Getting the Heat. Out of the Kitchen

Transcription

1 Getting the Heat special FOODSERVICE section Out of the Kitchen Energy-efficient appliances, maintenance and monitoring hold down costs By Samantha Oller There are rules we try to follow in our home kitchens: Don t leave the refrigerator and freezer doors open. Keep the oven off when the air conditioning is on. And please don t leave the water running. When that kitchen is in the c-store, the home rules don t always transfer. For one thing, in a c-store, the kitchen is almost always open. Customers demand speedy service and consistent quality. And employees typically don t see the boss reaction when he or she opens the utility bills each month. It s a dynamic that can unintentionally make a foodservice program an energy vacuum, siphoning away the profits that the category promises. According to studies by the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), San Ramon, Calif., a provider of commercial kitchen energy-efficiency and appliance performance testing, 35% of total energy expenditures in a typical full-service restaurant come from cooking and holding equipment, which includes everything from gas-fired griddles and fryers to plugged-in appliances such as coffee makers and toasters. Next comes HVAC (28%), followed by sanitation (18%), lighting (13%) and refrigeration (6%). While FSTC has not tailored these numbers to a c-store foodservice operation, refrigeration and plug-in cooking and holding appliances would likely consume the largest piece of the pie, says Richard Young, senior engineer and director of education. The NACS 2009 State of the Industry survey shows utility expenses including electricity, natural gas and water hit 6.8% of c-store retailers gross-profit dollars in 2008, the third-largest share among direct store operating expenses. Electricity s a more expensive fuel than natural gas, says Young. If you re looking at it from a cost basis, in the c- store world, you re loaded up with electrical end use, not a lot of gas end use. If somebody has a little deli, they may have a gas griddle and fryer, but I would imagine most c-stores are coffee machines, drink machines, refrigerated cases, walkins and lighting. So there s a lot of waste in those areas and a lot of room for improvement. And the potential savings are easy to find. According to Energy Star, a program that encourages energy-efficient practices and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, the average limited-service restaurant that cuts its energy costs by 10% can grow net profit margins by up to 4% and sales per square foot by $17. If you put in more efficient appliances, better lighting, better refrigeration, you are doing the green thing, says Young. It s not sexy. It s not cornstarchbased containers or organic cashews, but you re really hitting the big eco footprint of your facility. And it saves you money. So you can basically operate a more efficient store, can tell people, I m running an efficient business and efficient store here, and you re making more money. That s the beauty of that situation. The road to energy-efficient foodservice begins and ends with applying the home rules. A u g u s t C S P 117

2 Know Your Costs The first step in regaining control of your foodservice energy expenses: Examine your electric, natural-gas and water bills and figure out what you re paying. We ask people all the time: What are you paying per kilowatt hour, per therm of gas, per unit of water? And they don t have the slightest idea, says Young. They know what they re paying for a bag of french fries, but they don t know what they re paying for energy. Many business owners assume they have no control over utility costs, he argues, and simply pay the bill as it arrives each month. Young suggests dropping utility bills into a spreadsheet and analyzing expenditures by month and store. Some utilities allow customers to download electricity and water-usage histories online. The Web site for Energy Star, also features a benchmarking tool, although stores must be at least 5,000 square feet in size to participate. Once the usage data for the past few months is laid out, start looking for aberrations. If you have a bunch of stores, start looking store against store, Young says. Why does store No. 25 use 25% more energy than the other stores I own? From here, some sleuthing on the site level can help reveal the energy drains. That s water, too what happens is you get landscapers who are careless with water, turn the hose on and leave it on all day, he says. Start trending, and then you can compare and realize, I think I can do better here. Buy Efficiently Consider that the operating costs of an energy-efficient fryer can be one-third less that of a base model, according to FSTC calculations. An efficient steamer can cost 85% less to operate than a base model. When it s time to replace that old kitchen appliance, it pays to focus on energy consumption. For those who want to make the equipment choice as simple as possible, focus on Energy Star qualified models, which rank in the top 25% in terms of energy efficiency. Energy Star ratings currently cover eight categories of commercial foodservice equipment: dishwashers; fryers; griddles; hot-food holding cabinets; ice machines; convection ovens; refrigerators and freezers; steam cookers; and refrigerated beverage vending machines. A list of qualified models with daily energy consumption, and Excel-based energy-savings calculators, are available at For equipment types that have not yet been certified by Energy Star, such as combination ovens, FSTC offers a list of energy-efficient appliances that qualify for California utility rebates at Whether your business is Californiabased or not, the list provides a good starting point for potential new purchases, and it includes an energy-efficiency rating, idle energy and water usage. Of course, there are some popular misconceptions about energy-efficient appliances: one, that they don t have the same power as conventional models; and continued on p. 120 Clip and Save Energy Savers Combination Ovens Use programmable features whenever possible. When oven is empty, fully shut doors to reduce heat loss. During slow times, decrease the oven s temperature. Fill the oven as much as possible with each use to increase its efficiency. Use cook-and-hold ovens for overnight cooking in off-peak times for lower electricity rates. Replace door seals and tighten regularly, and realign doors to keep in heat. Source: Alto-Shaam Inc., Manitowoc Foodservice Fryers During slow times, turn off fryer or have it drop oil temperature to 250 F; most fryers spend up to 75% of the day idling. Clean and change oil as recommended. Check and adjust thermostats regularly to ensure proper cooking temperatures and reduce energy waste. Source: Alto-Shaam Inc., Manitowoc Foodservice A u g u s t C S P 119

3 continued from p. 119 Refrigeration Keep refrigerator and freezer doors shut; install strip curtains to keep out heat when doors are open. Remove excess ice from refrigerator and freezer interiors. Retrofit refrigerators with electrically commutated motors (ECMs), high-efficiency motors that can cut energy usage by two-thirds. Keep the system charged properly with refrigerant; too little or too much refrigerant affects efficiency. Regularly clean evaporator and condenser coils. Replace incandescent light bulbs with low-temperature compact fluorescents (CFLs). Place refrigerator where it has plenty of air flow, because the coils need air circulation to work efficiently. Sources: Food Service Technology Center, Manitowoc Foodservice two, that they are available only at a premium. Both are fallacies. Just because a unit is energy-efficient does not mean it has reduced function and capability, says Caitlin Rodgers, director of marketing for Manitowoc Foodservice, New Port Richey, Fla., provider of chill, storage, holding, cooking and dispensing equipment under the Frymaster, Merrychef, Lincoln and Cleveland lines. Manitowoc currently has 500 Energy Star certified products in its lineup. In fact, sometimes re-engineering a product enhances both, she says. Start with what equipment you need to fill the function for foodservice, and then check with the manufacturer to see if it is energy-efficient or has an Energy Star rating. Young says, If you buy an efficient fryer, that extra efficiency goes into producing more food. With a low-efficiency fryer, the waste is just heat that comes into the room. If you can put more of that heat into french fries, then it s a good deal. Young acknowledges that some energy-efficient appliances come at a higher initial cost although not always. For those that do, the lifetime energy savings, increased productivity and longer equipment lifespan typically more than pay for the additional up-front costs. Purchase price should not be the deciding factor; look at life-cycle cost, says Robert Simmelink, executive chef and business development manager for Alto-Shaam Inc., Menomonee Falls, Wis., supplier of Combitherm combination ovens, Frytec fryers, holding cabinets, merchandisers and display cases. What will that oven, merchandiser or rotisserie cost to operate year after year? An inexpensive fryer that has an efficiency rating of 65% or lower will cost much more to operate than our Frytec fryer, which is rated at 71%. A combination oven cooks twice as fast as a convection oven, so you do not always have to purchase the same size to get the same production. For a small operator without a lot of cash on hand and a kitchen full of old equipment, Young suggests replacing appliances with Energy Star rated models as they fail. Retailers should also check with their local and state utilities, many of whom offer rebates or financial assistance to business owners who would like to upgrade to more energy-efficient equipment and lighting. Fast Fixes Best practice Turn off door heaters Replace 8 incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps in exhaust hood, refrigerator and walk-in freezer Fix small water leak Install low-flow pre-rinse spray valve in dishwasher Potential savings $75 per year per door* $365 per year* $700 per year** $900-$1,050 per year*** Source: Food Service Technology Center * Based on electric rate of $0.15 per kwh (typical rate for California restaurant customers) and 24 hours of operation per day ** Small water leak defined as 0.2 gallons per minute; based on water charge of $2 and sewer charge of $3 per 748 gallons (100 cubic feet) *** Savings based on operation three hours per day 120 C S P A u g u s t

4 Regain Control Ice Machines Keep the lid closed; minimize opening. Buy the right capacity ice machine for your needs. Regularly clean ice machine according to manufacturer specifications. Schedule regular maintenance to keep equipment working efficiently and extend its life. Change water filter according to manufacturer specifications. Source: Manitowoc Foodservice Hot Holding Cabinets Buy well-insulated units, which can be up to 65% more efficient than noninsulated models. Shut off holding cabinets at night. Checks all door seals regularly and replace those that are worn out. During slow times, turn off some or all of the warmers. Schedule regular maintenance to keep equipment working efficiently and extend its life. Source: Manitowoc Foodservice Manual control is built around sound employee training on the home rules: Keep refrigerator, freezer and icemachine doors closed. Turn off appliances when not in use. Run dishwashers fully loaded to maximize water usage. (See Energy Savers for more best practices.) For large chains with multiple stores and kitchens to mind, automated controls can keep operations humming efficiently. The E2 facility-management system from Emerson Climate Technologies oversees all HVAC, refrigeration, lighting and anti-condensate heaters in a store. The energy savings associated with the system pay for the cost of installation fairly quickly, according to the company. A refrigeration system can be as much as 38% of the electric bill, says Matt Lauck, director of marketing for Emerson s Retail Solutions division, based in Kennesaw, Ga. We typically are able to attain significant savings on energy costs. The remote-monitoring side of the facility-management system ensures employees are following proper procedure in operating foodservice equipment; for example, the system alerts supervisors when a walk-in cooler door is left open. Telling a store manager or associate to close a door that s been open 30 minutes it doesn t take more than two times of doing that before they stop leaving the door open, says Lauck. They know someone s watching them. Anti-condensate cooler door heaters are another common, but easily controlled, energy drain. You can almost think of each of those door [heaters] being a hair dryer running wide open unless you have a control system in place to turn them off, says Lauck. A lot of times, you may not need to have those heaters on at all. Young concurs: A lot of times people have door heaters on reach-in cases and door heaters just run 24-7, full-blast. Adding controls to the door heaters is a really easy way to save energy. While combing through utility bills is one means of determining energyconsumption trends, environmental control systems also can provide an automated means of collecting and analyzing the data. Doing trending analysis so you re targeting your most inefficient stores first is critical there, you have to have a remote system, software to be able to pull store data back and do analysis, says Lauck. Then you can focus investment dollars on where you want to do upgrades, where you ll have the most impact first. 122 C S P A u g u s t

5 Clean and Maintain Considering the amount of electricity sucked up by refrigeration in a c-store, keeping doors shut and anti-condensate heaters off seem fairly simple tasks. Another easy, best practice that applies to all foodservice equipment: Keep up regularly scheduled maintenance. A lot of maintenance items are simple, straightforward things: making sure doors are shut all the way, making sure gaskets on doors are good so you re not sucking warm air into the box all day long, says Young of FSTC. Most refrigeration systems are improperly charged; there s either too much refrigerant or too little refrigerant in the lines. Operators have to clean and maintain the equipment, concurs Rodgers of Manitowoc. For refrigerators, the compressors need to be dusted off and the airflow not obstructed. You can t overtax the unit because it will start to have lower performance and not be as energy efficient. Cleaning the equipment is key to maintaining their published energy-efficient ratings. Ice machines, beverage dispensers and other refrigerated vending equipment also typically have coils that need to be regularly cleaned to keep the system in balance and prevent equipment failure. Annual Operating Cost* Comparison While an Energy Star rated appliance may sometimes have a bigger price tag than that of a conventional model but not always the operating costs are significantly lower. Base Energy-efficient Cost Appliance model model savings Fryer $1,382 $956 $426 Griddle $1,324 $1,254 $70 Steamer $3,115 $458 $2,657 Oven $1,244 $862 $382 * Operating costs based on electric rate of $0.15 per kwh (typical rate for California restaurant customers), $1.20 per therm, water charge of $2.00 and sewer charge of $3.00 per 748 gallons (100 cubic feet), and 12 hours of operation per day Source: Food Service Technology Center 124 C S P A u g u s t

6 Focus on the Details After tackling refrigeration and other foodservice heavies, start paying attention to the small, easily ignored energy drains for example, the warmers on a conventional glass-pot coffee machine. Each one of those circular warmers is worth about 90 watts, says Young. If I left a 100-watt light bulb on all day, you would feel heat but also would say that s a lot of light and energy going into the store. If you have a coffee machine with three of those little warmers on it, that s $350 by the end of the year. Because many c-store retailers operate 24 hours a day, Young suggests looking at coffee airpots or other technologies to limit energy expenditure. Other appliances that should be turned off when not in use: holding cabinets, conveyor toasters, steam tables, plate and food warmers, and heat lamps. For dishwashers, consider a low-flow pre-rinse spray valve, which can save more than $1,000 per year in water and heating costs, depending on daily usage. The FSTC recommends pre-rinse spray valves with a 1.6-gallonper-minute flow rate or lower. While these valves are not yet certified by Energy Star, FSTC has a list of valves that have passed muster on its Web site. Upgrading lighting is one of the fastest and most economical changes a retailer can make, says Young [CSP Jan. 09, p. 67]. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents in the walk-in coolers, exhaust hoods, storage rooms and food prep area, and upgrade T12 linear fluorescents with T8. For coolers, consider occupancy sensors, which will turn lighting on and off as a customer approaches or leaves. This, of course, depends on individual aesthetics, and whether a retailer would prefer coolers stay lit up constantly or turn on and off to capture customers attention and save electricity. It s all about building better-performing buildings, says Young. We don t believe in freezing in the dark. Foodservice is like an entertainment industry, and the entertainment has to come first. A u g u s t C S P 125