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Best Practice Guide |
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Local Governments |
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Food ServiceHeating and Cooling Systems
Rely more on fans, less on air conditioning. Air conditioners and central cooling systems require a tremendous amount of energy; most fans, on the other hand, do not. Research indicates that energy use falls by four to five percent for every degree that you raise your cooling thermostat. Easing back on central cooling by only three degrees Fahrenheit could trim air conditioning costs by 12 – 15 percent. One way to improve customer comfort is to compensate for the difference in air temperature by using an efficient ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fan to keep the air moving in the dining room.
Inspect, clean and maintain equipment. Dirty heat-transfer coils (the winding metal coils on the back of an air conditioner) and torn or misaligned ducts can both drag down the efficiency of your climate control equipment. Clean and mend where you can.
Replace dirty air filters. Don’t let your air filter get too dirty—a grimy filter will impede airflow, forcing your heating and cooling motors to work harder. As a general rule, check and change filters at least once every three months.
Install a programmable thermostat. Still setting your thermostat by hand? Consider adding some precision to the process by adding a programmable thermostat and using its “night setback” mode. With automatic setback, never again will you have to remember to turn off the heat or air conditioning at the end of the workday. Find out if an energy management system is right for you. If your cafeteria has a centralized heating and cooling system, an energy management system (EMS) may be able to cut your energy costs dramatically. Finding out if an EMS is right for you might take some footwork—you’ll need the help of an energy expert on this one. But the extra effort may be worth it since an EMS can also control other systems like lighting and kitchen exhaust fans—automating your operations and compounding energy savings. Taking the next step. Investigating your climate control options can really pay off, especially if your cafeteria has a centralized heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (commonly referred to as an HVAC system). HVAC systems that are improperly calibrated or that rely on outdated equipment can waste a lot of energy. Here are three options for getting the process started: Call your utility provider. In many cases, finding out more about your heating and cooling options is as simple as picking up the phone—most utilities either offer a suite of
Check out your audit options. Service providers throughout the state offer energy audits for small businesses—sometimes for free. See what’s out there by using Flex Your Power’s audit locator. Find it
Check for grants, rebates and incentive programs. Use Flex Your Power’s program finder to identify heating- and cooling-related rebate and incentive programs in your region. Find it at www.fypower.org/programs. |