Establish and periodically review start-up and shut-down schedules for all major kitchen equipment, especially air-deck ovens.
Follow manufacturers' suggestions for operating all kitchen equipment. You can reduce energy use by scheduling preheating times for ovens, grills, broilers, fryers and other equipment.
Leave equipment off until it is needed and turn it off when it is no longer needed.
Cover pots and pans to retain heat and decrease cooking times.
Do not allow fans to blow directly onto any cooking surfaces and equipment.
Use sinks full of water rather than running water for washing pots and cleaning vegetables.
Rotary toasters consume relatively large amounts of energy. Turn off these units when not in use, and clean them regularly.
Retrofit exhaust hoods with a two-speed blower. When the entire grill/fryer is not being used, you may be able to lower the ventilation rate over the appliance and reduce both make-up air and the energy needed to condition it.
Locate exhaust hoods on walls. Wall-mounted exhaust canopies require lower air velocities to do the same job. Lower air velocities mean smaller fan motors and less make-up air to heat or cool.
Install "smart" exhaust hood controls. Most kitchens operate at less than 25 percent capacity during the day, but the exhaust hood runs at 100 percent capacity. These controls sense when the exhaust hood needs to be on, based on exhaust air temperature and smoke load using a temperature and an optical sensor.
