Chris Toman’s plan to go green could have put him in the red.
The owner of a local pizza franchise plans to apply for LEED certification for his 2,600-square-foot restaurant space on the back burner because it was going to cost too much.
Toman said he would have to pay between $30,000 and $40,000 to become certified by the U.S. Green Building Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, which awards points to structures that are energy efficient and otherwise good for the environment.
“With prices like that, it’s hard — especially for smaller companies,” he said.
Toman is opening a Pizza Fusion franchise, which requires all of its restaurants to be built to LEED standards, as part of its self-described mission to “Save the Earth one Pizza at a Time.”
Not only are the buildings green, the chain delivers pizzas in hybrid vehicles.
The cost of going green for Pizza Fusions in other markets is less than half of what Toman was told he’d have to pay here.
Much of the cost goes to consulting companies that develop energy-efficiency plans for buildings seeking certification. These firms also make sure the buildings ultimately perform the way they were designed and file reams of paperwork required on all projects regardless of their size.
“It seems like they’re overcharging,” he said. “I’m trying to do the right thing, but someone’s taking advantage of it and charging high rates.”
Some states have financial incentives to help cover the fees, said Amanda Tullos, with Portland, Ore.-based Green Building Services, a consulting company with a Houston office.
“There’s definitely a barrier,” she said.
But also, it can cost about the same to certify a small restaurant as it does a much larger building, because it involves almost the same amount of paperwork.
Logo from Pizza Fusion.
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