Energy Conservation
Restaurants are the most energy intensive commercial buildings in the United States according to the Energy Information Administration. Restaurants, per square foot, consume nearly three times the energy of the average commercial building. Long hours of operation, specialized equipment and sheer demand make up much of the substantial consumption, but overall the energy consumption by foodservice buildings is excessive and often wasteful.
Along the same lines, groceries are also major energy consumers among commercial buildings. Food sales buildings are the second most energy intensive buildings with around 50% of energy use going to refrigeration alone.
Restaurant Energy Use Graph
Not surprising, the largest portion of energy use is consumed by cooking and food preparation, followed closely by heating, ventilation and cooling as a whole (HVAC). The pie graph to the right shows the average breakdown of energy use at foodservice operations. The graphs below show energy per square foot and annual energy use in terms of cost in dollars per square foot.