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Case Studies

Culver’s Restaurant Case Study

Overview

This case study reveals the continued saving results for a specific Culver’s location. The study shows an Intelli-Hood® installation after nearly 20 years of use before upgrading, to continue the restaurant’s operational savings.

The Intelli-Hood® system 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. The owners of this Culver’s location saw the benefit in continuing their use of Intelli-Hood®. This fast-food restaurant chain’s main goals were to continue to decrease their spending on utility costs and their operating expenses.

Results

Figure A depicts the customer’s annual energy costs as compared to their net energy costs. After installing Intelli-Hood®, this Culver’s location operates at $5,668 on average for their utility costs. That’s a $4,020 annual savings.

The chart on the right, Figure B, shows the average fan speed for two exhaust fans over the course of three days. The dips in the chart represent times when the fans are not running, and the spikes represent when the fans are operating. The fan speed varies slightly which means the fans are running more efficiently. The average fan speed for these exhausts was 65%.

Download the full case study or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefit of kitchen hood controls.

Shake Shack Motor City Mall Dubai

Since its founding, Shake Shack has been one of the fastest growing food chains and now operates over 250 locations globally. Joining forces with international partner M.H. Alshaya Co., Shake Shack entered the Middle Eastern market and opened a location in the First Avenue Mall, Motor City. Shake Shack not only focuses on sourcing the highest quality ingredients, but also understanding the environmental impact of their restaurants. Through their partnership with KlimalGlobal they implemented Intelli-Hood® kitchen hood ventilation controls into new Halton hoods to reduce their energy usage and help lessen their carbon footprint.

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The Intelli-Hood® system 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. For Shake Shack, this saves about 64% of ventilation fan energy consumption. Reducing the fans from running 24 hours per day not only saves energy consumption from the extract and supply fans but also creates considerable heating and cooling savings.

Result

Shake Shack saw a quick return on their investment with a 1.4 year payback, saving $8,487 USD in the first year. With this system, the restaurant was not only able to reduce its immediate energy consumption by 57% but is able to use the technology to continually monitor usage and adjust as necessary.

Download the full case study or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefit of kitchen hood controls.

Average site savings with Intelli-Hood at Benny&Co

Arnotts Department Store

CONTEXT

Arnotts is the oldest and largest department store in Ireland. Their focus on high quality and luxurious goods make it a premier retail destination for Dublin shoppers. Attention to operating a high end shopping experience doesn’t stop in the showroom and wanted to ensure their kitchens were addressing any potential ventilation issues to decrease odor and energy usage. Through their partnership with EFTech they implemented Intelli-Hood® kitchen hood ventilation controls and CleanStream UV-C technology to mitigate any future issues and control operating costs. The Intelli-Hood® system 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. For Arnotts, this saves about 77% of ventilation fan energy consumption. Reducing the fans from running 24 hours per day not only saves energy consumption from the extract and supply fans but also creates considerable heating and cooling savings.

RESULT

Arnotts experienced a strong return on its Intelli-Hood® investment: a fast 1.2 year payback. With this system, the store was not only able to reduce its immediate energy consumption by 62% but is able to use the technology to continually monitor usage and adjust as necessary.

 

 

 

To download a copy of this case study click here:Download

or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefits of kitchen hood controls.

 

Petrol Station Case Study

CONTEXT

APCO, a local family-owned petrol station, was focused on finding ways to reduce their operating costs and lessen the environmental impact by reducing the amount of fuels being burned to power their locations. They identified their kitchen ventilation as a place of improvement and decided to implement a demand control kitchen ventilation system to self- modulate fan speeds based on cooking activity.

SOLUTION

They chose ecosense powered by Melink Intelli-Hood® because ecosense uses site-specific information combined with performance data from thousands of previously installed systems so system performance can be predicted accurately.

At first, they decided to run a pilot program to verify the system was a good fit. Based on excellent preliminary results they decided to install two more locations and quickly had the same success. In their first year they have saved over $45,000 AUD in energy savings by reducing their kitchen operating costs by 72%, securing their return on investment in just over a year!

 

 

 

To download a copy of this case study click here:Download

or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefits of kitchen hood controls.

Benny & Co. Restaurant Case Study

Benny & Co. is a large, family-run restaurant chain based in Canada. Its specialty is roasted chicken, and its rotisserie ovens operate an average of 15 hours per day, 365 days per year. To address ventilation concerns and to help control operating costs, the chain decided to outfit its newly constructed locations with demand control kitchen ventilation (DCKV) systems that self-modulate according to cooking conditions. Thus, ENERGY STAR-rated VariVent™ DCKV systems featuring Intelli-Hood® kitchen hood controls by Melink Corporation, have been installed at 22 sites by Melink’s Canadian distributor/OEM partner ProVent HCE.

 

Benny&Co Restaurant

Result

The figure to the right displays the average site savings.

Based on data collected from 19 sites, Benny & Co. reduced its average kitchen’s running fan speed from 100% to 60% with the implementation of Intelli-Hood®. Before the DCKV installation, it cost $14,585 (CAD) yearly to operate a kitchen; this was cut nearly in half to $7,486. Each site’s system will pay for itself in just 1.7 years. With this system, Benny & Co. is not only able to reduce its immediate energy consumption but is able to use the technology to continually monitor usage and adjust as necessary.

3-Day Snapshot of Fan Speed Regulation After DCKV System Installed

 

 

Hood installation at Benny & Co.

Download the full case study or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefit of kitchen hood controls.

Average site savings with Intelli-Hood at Benny&Co

Case Study: Coffee House Chain

CONTEXT

Since 2016, Melink has been contracted by a national coffee house chain to perform HVAC services. As part of a multi-year, multi-site program, Melink has performed full HVAC testing and balancing, as well as building commissioning, for the chain’s new locations in the Midwest U.S.

After each site visit, Melink provides a detailed report including a punchlist, which is promptly distributed prior to the technician leaving the site. These reports allow the customer to resolve punchlist items under warranty and hold contractors accountable for their work, ultimately leading to cost savings and projects adhering to their respective construction timelines.

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Results

Melink has proven to be a knowledgeable third party for the chain. By partnering with Melink, the chain realized construction quality improved over time, thanks in part to the consistent relationships Melink built with contractors. The more Melink worked with the chain’s hired contractors, higher quality construction was completed.

The following data was analyzed from among 34 job sites Melink visited in 2016 and 2019:

  • Overall punchlist items that were corrected while Melink was on site or between visits increased from 3% in 2016 to 30% in 2019. This is 10x more corrected items.
  • Open punchlist items for the mechanical contractor decreased from 62% to 43%. There was a 30.6% reduction in open mechanical items, which can contribute to negative building pressure and comfort issues.
  • Engineer punchlist items increased from 1% in 2016 to 6% in 2019. This is due to Melink’s additional review to help prevent repeat issues stemming from mechanical design.
  • Controls punchlist items decreased from 7% in 2016 to 3% in 2019.

 

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The Merrion Hotel Case Study

The Merrion Hotel is a luxury resort located in Dublin, Ireland. The hotel has 123 guest rooms, 19 suites, event spaces, a spa, two bars, and two restaurants. Back-of-house includes two full kitchens that operate 24/7, 365 days per year.

Context

To help mitigate potential ventilation issues and to help control operating costs, the hotel decided to install a demand control kitchen ventilation system in one of the kitchens. Thus, an ENERGY STAR-rated Intelli-Hood® kitchen hood controls system was installed by EFTECH, Melink’s distributor in Ireland. The Intelli-Hood® system 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. This saves, in the case of The Merrion Hotel, 38% of ventilation fan energy consumption. Reducing the fans from running 24 hours per day not only saves energy consumption from the
extract and supply fans but also creates considerable heating and cooling savings.

Result

The Merrion Hotel experienced a strong return on its Intelli-Hood® investment: less than an 18-month payback, based on the recorded data. This further supports the case that 90% of lodging with on-site commercial kitchens can benefit from Intelli-Hood®. The hotel was not only able to reduce its immediate energy consumption by 48% but is also able to use the technology to continually monitor usage and adjust
as necessary.

Download the full case study or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefit of kitchen hood controls.

 

Correctional Facility Case Study

Melink’s Intelli-Hood® system is part of an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with this California county jail, which houses 680 inmates.

ESPCs provide guaranteed energy savings in their contracts, so Melink’s customer (an engineering firm representing the facility) was on the hook for the proposed energy savings.

Because Melink uses site-specific information combined with performance data from hundreds of previously installed Intelli-Hood® systems, system performance can be predicted accurately.

Melink also ensures its estimates are conservative so as not to “oversell” savings, especially in a case like this where the customer is responsible for guaranteed savings. Melink “undersold” and over-delivered on energy savings for the county jail.

 

 

Correctional Facility Case Study Cash Flow Graph

 

Download the full case study or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood® and the benefits of kitchen hood controls.

Case Study: Retail New Construction

Context

A national retail chain experienced rapid growth, adding 70 new locations in a span of 10 weeks to keep up with demand. Melink performed full testing, balancing, and commissioning at each location, which included providing detailed reports for each site. This allowed the customer to resolve punchlist items under warranty, hold contractors accountable to their work, and open the stores on time.

 

Sample of Findings

 

 

Results

 

Melink completed all 70 locations in 10 weeks and found a total of 594 punchlist items, which averaged approximately eight per location. By catching these issues before they became serious problems, it led to reduced customer and store complaints, as well as a 15% decrease in maintenance calls and an estimated 60% decrease in maintenance costs over the first 12 months. In addition, the retailer had an estimated ROI on its commissioning program within 18 months of the new openings. The fast-paced schedule allowed the retailer to open each location on time and fully balanced.

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Case Study: HVAC Equipment Assessment

Context

A multi-level building, consisting of medical offices, had no pre-existing
mechanical plans of its facility when a new management firm took ownership. With tenants practicing various medical fields and a stream of daily visitors to the building, the new owner needed to ensure that the ductwork and airflow were verified and running properly. Proper ventilation can help prevent the spread of airborne pathogens and other health risks.

Melink created a detailed schedule for the full project and each individual office suite. This schedule provided tenants with sufficient notice for Melink’s technicians to easily gain access to perform the commissioning services.

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Results

Melink completed the detailed documentation of the ductwork for the office building’s HVAC and exhaust systems, which included noting all the sizes and equipment locations for each floor and suite. This report also noted abandoned and disconnected units located above the ceilings.

Ultimately, the initial assessment of existing equipment that took place in 2019 led to scheduling a second phase of the project: rebalancing and changes to the building’s layout to be completed in early 2022.

Learn more about Melink’s testing, balancing, and commissioning services. Download a copy of this HVAC equipment assessment case study.

 

HVAC Equipment Assessment case study stats