Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Subway Living Green

Subway.com

Not only are you eating fresh, Subway customers get a high-tech experience with an eco-friendly feel in Indiana. In Kokomo Indiana, a Subway franchise became the states’ first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for its use of technology for saving energy and for its green-building design. Together the franchisee, the Chief Sustainability Officer at Indiana-based real estate development firm, and Huston Electric created the eco-restaurant. The Subway franchise uses a Control14 automation system that allows the building to act and react automatically to fixed commands. The building has installed programmable light switches, thermostats, motion sensors, daylight sensors, and an eGauge energy monitoring device that communicates wirelessly with the system. The exterior lights switch on and off based on opening and closing hours. The bathroom and kitchen lights function based upon occupancy. There are two exterior light level sensors that gather daylight to automatically conserve power. When the sensors reach a certain percentage of light, the dining room lights on the side room will shut off, using only the natural light coming into the dinning room. Thermostats were also programmed to rise or drop automatically based on business hours alongside an in-ceiling ERV air recovery unit. 

An in-ceiling ERV is a fully ducted ventilator designed to ventilate any domestic, commercial or institutional building. It will remove stale air from the indoor air space and replace it with fresh air which has been pre-conditioned to have minimal impact on the indoor air temperature and humidity. Continuously ventilating the indoor space prevents the occurrence of buildup of allergens, mould, dust mites and other chemical pollutants, providing a healthier living and working environment.  A monitor in the lobby displays the Control14 system with the Eragy App in real time, as an educational and informational display for customers to enjoy and disuse. Eragy is a smart energy software application and service that are able to monitor the building’s overall power usage. The Eragy system monitors electrical usage throughout the restaurant so that it can be tracked and accessed remotely. This allows the restaurant staff to recognize projected monthly energy costs sooner, allowing them to make adjustments as needed. Hurrah for fresh food and living green Indiana!

Subway didn’t start in Indiana, they actually have several other eco-stores in North Carolina alone. The eco-restarants building materials where used from sustainable sources and extensive use of recycled products and furnishings such as LED interior and exterior signage, recycled floor tile, high-efficiency Energy Star-rated HVAC system, remote condensing units for refrigeration and ice-making equipment, low flow and flush fixtures in public restrooms, less lighting power and more natural light for customers as well as a recycling collection of post-consumer recyclable waste generated in-store.

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