Overview
This muti-case study shows the performance results for 40+ McDonald’s locations in the northeast region of the US. McDonald’s is a fast-food restaurant chain and the number one restaurant chain in the world. The study shows how an Intelli-Hood® installation was able to reduce the facility’s annual utility costs and carbon dioxide emissions. Intelli-Hood® is a controls system that controls the ventilation fan speed, depending on the current conditions of the kitchen hoods. Temperature and optic sensors are used to detect heat and steam, and these sensors will change the fan speed accordingly. With the rise of utility rates across multiple locations, Intelli-Hood® was the proactive strategy for McDonald’s to offset increased energy costs with efficiency upgrades.
Results
In the chart below, Figure A, the average fan speed for the exhaust fans is shown over the course of two weeks. The dips in the chart represent times when the fans have slowed down due to reduced cooking intensity. While the spikes represent when the fans are operating at a greater cooking intensity and higher heat loads. The varying fan speed means the fans are running more efficiently rather that consistently at full speed. The average fan speed for these exhausts was 65%.
Figure B, at the bottom, depicts the customer’s annual energy costs as compared to their net energy costs. The initial annual utility cost was $360,555. After installing Intelli-Hood®, these locations operate at $208,159 on average for their utility costs. That’s a $152,396 annual savings across all sites, as compared to their previous operating utility costs.
Download the full case study or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefit of kitchen hood controls.
