Restaurants
High energy efficiency can have an immediate positive effect on your operating budgets. The first step is to development an energy management program.
Figures are based on Hawaiian Electric Company data and an average electric consumption of 76 kWh/square-foot-year. Energy use is affected by weather; number of occupants; building size and thermal integrity; cooling, heating, and water systems; and miscellaneous equipment.
Energy Management Program
An energy management program studies energy usage, how and where energy is used, and evaluates ways to save, reduce and implement energy conservation measures to increase a restaurant’s operating efficiency. It can also involve training employees on energy-saving steps they can take.
Some areas to consider in an energy management program include:
Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Cooling makes up about 23% of energy use in a stand-alone, all-electric restaurant.
A number of energy conservation measures can be implemented to an office building’s cooling system to provide more efficient operation:
- Installing energy efficient air conditioning/chiller equipment. Rebate qualified.
- Installing HVAC fans and pumps with variable frequency drives that can control motor and pump speeds as well as the electricity needed to run the fans and pumps. Rebates for both fans & pumps.
- Applying window film to reduce heat loss. Rebate qualified.
- Adding insulation for windows and doors, such as weather stripping and thresholds.
- Installing a timer on supply air fans.
- Utilizing energy management systems.
- Decreasing the daytime thermostat setting.
- Installing a night setback procedure.
Lighting
Lighting can take up almost 20% of energy use in a stand-alone, all-electric restaurant. While incandescent lamps are commonly used for aesthetic purposes and color rendering characteristics, these can be converted to more efficient lighting without sacrificing light quality and design.
Hawaii Energy has a number of rebates that help restaurant lighting become even more energy efficient:
- Low-wattage T8 and T5 lamps with electronic ballasts can replace older, less efficient T12s. Rebate qualified.
- Reflectors enable delamping (reducing the number of lamps needed). Rebate qualified.
- CFLs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Rebate qualified.
- LED exit signs are even more efficient that fluorescent lights. Rebate qualified.
- Pulse-start metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps provide high-intensity lighting, long lamp light and high energy efficiency for spaces where lights are used for many hours and have high ceilings. Rebate qualified.
- Occupancy sensors, or automatic lighting controls, switch off lights when people leave the room and turn them back on when people return. Programmable timers can also turn lights on and off at appropriate hours. Rebate qualified.
- Light tubes and other natural light maximizers that can replace some electric lighting can qualify for Hawaii Energy custom rebates. Rebate qualified.
Cooking and Refrigeration
Cooking and food storage equipment use a lot of energy. Cooking uses about 14% of total energy use and refrigeration about 26%. This makes it important that all cooking and refrigeration equipment be operated efficiently. Be sure to turn off all cooking devices whenever possible and provide regular refrigeration maintenance.
Water Heating
Water heating for washing dishes, cooking, bathrooms and other uses makes up about 5% of total energy use in a restaurant.
Energy can be saved by upgrading the existing insulation on the water heater tank and distribution pipe and by installing more energy efficient water heating equipment.
Miscellaneous
About 10% of energy used in a restaurant goes to run miscellaneous equipment, such as cash registers and appliances. Turning off these devices whenever practical and providing a regular maintenance program will help lower energy expenses.
