Boosting Restaurant Profits With Energy Efficiency

Lamps and Lighting Fixtures: Save With Lighting

Options for efficient lighting have exploded in recent years, which is great news for restaurants, where lights are typically on for 16 to 20 hours a day. Remember this general rule as you sort through your options: For many lighted areas in your restaurant, high-efficiency fluorescent lamps-in particular, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)-are your ticket to savings.

Use a shutdown schedule. Take stock of all the lights-indoors and out-that are not necessary at night; implement a shutdown schedule to make sure each unnecessary light gets shut off at the end of the workday. And take stock of all the lights that are not necessary for routine operations and turn them off whenever you can.

Install occupancy sensors. Closets, storage rooms, break rooms and even walk-in refrigerators are great candidates for occupancy sensors. The sensors help you save energy by automatically shutting off lights when no activity is detected in a room. Look for low-temperature sensors for refrigerated environments.

Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs. If you have a lot of incandescent lamps, you're paying the price for them. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) last far longer and use only a fraction of the energy. As with occupancy sensors, low-temperature models are available for refrigerators and freezers. Quality can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so always look for ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs. Making the switch to CFLs can get tricky in rooms that require subdued light, in part because not all CFLs are dimmable, so check with a lighting supplier to find the best options for dining areas or other spaces that require more nuanced lighting.

Swap out your T12s. Does your restaurant feature tubular fluorescent lighting with two or four long tubes arranged parallel to each other? If so, and if you haven't done a lighting upgrade recently, there's a good chance that you're getting your light from what are called T12 lamps, which is an inefficient technology from the 1940s. Modernize your lighting by switching to newer, more efficient T8 or T5 lamps and fixtures. Though the switch isn't quite as simple as changing a light bulb, you can rest assured that help is available; upgrade programs sponsored by utilities and other organizations are widely available throughout California. Get the ball rolling by calling your utility or logging on to Flex Your Power's Rebates, Incentives & Services Locator at www.FlexYourPower.org/assistance.

Use LED signs. Signs that use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a great alternative to incandescent-based signs. LED signs use far less energy, and the "bulbs" typically last 10 years or more (compared to about three months for incandescent signs). Electricity savings can sometimes exceed 80 percent. Don't forget to check with your utility provider-rebates for LED exit signs are available in many service areas and can sometimes cover most of the purchase price.

Case in point: Milton Stirm, Subway franchise owner, Lodi

Lodi business owner Milton Stirm re-energized his three Subway franchises with a handful of energy efficiency upgrades. Thanks in part to assistance from Lodi Electric Utility, which supplied both financial incentives and expertise throughout the upgrade process, Stirm made the jump from inefficient four-lamp T12 fixtures to energy-efficient two-lamp T8 fixtures. "It's just as bright as before, with half as many lights," reported Stirm. Utility rebates for the lighting and other upgrades ranged from $250 to $750.

The right look, the right light

Never before have there been so many options on the market for energy-efficient lamps and fixtures. This is great news for restaurant owners looking for the perfect mix of energy efficiency, quality of light and elegance of lighting fixture. Today, energy-efficient options are available for nearly every type of fixture, from wall sconces to chandeliers.

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Compact fluorescent vs. incandescent
If each of California's 80,000 restaurants replaced only one incandescent light bulb with a CFL, 50 million pounds of CO2 emissions could be avoided each year, and the restaurant industry could save about $4.4 million annually. Here's how much you could save in your own restaurant by switching eight incandescent lamps with eight CFLs:

Eight 100-W incandescent lamps
Eight 100-W incandescent lamps
At $0.13 per kWh
Cost per year: $607

Eight 27-W CFLs
Used 16 hours daily
At $0.13 per kWh
Cost per year: $164

Annual savings with CFL: $443