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May 20, 2009

(Cary, N.C.) A new McDonald’s, scheduled to open this July, will show customers and staff its green initiatives by displaying an educational touch screen in the restaurant, informing them about the economic and environmental benefits of the building.

The interactive LCD touch screen will allow users to browse through a Web-site-like program to learn more about the building’s energy efficiencies and what McDonald’s is doing to improve the environment. The new building is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) as part of the LEED for Retail Pilot program. Details from this building project and over 80 other pilot project teams will be used to create two new LEED for Retail rating systems to be launched later this year. The building was designed by the National Restaurant Designers Division of LMHT Associates.

Ric Richards of The Richards Advantage, Inc., the owner/operator of the new McDonald’s, wants to share the restaurant’s sustainability practices with the public. The touch screen solution that will be used is an Energy Efficiency Education Dashboard (EEED) designed by QA Graphics. The EEED is a graphical user interface (GUI) that can display live data about a building’s energy efficiencies and green initiatives streamed from the building’s automation system.

“QA Graphics is excited to help McDonald’s inform the public on all the green features they have integrated into this new building,” said Dan McCarty, president and founder of QA Graphics.

The touch screen will show images of the McDonald’s outside surrounding areas, plus a 360 degree digital tour of the inside of the building, where users can select different features to learn more about the innovative designs used, like the fuel efficient parking spaces with electrical plug-in outlets, water efficient equipment, recycling areas and more. It will also provide users with local transportation information, including pedestrian paths and bicycle paths, and a “green” quiz that users can take to test their knowledge of the restaurant. All of the information will be accessible in English and Spanish.

About QA Graphics
QA Graphics is an innovative computer graphic developer specializing in the building automation design industry. The company is an industry leader in the design of graphical user interfaces (GUI) and energy efficiency education, offering custom graphic design solutions including graphic outsourcing, 3D design/animation, interactive content and full-service Web site development. Please visit www.qagraphics.com to learn more.

About McDonald’s
McDonald’s is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants in 118 countries. Approximately 70 percent of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent, local men and women. Please visit www.mcdonalds.com to learn more about the company.