Equipment that requires significant amounts of water—such as combi ovens, steamers and, most notably, warewashers—contributes heavily to operating expenses and the water resources a kitchen consumes each day. Machines that are engineered specifically to conserve water not only reduce water and sewage bills, but also save a considerable amount of the energy used to heat that water. It also reduces the burden on municipal water supplies and wastewater systems.
In addition to lowering water and energy bills, equipment with low water consumption can also help your food retail and foodservice operation customers achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification through water-use reduction or innovative-design credits.
Many foodservice operations are aware of the benefits of reducing their water use but aren’t sure where to begin.
Select Equipment Designed to Save Water
The easiest way for your clients to reduce water consumption is to select warewashers, pre-spray nozzles, steamers, combi ovens and other water-intensive equipment specifically engineered to conserve water, lower water and sewage bills, and reduce energy cost.
Since warewashers use the most water compared to other kitchen equipment, it’s a good place to start. Recommend that your clients consider high- and low-temperature undercounter, single-tank door-type, single-tank conveyor and multiple-tank conveyor warewashers that are ENERGY STAR® qualified.
ENERGY STAR qualified equipment uses approximately 25 percent less water than other models and can save your clients $200 a year on water costs and more than 52,000 gallons of water per year. More information about ENERGY STAR qualified foodservice equipment is available here.
The University of Cincinnati is a great example of how selecting the right equipment is key to reducing water use. Using Hobart’s FT900 warewasher in its recreation center, the University of Cincinnati saved almost 400,000 gallons of potable water per year and approximately $7,700 in annual energy and water savings. A detailed case study explaining how the FT900 helped the university receive LEED certification is available here.
Spray Nozzles Make All the Difference
Hobart’s exclusive Opti-Rinse™ nozzle technology saves more than 50 percent in rinse water and energy costs over those models without Opti-Rinse. Depending on the size of the operation and the number of hours the machine is used, average annual cost savings can add up to more than $9,000.
Opti-Rinse is the industry’s most advanced water- and energy-saving rinse system. It creates a strong and powerful spray by forming an S-shaped pattern across the surface of the ware. The industry’s existing rinse nozzles produce a fan-spray pattern. The flow of the fan-spray nozzles tend to be heavier on the out-side edges and more atomized (smaller droplets) in the center of the fan-like shape.
The secret behind Opti-Rinse is bigger drops. Bigger is better because bigger drops transfer heat more efficiently to the ware. You can see the Opti-Rinse in action here.
Conduct a Payback Analysis
There are several products on the market that claim to reduce water usage and costs, and selecting the right piece of equipment can be confusing. The simplest and most accurate way to determine cost and water savings for your clients is to conduct a Payback Analysis. This analysis allows you to show clients how equipment stacks up to one another by comparing upfront costs, operating costs, equipment life expectancy, energy savings and performance.
Having this information available will allow you to clearly illustrate to your clients the annual usage and cost savings of foodservice equipment. Click here for more information on how to conduct a Payback Analysis or how Hobart can help you demonstrate water and cost savings.
Click here if you have any questions concerning this story or need additional product support from the Hobart Consultant Services Group.
