for Discussion, our Corporate Responsibility blog.