Creative Financing Pays for Itself with Intelli-Hood

Drastic Turn

2020 has been the most unique year to date, especially when it comes to the economy. Coming off 2019, the economy was strong, companies were reinvesting and spending money. The economy looked like 2020 would be another great year — until March. Enter COVID-19; companies that could endure the pandemic had to pivot fast. Predictions for a record year were gone in a moment. For months, businesses across the country shut down.

Like other businesses, Melink tried to come out the other side of COVID-19. Many felt more timid than ever about spending cash, and understandably so. Numerous projects put on hold as capital expenditure budgets froze for 2020, 2021, and even 2022 in some cases. 

Melink’s company mission is to change the world one building at a time. We achieve this by implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions into commercial facilities for decision makers. Intelli-Hood is a Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation (DCKV) system that saves money by reducing monthly operating expenses in commercial kitchen facilities. Often, Intelli-Hood pays for itself in one to three years, making it an attractive energy conservation application.

Intelli-Hood Controls

The question arises: How do we change the world one building at a time with spending on an indefinite pause? 

Creative Financing Solution

I worked with a university that wanted to implement Intelli-Hood in a kitchen. Without any utility rebates taken into consideration, the $62,000 project would pay for itself in less than three years. Everything was moving smoothly until COVID-19 put everything on pause. But Melink’s committed to working with customers and customizing energy solutions. As a result, discussions were continued with the university. We were able to come up with a creative financing solution that’s win/win for all parties: an Equipment Loan Program. Thus, the customer paid nothing out of pocket, while simultaneously being cashflow-positive the second we walk off the job site. Working with a lender, we got the $62,000 financed for the university over five full years at monthly installments of $1,287. This was a total investment of $77,220.

The Savings Stack Up

At Melink, our proposals come turnkey, along with a custom Energy Savings Report. The reports give an idea of how much money you will save with Intelli-Hood. In this instance, the customer was going to save more than $18,000 in energy savings the first year alone, resulting in a positive cashflow of almost $3,000. On average, utility rates go up 3% every year, meaning that with the customer locked into an installment payment of $1,287 for 60 months, the positive cashflow will continue to increase year over year. After five years, the loan will be paid off in full and the benefits really kick in, saving more than $20,000 per year. Thus, creative financing creates more opportunities for customers to save on energy costs.

Looking at a 10-year period, the customer is going to save more than $130,000 without having to pay anything upfront. While a traditional purchase would save more money ($148,000) over the same 10-year period, it would require the full upfront cost paid in full. 

Intelli-Hood Creative Financing Return on Investment
A graph comparing Intelli-Hood Investments against creative financing

So, if your business is in a similar position where your budget is paused but you are still interested in saving energy, reducing greenhouse gasses, and cutting operating costs – maybe this creative financing can work for you, too. We can continue to work together to change the world one building at a time, all while exploring realistic options in the current economic climate. 

EPA Recognizes Melink Intelli-Hood® with 2015 ENERGY STAR® Emerging Technology Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EPA Recognizes Melink Intelli-Hood® with 2015 ENERGY STAR® Emerging Technology Award

Cincinnati, OH- January 30, 2015- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Melink Corporation’s Intelli-Hood® Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation (DCKV) System with the 2015 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award for its ability to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Intelli-Hood®’s accomplishments will be publically recognized at The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show in Anaheim, CA on February 19-21, 2015.

This accomplishment marks another milestone for Intelli-Hood® since pioneering DCKV technology in 1989. After overcoming regulatory obstacles and winning the 2012 AHR Product of the Year, this award further propels the market acceptance of DCKV and its aim to further green the commercial kitchen. With over 10,000 systems installed worldwide and an estimated 650 million kWh/year saved, Intelli-Hood® contributes to energy conservation goals of the top commercial food service operations.

EPA ENERGY STAR Program Manager, Una Song, responded, “We extend  congratulations and applause to Melink Intelli-Hood® for the Emerging Technology Award accomplishment.  The Intelli Hood® System is a benchmark for DCKV technology that offers energy savings with financial value.”

Craig Davis, Vice President of Intelli-Hood®, commented on receiving the award, “Melink Corporation is fully committed to sustainability, and we are focused on the development of energy efficient products and services that support this commitment.  Not only are we honored to be recognized by the EPA for our Intelli-Hood® technology, we also applaud the EPA’s effort to bringing DCKV technology, such as Intelli-Hood®, to the forefront of energy efficiency”.

Steve Melink, President of the Melink Corporation, states the following as a response, “We are very grateful for this award.  As the pioneer of automatic variable-speed controls for commercial kitchen hoods over 25 years ago, this further validates our vision and passion for innovation.”

Technology Overview

Commercial kitchen ventilation removes the heat and effluent generated by the cooking process from the kitchen space, ensuring the comfort and safety of the cooking staff.  Commercial kitchen ventilation is typically composed of an exhaust hood suspended above the cooking appliances ducted to fans necessary to expel the heat and effluent outside.  To replace the air lost through this process, make-up air (MUA) must be provided by the building’s HVAC system or a dedicated MUA fan to the kitchen, which is composed of its own fan, ducts and potentially heating or cooling depending on the climate.

DCKV provides control over the ventilation system by modulating the speed depending on cooking activity.  Traditionally, commercial kitchen ventilation systems would operate at their maximum designed speed/volume throughout the duration of the kitchen’s operating hours.  In contrast, DCKV provides automatic, continuous control over fan speed in response to temperature or optical sensors that monitor cooking activity.

About Melink Corporation

Melink Corporation is a pioneer in energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for commercial and institutional facilities. The Cincinnati-based company has become an industry leader comprised of three businesses: Melink Test & Balance provides heating, ventilation and air conditioning commissioning services; Intelli-Hood® applies energy-saving controls to commercial kitchen ventilation systems; and Melink Solar supplies solar photovoltaic project development services for commercial building owners and utilities. Melink works with some of the largest and most successful organizations in the world, including Walmart, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Verizon Communications, U.S. military, Target, Whole Foods Market, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Honeywell, Siemens AG, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition, Melink operates in a LEED Platinum and Net Zero Energy office building, making it the greenest building in Ohio. For more information, please visit melinkcorp.com

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR® is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For more than 20 years, people across America have looked to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program for guidance on saving energy,
saving money, and protecting the environment. Behind each blue label is a product, building, or home that is independently certified to use less energy and cause fewer of the emissions that contribute to climate change. Join the millions already making a difference at energystar.gov.

Contact:

Lucinda Carl

Melink Corporation

Marketing and Sales Specialist

T: 513.965.7300

E: [email protected]