Practical tips to reduce your venue’s energy consumption.
Every establishment owner is aware of the rising cost of energy, both in financial terms, and environmental impact. So what can you do to bring down your usage?
Later this year, Restaurant Supply Store will publish a practical guide to energy saving in the Hospitality Sector. The guide will focus on measures that are quick and easy to implement also including case studies.
Here’s a short preview of some techniques suggested to reduce your energy use:
Refrigeration
Fridges and freezers consume energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Refrigeration appliances work harder in warm environments, if your fridges are in a busy commercial kitchen, where the ambient temperature can exceed 45 degrees centigrade, appliances will be working overtime to keep the contents cool, not only using more power but also reducing the lifespan of the unit. Consider shielding or relocating some of your refrigeration appliances away from heat sources.
Make sure you check the consumption rating of older appliances. The running cost of a modern double-door cabinet freezer is in the region of £1,200 per year. An older less efficient appliance could be using up to three times that amount. Replacing such a unit could pay for itself in a matter of months and deliver substantial savings.
Washing and Laundry
Consider the frequency with which you use your dishwashers, glasswashers, washing machines and tumble dryers. Make sure loads are as complete as they can be and consider replacing smaller appliances with larger capacity alternatives.
Some smaller establishments still use domestic dishwashers and washing machines. A domestic dishwasher cycle is normally an hour or more. A commercial dishwasher will use roughly double the energy per minute but typically a wash cycle is 3 minutes. Whilst your dishes won’t be dried in that time, also consider that in a commercial kitchen only 5% of the heat produced goes into the food being prepared and you have a fair bit left for drying your recently washed crockery, waiters cloths etc.
Cooking appliances
Adjusting your pre-heat time by just a few minutes can save a great deal of money in the course of a year. Heating appliances in a commercial kitchen are likely to be using around £80-£100 of energy per hour. That means firing up 15 minutes later, or switching off sooner, could save you £9,000 per year.
Modern appliances can provide near instant heat reducing the need to keep appliances on permanently whilst speeding up cooking times.
Front of House
If you have heating and air-conditioning for your guests, make sure there is at least a 4 degree differential between the trigger points. This will prevent your heating and cooling systems battling it out and will create a more comfortable environment for your guests.
During quieter periods, consider turning off the lighting in part of the restaurant. Apart from saving energy, it creates a cosier ambiance.
The full guide including cases studies will be published once studies are complete. Head to www.restaurantsupplystore.co.uk for updates, and energy efficient appliances to start saving today.
