A new “green” restaurant will join about 60 other local small businesses that have committed to maintaining environmentally sustainable practices.
The gastropub, a pub that specializes in serving high-quality beer and food, is set to open in a year and a half by the Chapel Hill Restaurant Group. It will be certified as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and will be the sixth restaurant under the restaurant group’s ownership.
The group opened the first LEED-certified restaurant in the state, Mez, three years ago in Durham. It had to follow specific instructions both during construction and while operating the restaurant today.
“It’s significantly more effort to build and maintain a sustainable restaurant, but we feel the long-term payoff is worth it,” said Greg Overbeck, co-owner of the restaurant group.
“We decided years ago it’s better to spend a little more money and time up front but get a more environmentally friendly product and reap benefits for years after.”
There are about 60 Green Plus-certified businesses in the area, said Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Aaron Nelson.
Green Plus was started in 2007 by UNC and Duke environmental policy and business experts. The program, which helps small business become sustainable, has expanded to 14 other states.
“You try to buy products within a 500-mile radius to stay local, use recycled materials, just reduce your carbon footprint,” Overbeck said.
Since the group began recycling unused food in every restaurant, Overbeck said they have also reduced solid waste by 60 percent. Sustainable practices like these allowed the group to also be certified as a Green Plus business.