December 13, 2021 — Congratulations to Cyclone Energy Group client McDonald’s on receiving the Illinois ASHRAE 2021 Excellence in Engineering award in the category of new commercial buildings for their Global Flagship-Buena Vista restaurant. McDonald’s and 11 other projects were awarded honors at this year’s annual Illinois ASHRAE Holiday Party and Technical Awards Program. The winning projects met or exceeded the review criteria in these categories: energy efficiency, indoor air quality, overall innovation, operation & maintenance, cost effectiveness and environmental impact.

The new restaurant in Buena Vista, Florida, on the Disney World campus, will produce more energy through solar photovoltaic generation than it will consume in a year. The all-electric building was designed to consume 38% less energy than the previous store it replaced. Some project highlights include: all-electric design including kitchen equipment, natural ventilation louvers in the dining area, indoor and outdoor LED lighting with daylight controls, MERV-13 filtration and CO2 monitoring, and breaker-level electric sub metering.

“The store is the first zero-energy quick-serve restaurant in the World,” said Benjamin Skelton, President of Cyclone Energy Group. “Quick-serve restaurants consume a lot of energy because of the cooking processes and 24-hour use. On a per-square-foot basis they’re similar to data centers. It’s not easy to get these buildings to zero-energy or net-positive with the relatively small footprint. This restaurant is one of the most innovative projects I’ve ever seen. With natural ventilation and special controls on the cooking appliances to reduce energy, this award is well deserved for the entire design team.”

Upon receiving a first place award at the ASHRAE Chapter level, the project is eligible to pursue the Regional award in the spring. If successful at the Region, the project can apply for an international award at the Society level.

Established in 1906, the Illinois Chapter is ASHRAE’s oldest, and with more than 1,200 members it is also among the largest chapters. Monthly meetings with technical presentations, tours, advocacy and social events throughout the year offer members opportunities for professional growth, networking and career advancement. ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its members focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration, and sustainability within the industry. Through research, standards writing, publishing, and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. There are currently 57,000 ASHRAE members in 132 countries.

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About Cyclone Energy Group

Established in 2012, Cyclone Energy Group provides reliable analysis, cutting-edge insights, and practical solutions through all stages of a building’s life cycle, from design to construction, through warranty, and into operations. Based in Chicago, our Team works throughout the United States on behalf of designers, contractors, developers, owners, and property managers. Our regionally-diverse portfolio of completed projects ensures that we can bring broad experience to each unique property engagement.

Learn more at www.cyclone.energy

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