Are you spending more on utilities than for rent? Due to the energy intensity of the business, smaller grocery/corner stores and restaurants often are paying more for utilities than for rent. And most grocery stores and restaurants have a low margin, making energy conservation and efficiency an area for opportunity. According to the EPA's EnergyStar program, these facilities spend more than $4 per square foot in energy costs.
As an owner or operator in the food sales and service industry, food safety comes first and you need to focus your efforts to ensure healthy and happy customers and staff. Energy management is not high on your list of responsibilities, so we've tried to make this page easy to navigate.
Just for food service - As the cost of refrigeration and heating for your food is what makes your business a high energy user, we've created a page for resources for food service. There you can learn about equipment selection, operation and maintenance and find links to other sites to assist you.
Fans or motors? You may run fans for exhaust and/or motors for mixing ingredients. If you run a large number of exhaust fans, resources regarding fans and motors for all business types can be found on the fans/pumps/motors page, but any that are specific to food service will be found under the food service page.
Control your HVAC - If you are a larger facility or have seating for your customers, HVAC is another area where you can find energy savings opportunities. Remember that in the food service industry you may need to change your HVAC filters more frequently due to dust (such as flour) or other particulates (grease) and that you should check condensate piping to ensure that it's draining properly away from any food areas.
Lighting technologies for food sales and service vary dependent on what you are serving or selling. Check our lighting page for more links to help you choose the right lighting for your needs.
Own your own building? Many of you in the food service industry rent or lease your space, so modifications to your building's envelope may not be under your control. If you do own your space or your landlord allows for window wall modifications, check our link for building envelope guidance.
Transporting your food? Lastly, you may ship your food – either via your own fleet or through transporters. Make sure both those delivering materials to you and your own delivery vehicles follow local anti-idling requirements, and check our transportation page for additional information.