Food, labor and energy costs are probably the top three variable expenses that any commercial foodservice operation must contend with. In reality, it is difficult to make any major reductions in either food or labor costs without risking a negative impact on the dining customers’ experience. Energy costs, however, can be reduced with only positive bottom line results. The real question with respect to reducing energy is: Where?
While demand control ventilation for commercial kitchens has been available for more than 20 years, it is still often not one of the top three in the minds of many when they contemplate how to make a commercial kitchen more profitable. Spring Air Systems developed its TruFlow Energy Management Controller to automatically control the exhaust and supply fans, based on measuring temperature change in the hood. This has proven to deliver huge savings—savings that begin to accrue immediately when a TruFlow system is turned on.
At this year’s NAFEM, Spring Air unveiled the latest enhancements to TruFlow: appliance and lighting control. With these enhancements, TruFlow’s ability to save money extends beyond the kitchen to encompass the entire facility! Via TruFlow’s touch-screen display, on/off schedules can be set up for both appliances under the hood and dining facility lighting. Appliances can be controlled individually on a 24-hour schedule. Lighting can be split into zones—kitchen, foyer, dining room, etc.—and each zone operates on its own 24-hour on/off schedule. TruFlow will automatically turn lights or appliances on and off based on the schedules set. The energy savings potential is huge once control of these energy hogs is automated. From a management perspective—with TruFlow controlling kitchen ventilation and appliances and store lighting—training staff becomes much more straightforward.
TruFlow is also a Web-enabled device. This means that energy savings and other data can be accessed from any location with an Internet connection. For multiple facilities, Spring Air can consolidate reports on a secure Web site to make it easy to collect and download data. Finally, Spring Air designed TruFlow for use in new and operating kitchens. Spring Air has the in-house engineering expertise to design a new project or to engineer a straightforward retrofit that will work with virtually all existing hoods, fans, appliances or lighting types.
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