The big issue – how energy efficient is your kitchen?

As it’s been one of the most talked about topics in hospitality throughout 2018 and to end our year of insight we are putting sustainability in the spotlight once again.

One brand that’s put energy efficiency at the top of its agenda is Hoshizaki, who Lockhart is the leading distributor for. Hoshizaki recently released its ‘Equipped for the future’ report which is a detailed action plan to encourage a greater uptake of energy efficient catering equipment. There is always a lot of debate about the money that being energy efficient can save as well as the positive impact on the environment. Therefore, it was interesting to see the main barriers listed as price, lack of comparable data and lack of data on whole life costings.

Read our overview of the 2019 Dining Trends to look out for

Reducing carbon footprint in your kitchen

As part of the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy businesses have been challenged to improve their energy productivity by 20% by 2030. Earlier this month we read in the hospitality news how Whatley Manor is having a full refurbishment of its kitchen to ensure a more efficient and effective working environment. Gas appliances will no longer feature in the kitchen, making a huge saving on energy bills as well as reducing the hotel’s carbon footprint. This is just one example in hospitality, but we expect to hear of many more stories like this over the coming years.

Something else that caught our eye was in an article on the Morning Advertiser which focused on how to create an eco-friendly pub. It said that according to the Sustainable Restaurant Association the carbon footprint of the UK hospitality industry is equivalent to that of Costa Rica, a country with around 5m people. It’s certainly a statistic to get us all thinking about the role that hospitality plays, as an industry, on a national level.

Overcome the barriers

Whilst the UK hospitality industry is aware of the importance of sustainability and has come a long way over recent years, there’s still more that could be done, with many barriers preventing success. In the Hoshizaki study into energy efficiency, it was revealed that 56% cited price as their primary purchasing decision.

With so much uncertainty about Brexit, is this preventing hospitality businesses from making changes or committing to larger purchases? Whilst uncertainty feels daunting, making a change now could have a long-term impact on both your finances and your carbon footprint. When thinking about equipment for your kitchen, it’s important to focus on the bigger picture rather than just the one-off purchasing costs. The whole-life costings provide a fantastic business case for making a move to more energy efficient equipment. Operators who include whole life-costings in their procurement process can clearly see the benefits of investing in more sustainable equipment. Larger operators tend to be the ones making the biggest moves in this area as it’s easier to see scaled savings. However, every business, independent or smaller chains, have their own role to play in making change. One tool that’s handy to be aware of is the Carbon Trust Cut Cost & Carbon Calculator. It helps to assess the impact of choosing more energy efficient equipment.

Make the move to energy efficient equipment

We have a dedicated Hoshizaki refrigeration section on our website with a huge range of products built with energy efficiency in mind. Hoshizaki has almost 70 years of experience in the commercial kitchen and food service markets and are a global market leader. It’s fantastic to see them sharing so much insight on this topic and the guide is well worth a read as you make plans for 2019.

Another product range that is popular when talking about sustainability is the Gram Eco Plus refrigerators and freezers. These products have an exceptionally low energy consumption and an A Energy Rating.

Watch Gram products in action

Keep the conversation going

In recent years the hospitality industry has witnessed a huge shift when it comes to sustainability. Many industry awards now have a sustainability category, most businesses have adopted a sustainability strategy and there are many key hospitality players involved in eco-friendly working groups. By everyone working together, the hospitality industry will make changes, but this isn’t going to happen overnight, and the conversation must continue so it remains at the forefront of decision makers minds.

The Hoshizaki research is a fantastic document for starting conversations and raising further awareness of an issue that’s at the hearts and minds of many of today’s hospitality workers. If you would like to learn more about the energy efficiency of Hoshizaki and Gram Eco Plus products head to our website or give one of our team a call.

We’d love to hear about the work you are doing in your hospitality business to be more sustainable as it’s always fantastic to hear new and innovative ways the carbon footprint can be reduced. Get in touch via our social channels @BunzlLockhart.