Utilities & Equipment

Energy Efficiency for Restaurants

BUY ENERGY STAR APPLIANCES, SAVES YOU UP TO 60% OVERALL

Air
1.Variable controls for the exhaust system, it saves 30-50% of your operations costs
2.Operate two-speed fans on low if possible
3.Use more unconditioned air near the kitchen hood to minimize conditioned air exhaust
4.Have a professional balance your ventilation. – This creates more balanced air circulation. One way to know if your space has improper air flow is if your doors are difficult to open due to suction of if an outside door blows open frequently.

Water
Reducing hot water bill=save money on water + electricity

1.Fix dripping faucets. Install aerators for hand faucets - this reduces the amount of water lost, especially hot water.
2.Install a timer on a recirculation pump (if applicable)- the timer will automatically shut off the recirculation pump when the restaurant is closed
3.Insulate hot water pipes. Flush sediment twice per year.- Keeps Pipes Warmer so that water heats up faster which saves you money. Flushing the sediment twice a year creates better water flow for less wasted water.
4.Make sure flue damper is on (if applicable)- so heat does not escape up the flue, this of course only will save you money if you have a flue damper.
5.Install high velocity, low-flow pre-rinse sprayers- this is to replace older, high-volume pre-rinse sprayers that waster water, this way you will save on your sewage costs.
6.Use cold water when running food disposal- extremely important when disposing of grease down the drain. Cold water causes grease to solidify making it easier for the garbage disposal to breakdown, which saves you from possible plumbing issues.
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Operation & Maintenance

Recharge low refrigerant
Clean evaporator and/or condenser coils
Replace loose and/or torn door gaskets
Check temperature settings in fridge base setting on manufacturers suggestion
Check Defrost Settings, this prevents the cycle from over running the typical 15minute segments, these occur 4 times a day.
Clean the fryer heating element and remove sediment to optimize fryer performance
Clean burners
Check Oven Doors for Loose Hinges
Flush-Out Steamer Boilers, Remove Mineral Build-Up
Stagger how much the electric cooking equipment is on to keep demand expenses low

Refrigeration

1.Switch incandescent lights to fluorescents and add strip curtains- Switching over to fluorescents will reduce your electricity, and installing strip curtains holds the cold in the walk in refrigerator, saving you even more on your electricity and reducing air filtration by 75%.
2.Install Anti-Sweat Heater Controls.- Anti-Sweat Controls sense humidity and turn the heaters off not in use.
3.Install High-Efficiency Evaporation Motor Fans
4.Add Glass Doors to Display Cases- Saves you the trouble of opening and closing your display cases for every customer, which will make your display case 50% more efficient. Seek professional help when doing so.
5.Purchase High Efficiency Ice Maker- If you make the Ice Maker production hours in the evening when the restaurant is closed. This cuts down the demand charges while the restaurant is open

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Equipment

1. Figure out what equipment you need based on your menu and the amount of each item you will need based on what foods you will make. Review concept plan and have it guide equipment selection
2.Do your homework. Figure out market prices versus prices in of equipment in the area, in this case Philadelphia. Shop around look up the Restaurant Suppliers, check out their merchandise. Compare New vs. Used. Provided is a list of restaurant equipment suppliers in Philadelphia
3.Make a sourcing action plan for those pieces of equipment. Sourcing Action Plan, products on/at (online, networking, trade fairs) vs. who to get them from(manufacturers, distributors, used equipment dealers,etc.)
4.Create a schedule for getting all the equipment
5.If you feel overwhelmed by this get a consultant, he should help evaluate the bids for new equipment
6.If you decide on used equipment, barder for a reasonable price based on the research you have done, make a through inspection of the item before purchase, clarify the warranty of your purchase, schedule delivery. Finally if it is a used item make sure you get a guarantee in writing.
7.If you are unsure of a certain piece of equipment or if you don’t have the money just yet and do not want to take a loan you can always lease equipment. Ice Maker Machines, Coolers, Coffeemakers, Industrial Dishwasher, and Linens
8. Don’t buy very specialized equipment; you make need certain items depending on your restaurant but if you are not sure don’t be impulsive
9.Keep in mind the cleaning maintenance methods you will need to use for each item, so buy simple if you can.
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Equipment you need you will need:
The Big Guns: Refrigerator, Freezer, Stove-Oven, Sink,
Other Equipment: Dishwasher, Ice Maker, Vertical Mixer, Blender, Microwave,
Small Ware: Dishware, Furniture, and Utensils
There is a wide variety of items you may need however as previously mentioned you must figure out what you are going to cook before you get your equipment.
For a great list of restaurant equipment check out A to Z Resturant Equipment Company by clicking on the link above.

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