There are only four stand alone LEED platinum certified restaurants in the U.S. One of them is in Solana Beach, California. Claire’s on Cedros is a bakery and café that opened in August 2009. The building looks like a 1920’s beach bungalow but it’s all new construction using mostly reclaimed material.

The original structure on the lot had to be torn down because it was in such bad shape. 90 percent of the material was recycled or reused.

Claire’s on Cedros Co-owner Terrie Boley says it’s extremely difficult for a stand alone restaurant to become LEED certified since restaurant’s by nature use a lot of energy, water, and chemicals. Points have to be earned, she says in other ways.

Claire’s on Cedros uses natural ventilation, solar energy, and is made with as much reclaimed material as possible. Most of the wood in the interior is from old churches and schools. Old blue jeans make up the insulation. Kitchen grease is even recycled into bio-diesel. The restaurant also has bicycle parking and gives priority parking spots to energy efficient vehicles.

Claire’s on Cedros is the first LEED platinum certified restaurant in San Diego County and one of only two in the state of California.

It’s also the first project in San Diego County to qualify for and be granted a reduction on Coastal Commission permit fees and holds a Certified Green Restaurant designation by the Green Restaurant Association.