October 2012
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4.1
Introduction to Commercial Kitchen Equipment
In addition, specialty equipment, such as dipper wells found in ice cream and coffee
shops and wok stoves found in Asian-style restaurants, can be among the largest wa-
ter-using commercial kitchen equipment if standard, inefficient equipment is installed.
These typically discharge water continuously during operation, consuming hundreds
of thousands of gallons per year.
Because water use from commercial kitchens can account for a large percent of total
facility water use, and a majority of that water is heated using facility energy, ensur-
ing commercial kitchen equipment uses water efficiently affords both significant
water and energy savings. Newer technologies and better practices are available that
can significantly reduce commercial kitchen equipment water and energy use. For
example, ENERGY STAR® qualified dishwashers,
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ice machines, and steam cookers are
at least 10 percent more water-efficient and 15 percent more energy-efficient than
standard models, with some models saving significantly more. Efficient dipper wells
and waterless wok stoves can use 50 to 90 percent less water than standard models.
Section 4: Commercial Kitchen Equipment
of
WaterSense at Work
provides an overview
of and guidance for effectively reducing the water use of:
••
Commercial ice machines
••
Combination ovens
••
Steam cookers
••
Steam kettles
••
Wok stoves
••
Dipper wells
••
Pre-rinse spray valves
••
Food disposals
••
Commercial dishwashers
••
Wash-down sprayers
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Energy Department’s ENERGY STAR. Dishwashers.
Commercial Kitchen Equipment Case Study
To learn how three restaurants in Chicago, Illinois;
Omaha, Nebraska; andWashington, D.C. saved water
and energy by implementing several of the best
management practices discussed in this section, read
the case study in Appendix A.
