According to research, restaurants are one of the worst offenders when it comes to energy usage, with the average restaurant using around five to seven times more energy per square foot than any other commercial buildings. A lot of this is due to lighting and equipment that needs to be in use for long periods of time, leading to high running costs and energy consumption.
However, there are a few ways that restaurants can reduce their energy costs by looking at becoming more energy efficient. Below, we have put together a helpful guide on our top energy saving tips for restaurants who are looking to reduce energy consumption.
If you’d like to find out more information on how your restaurant can improve its energy efficiency, then get in touch with our team today. We’re energy experts with over 15 years of experience advising and testing businesses of all shapes and sizes.
1. Change to energy efficient equipment
One of the main contributors to the high energy bills of restaurants is the amount of equipment that is needed, including industrial fridges, freezers and dishwashers. Doing your research and finding high quality equipment that has energy saving properties will not only reduce your energy usage, it will cut your costs significantly as well.
Look for equipment that has an Energy Star rating, as these certified products are known to use far less energy and will help your restaurant make energy savings. You could also look to review energy suppliers to see if there are better deals currently available.
2. Replace inefficient lighting
Another main contributor to high energy usage and bills is lighting, as there are usually many lights in a restaurant setting to create ambiance for example, and they tend to be on for long periods of time. If you’re using halogen bulbs then this can be costly, switch to light bulbs such as LED or compact fluorescent lighting.
Research shows that LED light bulbs use around 75% less energy than halogen or incandescent bulbs and last about 25 times longer. If your restaurant has a lot of lighting and it’s on for long periods of time, this can make a dramatic difference to your running costs.
3. Review your heating and water
If your heating and hot water bills are contributing a lot to your costs, take a look at turning the thermostat down a couple of degrees or implementing a better heating schedule so that energy isn’t going to waste. Small changes such as this can make a huge difference to your overall running costs, helping to keep that bottom line down.
You can also look at getting a smart thermostat, which is great for optimising energy usage. They allow you to program temperatures remotely and give you energy information in real time. This means you can easily turn down the heating, turn it off or change the schedule of when it’s coming on. This will help to reduce any heating and hot water costs as you won’t be using these unnecessarily.
If you’re really looking to improve your energy efficiency and reduce your carbon footprint, there are renewable energy sources that can be used to further help your restaurant. Renewable sources such as solar panels, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps can be used to sustainably heat a building and provide hot water.
4. Review where you’re losing energy
Take a look at your restaurant and see if there are any areas where a lot of energy could be lost. For example, the entrance to your restaurant will get a lot of traffic from customers coming in and out, so look at implementing a double door system where energy loss can be minimised through the front entrance.
It may be that your building itself isn’t very efficient and there could be cold spots where there are draughts and energy is being lost. Having tests such as air tightness testing and thermographic testing done on your building will show you where energy is being lost from and how you can improve this. In the long term, this will save energy and save money.
5. Speak to an energy expert
The best way to ensure that you’re improving the energy efficiency of your restaurant is to speak to an energy expert. They’ll be able to fully assess everything you’re doing and advise you on the best ways to make changes and save money.
At Falcon Energy, we have over 15 years experience working in the energy industry and have the skills and expertise to provide energy saving tips for restaurants that will not only help to reduce their carbon footprint, but also save them money.
If you’d like energy saving tips for your restaurant or business, then get in touch with our team today on 01403 253439.