Energy Efficiency

Overview

Restaurants use tremendous amounts of energy. The energy bill for the food service industry to cook, hold and store food totals $8 billion a year, according to Pacific Gas & Electrics Food Service Technology Center.

Just think of how much electricity and natural gas goes into running your restaurant day-to-day. You use energy -- nonrenewable energy -- not just to cook the food but also to heat, cool and light the building, refrigerate meat and vegetables, power the computers and POS terminals, and so on.

Buildings are among the top energy users in the United States. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that commercial buildings consume 36 percent of all the energy and 65 percent of all the electricity used in the United States.

Add the fact that energy is among the top expenses in a restaurants operating budget, and you see the impact that energy conservation can have on both your restaurant and the environment.

Experts say that a business can increase its net operating income (NOI) by 5 percent with just a 30 percent decrease in their buildings energy consumption. On top of that, an energy-efficient, green building adds value to overall operation and investment.

Why Energy Efficiency Is Important

Paying for all that energy is expensive, especially with the rising energy costs and the tight profit margins restaurants have. The way to reduce your energy expenses is to be energy efficient. Turning your restaurant into an energy efficient operation helps our environment and helps your bottom line.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency experts estimate that if a restaurant cuts its energy costs by just 20 pecent, profits could increase by 30 pecent or more. Imagine if every restaurant cut its energy consumption by 20 percent. Our industry could reduce its energy costs by a whopping $1.6 billion a year!

Saving money is only one of innumerable benefits that cutting back on energy offers restaurants. An energy efficient restaurant also helps reduce our reliance on nonrenewable energy sources and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy efficiency also comes with additional financial dividends, such as energy conservation tax incentives, rebates and other deductions.

Energy Efficiency Plan: Start Simple

Every restaurant should have an energy efficiency plan. Knowing that you need a plan is one thing. Creating and implementing that plan is another. Fortunately, planning ways to save energy is not a complicated and overly expensive process. In fact, you can get started without spending a penny, simply by following Five Energy First Steps.

You can take the first steps to being energy efficient when you:

  • Turn off lights Make sure that lights in closets, storerooms, restrooms, office and even dining areas are always turned off when not in use.
  • Make sure loads are full Every time a dishwasher, washing machine or oven is used, make sure they are full.
  • Power down idle equipment Powering down just one computer every night and on weekends can save you up to $80 a year. Think of the savings and the energy difference you can make when all your computers and office equipment are turned off when not in use. This holds true with non essential kitchen appliance, copiers, front-of-the house computer systems and other office equipment.
  • Seal off unused areas Reduce the energy used for heating and cooling by sealing off unused areas and keeping exterior doors closed. In cold weather, open up your window treatments to take advantage of the natural energy of the sun, and in warm weather, save energy and keep rooms cooler by leaving window treatments down.
  • Reduce idle time Implement a set startup and shutdown schedule for the broiler, fryer and range. This reduces both pre-heating and idle times.

Expand Your Energy Efficiency

Typically, a restaurant spends 35 percent of its energy dollar on cooking, 28 percent on heating and cooling, 18 percent for dishwashing, 13 percent on lighting and 6 percent on refrigeration.

Making the Five First Steps an ongoing part of your day-to-day operations and conservation program is basically a great cost-free way to start reducing your energy use and energy dollars spent. To expand your energy efficiency plan even further, look at additional ways to:

  • Increase the efficiency of your appliances, facilities and kitchen
  • Develop an energy management and monitoring system
  • Improve your current maintenance program.

Did You Know?

For every incandescent light bulb replaced by a compact fluorescent, a restaurant can save up $30 in electricity costs over the light bulb’s lifetime.

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