David Farkas, of Chain Leader writes that restaurants are energy hogs. And for a long time it didn’t matter because water, electricity and gas were dirt cheap. What’s more, given that people have to eat, chain restaurants kept the energy spigot open all day, every day of the week.They still do, though over several years consumption trends have been changing, brought about by environmental pressure, rising costs and energy-saving technology. Today, the less energy a restaurant consumes the better.

That’s the thinking behind CKE Restaurants’ new Carl’s Jr. outpost, dubbed a “green flagship,“ in Carpinteria, Calif., two miles from headquarters. The company, which operates and franchises more than 3,000 Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants, describes the eatery as “environmentally friendly” because of its Energy Star-rated equipment, solar-reflective roofing material, rainwater reuse and energy management system.

Energy Manager Juliann Rogers played a major role in the implementation of energy efficient equipment. Chain Leader recently caught up with the former purchasing executive and grilled her about CKE’s commitment to green initiatives.

Read more at: Chain Leader

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