McDonald's opens its first net zero-carbon restaurant in Shropshire

McDonald's has opened a net zero-carbon restaurant in Shropshire in what the company believes is a UK first.

The restaurant, in Market Drayton, is powered by renewable energy from two wind turbines and 92 square metres of solar panels, and has walls insulated with British sheep wool.

The building’s cladding is made from recycled IT equipment and white household goods, amounting to 250 square metres of materials.

Elsewhere, wall signs are made from used coffee beans, each kerb stone is made from 182 recycled plastic bottles and the drive-through lane has been constructed from recycled tyres.

A biodiversity garden and nature trail designed by schoolchildren from Market Drayton Junior School will collect rainwater from the car park and provide a habitat for frogs and other creatures.

It is the first restaurant in the UK due to be verified as net zero emissions for construction using the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC’s) net zero-carbon buildings framework.

The fast food giant said it plans to use the “blueprint” site to achieve net zero emissions for all its 1,400 restaurants and offices by 2030.

McDonald’s vice president of supply chain and brand trust, Beth Hart, said: "At McDonald’s we believe that our food needs to be served in restaurants that are sustainable for the future.

"Market Drayton is a big step towards making that a reality, enabling us to test and put into practice what a net zero emissions building, both in build and use, really looks like.

"We’ve already started to roll out some of these innovations to other restaurants, but what is exciting about Market Drayton is the fact it will act as a blueprint for our future new builds."

UKGBC spokesman Simon McWhirter said: "The challenge of decarbonising the construction industry is a complex one, but McDonald’s commitment to building the first restaurant in the UK in line with UKGBC’s net zero carbon buildings framework is a critical first step.

"We welcome the ambition to achieve net zero emissions for all McDonald’s restaurants and offices by 2030."