JLC Architecture: The First Projected LEED Platinum restaurant!

Jean-Louis from JLC Architecture gave us a tour of one of their restaurant projects, Claire's on Cedros, in Solana beach, San Diego.  When the project is finished, it is projected to be the first restaurant to bear the platinum rating from LEED! JLC Architecture spent two years in the design and permitting paper work for the project, and after receiving permitting they have thus far spent ten months on construction.   Talk about permitting taking a long time!

Our tour with Jean-Louis started outside Claire's.  Jean-Louis first spoke with us about the asphalt used in the parking lot of the restaurant.  This asphalt was pervious concrete made up of recycled broken up concrete.  Pervious concrete was chosen so that storm water could run into the soil underneath and enter the aquifers.  Another element of the exterior design was the use of concrete blocks.  These blocks were used in both the exterior and interior of the retail/loft building of the project, and they serve as thermal mass for the radiant heating system.  The concrete blocks chosen, as well as the reinforced steel, are composed of a high amount of recycled content.  Behind the retail/loft building, Jean-Louis showed us the solar panel car ports which serve a dual function: shade for the restaurant's parking spaces as well as solar powered energy generation to cover 70% of the restaurant's energy needs!

The inside dining area of Claire's on Cedros was built using environmentally friendly materials.  The ceiling of the restaurant is made of reclaimed wood, and the tables are made of either reclaimed wood or compressed sunflower seeds.   Pretty neat!  There were bricks on the walls of the restaurant that were reclaimed from a Petco park project in San Diego's downtown, and recycled bottles were used in the restaurant's beautiful floor designs.

Even the restaurant's landscaping is sustainable.  In fact it is edible!  The landscape consists of lettuce, rosemary, parsley, thyme, fruit trees, and other plant species, and these are all used in the restaurant's dishes.  Pretty self-sustaining!  In addition to the restaurant's edible garden, Claire's has a green roof that contributes to decreasing storm water run-off.  We look forward to seeing the project completed Jean-Louis! Check out JLC Architecture and keep looking through our site for more videos of sustainable companies and products.