NBDC 2013 Business of the Year in Energy & Environment
Upon its opening in 2010, The Grey Plume was named the first Green Restaurant Association 4-star SustainaBuild restaurant in the United States. The criteria are similar to LEED certification but apply specifically to restaurants. Owner and chef Clayton Chapman has created a dining experience that emphasizes locally produced foods and operates in a sustainable way. When building the restaurant, Chapman chose energy efficient equipment as well as locally-produced art and furnishings. He used mostly recycled building materials, recycled barn wood and repurposed fixtures.
Water and energy savings are paramount in the restaurant´s sustainable daily operations, with half/gallon per minute hand-washing sinks (as compared to the standard 2.2 gallons per minute), high efficiency toilets, variable-speed exhaust hoods, LED lighting, energy star appliances and a 98 percent efficient water heater. The Grey Plume also has a thorough recycling and composting program for unavoidable wastes.