Tag: ventilation controls

“We’ve Done Benchmarking. We’ve Done Lighting. What’s Next?!” Kitchen Ventilation.

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

The Benefits of DCKV

Kitchen ventilation, both exhaust and make up air, represent a significant opportunity for kWh and kBTU reductions in your facility. Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation, (DCKV) uses temperature and optic sensors to vary exhaust speed and make up air fans.  This is in response to precise cooking intensity underneath all kitchen hoods. With fans only running as needed, savings are gained on fan energy (controls produce 40-60% average fan speed versus 100% without controls). In addition, there are heating and cooling savings gained as a result of kitchens not evacuating all air that was just conditioned.

These controls can be installed in new construction projects. They’re usually specified by engineering firms in the design phase of your project, and should qualify for one LEED point. In addition, DCKV is a path to compliance for commercial buildings’ energy codes for states that have adopted ASHRAE 90.1 2010 and greater. You can see what your state’s requirements are here.

Retrofitting

Retrofitting the temperature and optic controls within existing kitchen exhaust hoods is equally effective at generating energy savings. It’s important to confirm that the controls are UL 710 and 2017 listed. This permits them to be installed in any manufacturer’s hood in any cooking application. There are many utility rebate incentive programs available for the installation of DCKV as well.

Kitchen Ventilation in Action

The financial impact for hospitals’ operating costs is significant when kitchen exhaust and makeup air fans no longer run at full speed 24/7.  A study by the EPA demonstrated that each dollar saved by a non-profit hospital, is the same as generating $20 in new revenues. Incidentally that same dollar saved in a for-profit facility is like increasing EPS by one penny.

Melink recently completed a Mid-West hospital project that produced $20,000 (per year) in combined savings. The savings included electrical, heating and cooling costs. Using EPA study metrics, this equivalates to $400,000 in new revenue for this facility.  Taking rebate incentives for our technology, the hospital’s ROI was less than one year.

The Purpose of DCKV

The goal of any DCKV project is to install controls that maximize the energy savings within the kitchen. In addition, DCKV will assist compliance with building energy codes, attain LEED points and make kitchens quieter and more comfortable. This article goes into greater detail and dives deeper into how these controls pay back initial investment. The articles recently appeared in the American Society for Healthcare Engineering publication, Inside ASHE.

Find the Inside ASHE article on kitchen ventilation here.

A LEED-Driven Remodel at the Cincinnati Zoo

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

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.

 

Energy savings graphic

The following is a five day fan speed graph at the Base Camp cafe:

Green graphic

 

Here are a before (navy) and after (green) reductions in kilowatt hours, heat load and exhaust volume:

energy data before and after Intelli-Hood

 

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 Intelli-Hood page to get started.

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Intelli-Hood Barcelona Hotel Retrofit Case Study

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

CONTEXT

Intelli-Hood was installed in the NH Constanza by Savergy Solutions in Barcelona, Spain in December of 2015.

  • Total motor power: 3.75 HP
  • Daily operating hours: 12.5
  • Days per week: 7
  • Weeks per year: 52
  • Cost per kilowatt hour: 0.11 EURO

RESULTS

 

Energy savings graphic

Below is a sample graph of the varying exhaust fan speed for one day at the hotel:

Green graphic

And here are before (navy) and after (green) reduction results of kilowatt hours, heat load, and exhaust volume.

Bar graph

 

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 Intelli-Hood page to get started.

 

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