7 Reasons Restaurants Should Upgrade To Energy Star Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
Restaurant owners more than anyone know the enormous financial burden of their restaurant’s energy bills. Energy costs are a part of doing business, but they’re a big part and they’re only getting bigger.
In fact, restaurants use about 2.5 times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings. The worst part is that most of that energy is waste. It’s estimated that 80% percent of the $10 billion annual energy bill for the commercial food service sector is used on inefficient food cooking, holding and storage equipment. Restaurants owners have made strides in the effort to go green, but there is still room for improvement in restaurant equipment energy efficiency.
It’s for those reasons we’re encouraging restaurants to switch to Energy Star products.
The Energy Star program began in 1992 as a partnership between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy, as a way to promote beneficial energy efficient products and practices. ENERGY STAR qualifies commercial equipment into four categories: fryers, hot food holding cabinets, solid door refrigerators and freezers, and steam cookers. Purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified products as a package for new kitchen construction or as a replacement for aging equipment, can save your restaurant significant amounts of money and energy.
7 Reasons Your Restaurant Should Upgrade To Energy Star Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
- Reduce: Reduced waste. Reduce water consumption. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Energy Savings: Energy STAR qualified products can save your restaurant much as 50% in energy related costs over their conventional commercial equipment.
- Rebates: There are currently several rebates offered in the Chicago area for Energy Star products like commercial ice machines from ComEd and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. These rebates are only available for a few months so act fast before they expire! Click HERE to locate what Energy Star rebates are in your area.
- Upgrading Pays For Itself: In terms of life-cycle costs (which include the purchase price, annual energy costs, and other long-term costs associated with the equipment), Energy Star products which are significantly higher in efficiency can lower utility bills can make up for the price difference over a short time.
- Potential Increase In Customers: Statistics show that 80% of Americans identify themselves as environmentally concerned. According to a 2008 National Restaurant Association survey, almost 62% of diners say they would prefer to eat at an environmentally friendly restaurant.
- Higher Quality Equipment: ENERGY STAR equipment can provide your restaurant with higher quality components, shorter cook times, higher production rates, and reduced heat losses.
- Keep Up With Your Competitors: More than 60 percent of restaurants invested in energy saving equipment in the last two years.
We’re happy to answer any Energy Star commercial refrigeration and ice freezer questions for you. Just drop us a line on our contact form and we’ll get back to you quickly.
