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Energy: QSRs burn it up. These 3 steps will cut it down.

Trimming the fat in your brand's energy costs doesn't have to be complicated and time-consuming. Here, an energy-use expert explains how you can do it in 3 steps.

Photo: iStock

October 24, 2019

By James McPhail/Zen Ecosystems CEO 

As a restaurant manager or owner, it can be a challenge to identify new cost-saving opportunities, especially when your average profit margin is 3-5 percent. You're already working hard to run all aspects of your business as efficiently and effectively as possible — but reevaluating energy use and savings strategies may be an untapped opportunity given the technologies that are available today.

Preparing, cooking and disposing of food on a consistent basis is an energy-intensive process, therefore restaurants tend to use more resources than average to support business and customer needs. 

According to Energy Star, restaurants consume an estimated five to seven times more energy than other commercial buildings, and QSR establishments can consume up to 10 times more. These numbers might seem discouraging, but additional energy requirements also mean there are significant savings opportunities.

One solution to help manage your restaurant's energy consumption is to integrate an energy management system into your building (or buildings). Many managers and business owners assume that energy is yet another fixed cost, with unpredictable fluctuations that are difficult to manage. 

However, new technologies offer a significant opportunity to save energy and costs without interrupting day-to-day operations. Not sure where to begin? We've developed an three-step process that will help you save energy.

1. Identify the biggest energy "vampires" in your restaurant.

Restaurants (like most other businesses and households) would be hard-pressed to function without electricity. After all, it literally keeps the lights on. But even though energy use is an essential part of our daily lives, there are still significant opportunities for cutting back on how much is used.

For restaurants, including QSRs, here are the most common energy wasters:

• Lighting is one of the biggest culprits in the restaurant business. Lights may be in-use for up to 20 hours-a-day in a location, and often round-the-clock for some QSRs. Replacing traditional bulbs with more efficient CFLs or LEDs can reduce energy consumption and heat output by 75%.
• Heating and cooling are other contributors to energy waste. If all employees have the ability to control the thermostat, temperatures can fluctuate all day, leading to excess use. 

           Remember also that employees often feel warmer than customers because they are working and on their feet. At peak hours this could                 mean the AC is pumping across the entire restaurant, even to the point where diners feel too cold despite the good intentions of staff. 

• Equipment, such as fryers, dishwashers and other industrial equipment are huge energy consumers. Just like lighting, upgrading to more efficient models can lead to big savings. 

 
2. Learn about the available technology.

Smart homes and apartments are becoming more common. In fact, the global market is expected to reach $53 billion by 2022. 

Many people are aware of the benefits of smart technology, which extend far beyond the home to businesses. Intelligent energy management solutions can control the most energy-intensive assets in your restaurant and are available now, including:  

• Thermostats that control HVAC systems across multiple sites, including those with lock settings that include established heating and cooling ranges to eliminate excess use. 
• Load controllers that monitor the energy use of different resourcesand automatically turn equipment on and off as needed.
• Dimming switches for automated brightness control as lighting changes throughout the day.
• Temperature sensors to manage temperature zones in various restaurant  locations to keep back-of-house cool and customers comfortable.

Beyond the buzzwords, it can be difficult to determine which solution is right for your business, which leads to the third and final step. 

3. Identify the most important attributes of an energy management solution.

Your restaurant's energy management system should offer: 

• Measurable ROI that occurs in a one- to two-year period, as opposed to 10 to 20 years. 
• Easy- to-install and operate technology, allowing those on-site to "set it and forget it."
• Easily assessible and understandable data outputs that demystify a location's energy use and areas of waste.  
• Multi-site control and monitoring capabilities that allow your brand to scale solutions to operations.  

Figuring out how to save energy can be tricky and overwhelming, but since restaurants use 38 kWh of energy per square foot a year, compared to office buildings that use 17 kWh per square foot, there are untapped opportunities out there. 

As a QSR operator, you can take advantage of energy management system technology advancements to boost your bottom line. Energy does not have to be a fixed expense or a total mystery. The right solutions can cut waste and heighten profits. 

About the author: James McPhail is the CEO of Zen Ecosystems. He has developed business strategies for AutoDR, energy management and IoT markets worldwide.