sweetgreen Design Elevates Recyclable Materials

Sometimes walls can talk.

At sweetgreen, a group of D.C.-area fast-casual restaurants specializing in salads and yogurts, the hickory wood walls, floor and ceiling could reminisce about their days as a Virginia barn.

And, the furniture could share tales about its past exploits as bowling alley lanes.

Nicolas H. Jammet, co-owner of sweetgreen with Jonathan Neman and Nathaniel Ru, says that it was a conscious decision to go green with the design of the business. “We wanted to create a cool, inviting atmosphere with integrity to it,” says Jammet.

Although using reclaimed materials was more expensive, Jammet feels the result was worth it. “We wanted to make our restaurants as sustainable as possible and at the very least, we could use sustainable resources to build them.” Although the same materials were used at all three locations, Jammet notes that each one—in Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and Bethesda—has its own vibe and personality.

While customers appreciate sweetgreen’s environmental efforts, Jammet says they are not “preachy” or “in their face” about it.  “There are places to read about [our efforts] if you look. It was most important to build a comfortable, exciting and inviting place that customers want to return to. Materials are not the focus. Our atmosphere is what makes people want to come back.”

Jammet advises other restaurant owners to explore green design practices, but only if they coincide with their overall mission. “Analyze the cost,” he says. “And don’t do it just for the sake of doing it because it is the `hot’ trend right now. It works well for people who really believe in it.”

“Most of the time, a table is just a table…but one salvaged from another use makes a compelling background story.  sweetgreen is a great example of a real commitment of going green and it’s paying off for them.”

Jim Malone

Counter Evolution NYC

Counter Evolution’s striking furniture

Jim Malone started Counter Evolution NYC in 2007; the same year sweetgreen opened its first restaurant. Malone handcrafts tables, benches and countertops from pre-1980 bowling alley lanes. (Alleys were subsequently upgraded to synthetic materials.) He sells contemporary green furniture in 11 styles with names like “7-10 split” (a long bench) and the “King Pin” (a 74-inch long coffee table), a piece recently placed in Starbucks at the Empire State Building.

His products, touted as “Reclaimed, restored, reborn,” are found in sustainability-minded establishments like sweetgreen and Starbucks as well as green-friendly homes throughout the country. Saving trees and reducing carbon emissions by repurposing heart pine and maple or a combination of the two are noble endeavors, but Malone emphasized they can also be business-boosters.

“The fact that they are good for the environment shouldn’t be everything…just an added bonus,” he says. “People are interested in the behind-the-scenes story. Customers get a kick out of it. It creates a buzz and makes your business stand out.”

“Most of the time, a table is just a table…but one salvaged from another use makes a compelling background story,” Malone adds. “sweetgreen is a great example of a real commitment of going green and it’s paying off for them.”

Remember the big picture

Restaurant owners contemplating sustainable design must “strike a balance” between its driving factors—environmental and financial impact, and public health, according to Sam Khalilieh, PE, LEED, AP, senior vice president of engineering at WD Design Partners in Dublin, Ohio, a design and development partner for multi-unit retailers and restaurants.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is the most widely used certification of sustainability granted by the U.S. Green Building Council. Smart LEED design is accomplished through a holistic approach and focus on the big picture, Khalilieh says. Business owners can overcome financial obstacles by understanding how building technology systems can be better designed, integrated and function more cohesively.

Among Khalilieh’s advice:

• Replace less efficient equipment and buildings with smart energy-efficient buildings and systems and take advantage of advances in technology.
• Maximize resources: Skylights and solar panels can be used as opportunities to save money.
• Evaluate architectural, structural, electrical and mechanical systems on a regular basis to minimize function problems.
• Harvest water and landscape indigenous to your area.

Well-planned smart design results in long-term savings, energy savings and performance, and improvements in safety, air quality, valuation and public image, he says.

Khalilieh strongly believes that restaurants should promote their environmental “best practices,” on television screens, in children’s play areas and even etched in recycled furniture.

“Share your experience and knowledge with consumers and not just on a plaque. Use common language that people can relate to and not industry language. While customers are waiting in line for their food, why not talk about what you are doing or display smart controls or highlight energy consumption day by day? It’ll make your business different. Any owner who spent the time and money doing smart LEED should educate customers and publicize those efforts.”