Energy is a major expense for your business, and you need a lot of it. With rising energy costs and the scarcity of fossil resources, as well as customers’ growing attention to environmental issues, it’s time to become more sustainable and save money at the same time.
We must act now: the pollution of our oceans from plastic waste has reached dramatic proportions. Even today, a truckload of plastic waste on average ends up in the ocean every minute. If you can picture this, then it should be clear to you that we must act immediately! With your gastronomy business, you can make an important contribution to sustainable development, because your business is closely tied to people and the environment. You may notice plastic waste floating around your local environment and this is something that consumers and the younger generation are no longer tolerating.
Induction is faster, safer, cleaner, and more efficient than either gas or electric. Food being cooked with induction will receive 90% of the heat generated, as opposed to only 40 – 55% for gas.
On an induction cooktop, you can boil water in under half the time it takes for water to boil on a
gas cooktop.
Induction cooktops may be more expensive to buy, but they end up saving money in the long run.
Induction is faster, safer, cleaner, and more efficient than either gas or electric. Food being cooked with induction will receive 90% of the heat generated, as opposed to only 40 – 55% for gas.
Induction cooktops stay cool to the touch. This means that they don’t heat up your kitchen and they won’t burn you either.
Induction cooktops are much more energy efficient and cost-effective. Most of the heat energy they generate goes into the pots.
Liquids and foods will not burn and stick on them, thus making induction cooktops much cleaner and easier to clean.
As a restaurateur, there are many ways to save energy in your restaurant.
There are some actions you can implement straight away. This is how you can start:
Once you have managed to implement some simple steps,
you can consider investing in more advanced ways to save energy:
Did you know that compact fluorescent bulbs/lamps, or short CFL, use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs? In the long term, they represent a strong environmental and economic advantage.
Go for energy-efficient equipment such as ENERGY STAR equipment for small domestic style electronics or Label ABCDEFG for kitchen machinery where A is the best quality.
Use equipment that doesn’t heat up the kitchen unnecessarily. Reduce instead ambient temperatures in your kitchen e.g. by using induction equipment (such as induction cooktops), condensate hoods or spot air conditioners.
By changing the ventilation to anti-stratification fans (heating energy saving), electronic control fans or free cooling in AC you can save energy.
Using renewable energy will help to save the planet but also will give
you economic advantages in the long term. Contact your local
service provider and town facilities management to see what they
can offer and if they give financial assistance.
Here are some ways to use renewable energies:
Install solar panels. The thermal panels can heat water and the
system could pay for itself within 2 or 3 years
Use solar-powered outdoor lights that are self-charging
Build in PV facade elements
Introduce electric vehicle chargers
Save energy by improving isolation in your business so that your room temperature is affected as little as possible. You can do so by installing automatic doors, night blinds or heavy curtains around the entry door.
Go for energy-efficient equipment such as ENERGY STAR equipment for small domestic style electronics or Label ABCDEFG for kitchen machinery where A is the best quality.
By changing the ventilation to anti-stratification fans (heating energy saving), electronic control fans or free cooling in AC you can save energy.
Save energy by improving isolation in your business so that your room temperature is affected as little as possible. You can do so by installing automatic doors, night blinds or heavy curtains around the entry door.
Did you know that compact fluorescent bulbs/lamps, or short CFL, use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs? In the long term, they represent a strong environmental and economic advantage.
Use equipment that doesn’t heat up the kitchen unnecessarily. Reduce instead ambient temperatures in your kitchen e.g. by using induction equipment (such as induction cooktops), condensate hoods or spot air conditioners.
Using renewable energy will help to save the planet but also will give
you economic advantages in the long term. Contact your local
service provider and town facilities management to see what they
can offer and if they give financial assistance.
Here are some ways to use renewable energies:
Install solar panels. The thermal panels can heat water and the
system could pay for itself within 2 or 3 years
Use solar-powered outdoor lights that are self-charging
Build in PV facade elements
Introduce electric vehicle chargers
Once you have taken some steps, check the change in energy consumption and keep track of it. Look out for simple tracking solutions that don’t need too much input from you. For example, ask your energy management company if they have a digital tool you can use. Talk to your staff about how much energy you saved and how they have helped in doing so. Seeing the progress visibly can motivate them to continue saving energy. Publicise what you are doing: a sign in the bathroom to “switch off the light”, information in your menu or your homepage can be a visible reminder to your customers about your responsible actions. You can have an impact this way as staff and customers will take these messages home with them.
Analyse your consumption and hunt for wasted energy
Use energy efficient equipment
Implement low cost actions to save energy and go even further by adapting advanced ways
Contact your local service provider and town facilities management for renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions
Ask your energy management company if they have a digital tool to track your energy consumption
Find out where there are energy leaks, peaks in energy usage and equipment that wastes energy
Make an action plan and set realistic goals for energy saving
Inform and engage your staff
Tell your customers about your progress
Applications that can support with menu design or communications are:
METRO supports you with a diverse product assortment and services for your sustainability strategy. Please check out the local METRO or makro website in your country.
Save energy by turning off unnecessary lights and electric equipment: e.g. turn off the range or the fryer during downtime and begin preheating when business picks up. You should also shut down the Point of Sale (POS) system and the computer when you don’t use it during off days or at night after the service.
Set a starting point from which you can make improvements. Looking back on your success can be a great motivator! Further, make an action plan and set realistic goals to save energy.
To get to know how much energy you use per month, contact your utility company. Check when the highest use occurs and check your invoices to get an idea of the costs. You can use a simple tracker to see how much you are using.
It is important to know how your cooling equipment works. For example, you should pay attention to how much ice you can put to not go over the ventilation. If the air flow is interrupted, the machine will use more energy to produce the same amount of ice.
If the seals on your refrigerator are not kept clean and tight, the fridge has to work harder to stay cool, as warm air can get in. Also, ensure that the fans of your refrigerator are not obstructed and that the cooling and ventilation slots behind stand-alone refrigerators and freezers are not obstructed.
Ice is expensive to produce, water and energy wise, so don’t waste it or automatically refill it. Only add as much as you need.
Energy-efficient lights are one way to save energy. Use LED, halogen incandescent bulbs, CFL lightbulbs for your kitchen and main area. You can also use lights with autonomous light sensors and motion sensors. That kind of intelligent lighting can be used in restrooms, storage or technical rooms.
If you don’t clean and maintain your equipment, it will work harder and use more energy than needed. For example, for equipment that uses water, use a water filtration system to prevent damage to your equipment from calcification and mineral deposits.
Turn down unnecessary heating, e.g. by lowering the water temperatures. But keep in mind the mandatory dish washing temperatures for your area. You could also use energy-efficient hand dryers for your bathrooms that don’t use heating elements.
Reposition heat generating equipment away from cooling equipment. For example, ensure the oven is not next to the ice machine where it will have to work harder than needed.