As refrigeration costs are likely to make up a significant proportion of your energy bill, making even small changes can really pay off.

Our energy auditor says.

You can cut your refrigeration costs two ways – by making sure your fridge is running at maximum efficiency or by increasing the set cooling point.

Improving running efficiency

Refrigeration systems work most efficiently when they’re well maintained. Blocked, dirty and leaking components use more energy and cost more to run. As part of a regular maintenance programme, you should:

• Check evaporator fins are in good working order. Remove scaling and ice-buildup.
• Check evaporators and condensers for damaged vent fins. Damaged fins make heat transfer more difficult.
• Check bleed or drip pipes are not iced up.

Increasing the set cooling point

Increasing the set cooling point by 1°C could reduce your refrigerator’s energy consumption by up to 4%. Take a look at these recommended temperatures, listed by food type, and make any adjustments you need to. Allocate fridges to products with similar product temperature requirements.

The products in this table are only a guide. Refer to the Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995 or your food supplier for more specific information relating to your food storage requirements.

*The maximum temperatures shown are those allowed after defrost.

Source: Hospitality – Saving energy without compromising service, Carbon Trust, March 2012
Food and drink processing – Introducing energy saving opportunities for business, Carbon Trust, March 2012

Heating a restaurant can be complex and costly but there are ways to save money without compromising comfort.

Our energy auditor says

For more control over your heating, create specific zones in your restaurant which you can heat separately and according to usage and need – warmer in areas for your customers, cooler in the kitchen where cooking equipment generates a lot of heat.

Localised time-clock controllers can be used to make sure that zones reach the ideal temperature as people arrive. And if you have different opening hours on different days, a seven-day electronic timer can help you cut down on unnecessary heating.

Source: Hospitality – Saving energy without compromising service, Carbon Trust, March 2012
Food and drink processing – Introducing energy saving opportunities for business, Carbon Trust, March 2012

Water is an important resource. It’s also metered – you pay for what you draw and dispose of via the public drainage system, if you are not using it efficiently these costs can mount up. If you’re heating water that then goes straight down the drain, you’re wasting even more money.

Our energy auditor says.

Here are two simple ways that can help you save water, both hot and cold.

Install water conserving devices

Tap controls that switch off taps after a certain period of time are great for saving water in communal areas like toilets.

Reset your hot water temperature

Water needs to be hot enough to kill Legionella bacteria but not too hot that it can’t be comfortably used for hand washing by staff and customers. The optimum temperature for stored hot water is 60°C.

Source: Hospitality – Saving energy without compromising service, Carbon Trust, March 2012
Food and drink processing – Introducing energy saving opportunities for business, Carbon Trust, March 2012

The right lighting is important to help create ambience and encourage customers to come in.

Our energy auditor says.

There are lots of tricks you can use to keep the lights bright in your restaurant – and keep an eye on the cost.

• Use timers so that your lighting’s on only during opening hours.
• Keep occupancy sensors clean so they work more effectively.
• Dim the lights to conserve energy.
• Tungsten halogen lighting is less effective so use it sparingly. Consider replacing these light sources with much more efficient light-emitting diode (LED); these use 60 – 80% less energy for the same light output.
• Consider using light-emitting diode (LED) or luminescent exit signs – there’s an upfront expense which will likely be paid back in less than two years.
• Large, clean windows let in lots of natural light and help bring people in, but make sure they’re properly glazed to minimise heat loss.

More words of wisdom

The more energy efficient your lighting is, the less heat it produces. So installing low-energy lighting can also reduce cooling costs – a double saving.

Source:
Hospitality – Saving energy without compromising service, Carbon Trust, March 2012
Food and drink processing – Introducing energy saving opportunities for business, Carbon Trust, March 2012