Energy Efficiency Training for Restaurants
Did you know…
… that restaurants are the most energy intensive industry per square foot? According to NStar an average 6,000 square foot restaurant in Massachusetts spends approximately $45,000 per year on electricity and gas combined. 20% savings, generally from relatively simple measures, can equate to $9,000 per year in savings.
Small changes – either in behavior or in infrastructure – can amount to large energy and cost savings. And the restaurant won’t need to sacrifice service, quality, style or comfort. People want to work at and frequent institutions that are more sustainable. Benefits of energy efficiency and sustainability include: improved employee satisfaction, increased patronage and sales, and a cleaner, healthier environment.
There are two kinds of energy efficiency changes:
- Behavior (i.e., changes in focus and procedures)
- Infrastructure (i.e., new equipment)
Since most of the energy consumed in a restaurant is in food preparation and cooking, energy efficiency savings are mostly in kitchen appliances such as ovens, ranges, dishwashers and refrigeration. Simple maintenance measures include tightening bolts and screws, replacing used or worn gaskets, and turning down appliances that aren’t in use. Turning down or off equipment that is not in use, or even delaying when you turn on equipment at the beginning of the shift can make a huge difference.
Today there are several programs available to help restaurants pay for upgrades to Energy Star equipment. Also, many municipalities — such as the City of Lowell in Massachusetts — offer grants, loans and rebates to further assist qualified businesses.
So, what kind of help do restaurants need to be more energy efficient? Training!
Restaurateurs are busy. That’s why Eco Marketing recently developed and conducted a very prescriptive energy efficiency course for a group of restaurants in Lowell, Massachusetts: Brew’d Awakening, Espresso’s Pizza, Fio’s Pizza, La Boniche, Life Alive, and Mambo Grill. The city is working hard to help businesses and truly become a green city – which will save all of us resources and dollars.
Here are some of the highlights of the course:
- Overview of sustainability and energy efficiency, and why they’re important for restaurants
- Explicit instructions for improving energy efficiency throughout the restaurants
- Guidelines as to the amount of savings to expect from various measures
- Financing options, including savings over time, rebates from MassSave and National Grid, as well as rebates, loans and grants from the City of Lowell.
- Management plans and templates for the restaurants to engage employees and track progress (hard copy booklet and cd)
- Visits to each of the restaurants to review what they learned and make on-site recommendations
We’d love to hear from you!
- How does this sort of program compare to your energy efficiency and sustainability efforts?
- Are you more likely to dine in a restaurant that is making an effort to be more sustainable?
There’s so many simple, inexpensive (or free) ways to both save money and help the environment like sid said. In the end even investing in more efficient ovens might be a higher upfront cost but well worth it in the long run. It’s a win-win situation. You save money and the environment.
Great information on energy training man
Love the behavior aspect mentioned in the article. Going green starts with behavioral changes. It is important that the team at business understands that sustainability is real and they are helping the planet. Switching off the lights, offering water only when asked are some behavioral changes that don’t cost a cent.