12.8.2009 : Pizza Fusion Atlanta Receives LEED Certification
We're very pleased to announce the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification of our Atlanta restaurant. This marks the fifth Pizza Fusion location nationally to receive LEED certification and it's the first LEED certified restaurant for Atlanta.

“It’s very rewarding to be the first restaurant in Atlanta to be individually certified under the strict requirements of the LEED program”, Jeff Melnick, owner of Pizza Fusion Atlanta, states.  “While there are other restaurants in Atlanta located inside LEED Certified buildings, Pizza Fusion in Buckhead is the first and only Atlanta restaurant to receive LEED certification for its interior build-out and on-going operations. I’m very proud of the team of people who made this ambition a reality, especially our contractor Joshua Gregory at Batson Cook.”

LEED certification, established by the USGBC, is based on site/location planning, energy conservation, water management, materials usage, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in the design process.  Pizza Fusion restaurants feature a number of unique, eco-efficient equipment, techniques and designs.

Pizza Fusion Atlanta’s eco-elements include countertops made from recycled concrete and glass, soy stained concrete floors, tables made from reclaimed wood, eco-friendly paints, 30% recaptured industrial concrete, energy star certified appliances, insulation made from recycled blue jeans, ceiling baffles made from recycled composite board, low voltage, low heat lighting, and much more – all the way down to the 100 percent recycled toilet paper in its bathrooms.

“We’re very proud to announce the LEED certification of another Pizza Fusion restaurant,” Vaughan Lazar, president and co-founder of Pizza Fusion, states.  “Pizza Fusion Atlanta reflects the strict environmental approach we apply to every Pizza Fusion, whether it’s LEED certified or not.  We are committed to providing a healthy environment where our customers can enjoy Pizza Fusion’s delicious organic food.”

In the United States, restaurants are the top electricity consumer among retail businesses, accounting for 33% of the total consumption. Each restaurant produces an average of 50,000 pounds of waste per year. Pizza Fusion’s LEED certified restaurants reduce water waste by 40 percent and electricity consumption by 20 percent annually.