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green idea Optimizing Hot Water Temperature for Energy Savings Start saving energy costs on one of the most energy-intensive appliances in commercial foodservice facilities: water heaters. By Amelia Levin M ost operators now know the benefits of energy- saving equipment. And many — especially those on the West Coast — already give water savings an extra thought these days. We're entering a time when some operators now manage water temperatures to save even more on utility costs. Water heaters represent one of the most energy-intensive appliances in commercial foodservice facilities, according to a report by PG&E;'s Food Service Technology Center, which is run by Fisher-Nickel Inc. (Fishnick), a division of Frontier Energy. The lifeblood of any restaurant, commercial hot water heaters supply water for handwashing, cooking and dishwashing. California alone uses more than 340 million therms for commercial foodservice water heating, accord- ing to FSTC's study. A total of 85,500 foodservice facilities in that state with gas-fired hot water systems represent 16 percent of California's total commercial gas load. Unfortunately, the design of hot water systems in commercial kitchens has not changed significantly in decades. More recent advances in hot water systems, however, con- centrate on efficiency improvements at the heater, and water- reduction measures at end-use fixtures. The introduction of "smart" water heaters further control energy use. "We're still far away from what could really be done in terms of hot water management," says Fisher-Nickel's Amin Delagah, water guru and engineer at PG&E;'s Food Service Technology Center. "But aside from investing in a super expensive, 'smart' water heater, there are some manual things operators can do to start saving energy costs now. We've been trying to demonstrate that you have more tools in your toolbox than you realize." In fact, the PG&E; Food Service Technology Center was recently awarded a grant to study the potential energy savings from optimized hot water systems in commercial foodservice facilities that use advanced gas-fired heaters, condensing water heaters, alternatives to continuous recir- culation, improved distribution system design and controls, ©2017 InSinkErator InSinkErator is a business unit of Emerson Electric Co. *Source: Natural Resources Defense Council While there's no single solution for managing global food waste, we can all take simple steps that have a positive impact on the environment – like using an InSinkErator® food waste management solution to divert food waste from landfills. www.insinkerator.com/foodservice • 800-845-8345 Wasted food costs us 25% of all freshwater used in the U.S.* FOOD WASTE FACT: