Context
Base Camp Cafe at the Cincinnati Zoo was due for a remodel project in 2013 and took the opportunity to retrofit the restaurant with environmentally sustainable features. They set the goal of achieving LEED Gold certification, but meeting the requirements posed much challenge. Below are the restaurant kitchen conditions:
- Total motor power: 10 HP
- Daily operating hours: 14
- Days per week: 7
- Weeks per year: 52
- Cost per kilowatt hour: $.10
- Climate zone: 5
- Customers per year: 1.4 million
Results
The Cincinnati Zoo Sustainability Team chose to install Intelli-Hood Controls to gain credits toward their pursuit of a LEED Gold-certified cafe. The Zoo previously worked with Melink for a solar canopy project. Since 2013, Base Camp Cafe has been ranked the greenest restaurant in the nation, as measured by The Green Restaurant Association. This association granted them 473 points for the different green elements of their restaurant, with their energy reduction accounting for 220 points, or 47% of their score.
The following is a five day fan speed graph at the Base Camp cafe:
Here are a before (navy) and after (green) reductions in kilowatt hours, heat load and exhaust volume:
The facilities team at the Cincinnati Zoo commented on their impression of Intelli-Hood and working with Melink:
“I appreciate that Intelli-Hood is automated, it’s one less thing to worry about in managing a restaurant. We don’t have to remind people to turn it on and off. We get savings by letting the system run on it’s on.”
– Tony James, Cincinnati Zoo, Facilities Management
“Melink was detail-oriented and, to be honest, a lot more on-the-ball than we were. They were responsive to the fine-tuning issues that came about, such as sensors getting dirty with grease.”
– Greg Speidel, HGC Construction, Project Manager
“Restaurants are huge energy hogs, it’s also where you can get your money back.”
– Mark Fisher, Cincinnati Zoo, Director of Sustainability
COULD INTELLI-HOOD BE A FIT FOR MY PROJECT?
Are you curious how much energy Intelli-Hood could save within your commercial or industrial kitchens? Submit an energy savings estimate request form at the bottom of our to get started.
