THE VOICE OF GFEN

Step Two How much gas will you require? An early review

of the types of equipment you will need for cooking,water heating and space conditioning and thenmaximizing the use of natural gas as the energy sourceto power that equipment will go a long way tomaximizing your cooking efficiency, hot waterproduction and building comfort for your guests andemployees. This may also be a good time to consider ifoutdoor dining is a possibility now or in the future asyou may have to take into account added outdoor spaceheating load.

Step ThreeWhy choose natural gas for cooking? There have

been many surveys taken over the years and each hasfavored gas as the top choice of professional chefs.When asked why they favor gas over electric, the sameanswers were heard repeatedly:

• Greater control over temperature;• Faster cook times;• Immediate and visual heat (range top burner);• It costs less to operate.The popularity of network and local television

cooking shows has also been a factor by subliminallypromoting gas for cooking on the home front. After all,if all those celebrity chefs create all that fine cuisine ontheir television programs with gas equipment, thenshouldn’t you be cooking with gas too?

Step FourWhy choose natural gas for water heating? When

it comes to operating your foodservice facility, a reliable

If you’re thinking of opening a new restaurant orrelocating your existing establishment – have youresearched the on-site availability of natural gas for yournew location? Along with location traffic counts andaccessibility, having natural gas available can be one ofthe most important business factors affecting yourdecision. That’s because natural gas will keep yourrestaurant operating at peak efficiency with topproduction and bottom line profitability.

The availability of natural gas and including it intoyour building plans will pay dividends year in and yearout. This article will discuss the various ways in whichyou can get the full benefits when using gas as yourprimary energy source.

Step OneContact your local natural gas utility! Although

this may sound obvious, I can cite many cases duringmy 25 plus year career as a gas utility representativewhere checking on gas availability was assumed andyou can only guess what may have happened as a result.So make sure that someone during the planning stage ofyour site selection makes that initial local natural gasutility inquiry. And if you’re making this inquiry fromoutside of the locality where your new restaurant willbe located, you can rely on the Gas FoodserviceEquipment Network (GFEN) to provide you with up-to-date contact information throughout North America.

The Importance of Natural Gas AvailabilityWhen Choosing a Restaurant Site

by Tom Stroozas – CFE, RCGC, CFSPGFEN Consulting Editor

1 Published by COOKING FOR PROFIT Magazine/ © 2012 Gas Foodservice Equipment NetworkAug 2012

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supply of hot water is a very high priority. So often theappliances that are employed to provide this easily takenfor granted commodity are “out of sight – out of mind”until you open the faucet and the water runs cold. Andwhen you’re out of hot water…you’re out of business!

High-efficiency and Energy Star rated water heaterscan provide more hot water in less space and withquicker recovery for higher demand foodserviceapplications all while reducing the energy costsassociated with producing it. Typically, a natural gaswater heater can heat more water in less space, fasterand as much as 50% less costly than an electricallypowered unit.

The following will provide an executive summaryof the various types of commercial water heatingtechnologies on the market for foodservice operators.• Continuous Flow Water Heaters – Often referred

to as “tankless,” these modern day marvels can go along way toward reducing your water heating andconstruction costs. With the growing popularity of“on-demand” natural gas water heaters for residentialapplications, it didn’t take long for the foodserviceindustry to recognize that it too could benefit fromfootprint and storage tank reductions. There are manybrands on the market today designed specifically forthe high use of a commercial foodservice facility.With individual units being able to deliver nearly 10gpm of continuous hot water, a system can easily bedesigned to meet your requirements.

• Booster Water Heaters – According to the NationalRestaurant Association, water heating can account foras much as 20% of an operator’s annual energy costs.Restaurants that use dishes and glassware are likelyto spend an even greater portion of their energy dollaron water heating because, very often, the largestconsumer of hot water in a restaurant is thewarewasher. Optimizing warewashing operations byincorporating a gas-fired booster water heater forsanitizing dishware can improve your bottom linethrough reduced energy costs (over electric boosters),increased productivity, and most importantly – highercustomer satisfaction!

• High-Efficiency Condensing Units – When peoplestarted getting serious about improving the efficiencyratings for water heaters several decades ago,condensing designs began popping up from virtuallyevery well-known manufacturer in the industry. Sincetheir debut, there have been improvements to makethem more reliable, smaller, and more powerful.Today, they are known for being real energy misers asthey “squeeze out” virtually every BTU that isproduced through the gas combustion process. Beforeventing the combustion gases directly to the outside,flue gases are captured and utilized to heat the watereven more.

A conventional gas storage water heater is like awater tank sitting atop a gas fireplace with the chimneyrunning straight up through the middle and exiting at thetop. A gas condensing water heater, however, has its“chimney” or flue designed as a coil, creating greatersurface area. Because the heat and combustion gaseshave much farther to travel before they exit the watertank, more heat is transferred to the water in the tank.This substantially increases the efficiency to 95% ormore!

Venting has become more simplified too as plasticpipe has become the norm for the exiting combustiongas and incoming combustion air. Many condensingmodels are equipped with modulating combustionturndown ratios. This means they can fire at lowersettings when water heating demand is lowest, andincrease the firing rate up to 100% as the demandincreases. The result is better overall efficiency and lesscycling, compared to standard tank-type units which areeither full on or off, meaning they can only fire at 100%

2 Published by COOKING FOR PROFIT Magazine/ © 2012 Gas Foodservice Equipment Network 2012Aug

THE VOICE OF GFEN

of maximum input. The benefits high-efficiency naturalgas condensing units offer a foodservice operator arewell worth the price since the cost of heating water isoften reduced 20 – 30%.• High-Efficiency Storage Tank Units – These gas

storage water heaters employ the same technology asstandard gas storage water heaters: a glass-lined steelor stainless steel tank is heated by a burner located atthe bottom of the tank. But with a few basic changes,they are designed to operate more efficiently. High-efficiency models have better insulation, heat trapsand more efficient natural gas burners. These simpleimprovements have only a modest impact on price but

may increase efficiency by about 7.5%. To increaseefficiency further, manufacturers may add a powervent to accelerate the venting of combustion gases foran even greater savings yield.

Step FiveWhy choose natural gas for space conditioning?

When looking for an energy source to control yourrestaurant’s temperature, humidity, ventilation andoverall air quality, you just can’t beat the comfort ofnatural gas. Natural gas heating will provide you withheat when and where you need it at a cost that won'tbreak your budget. There are various types of systemsavailable today.• Direct Space Conditioning – Direct space

conditioning involves providing heating or cooling toan area using the heating or cooling medium in directcontact with the air stream accommodating the loadsof the space. Direct heating would be a direct gasfired, make-up air heater used in a facility havingheavy exhaust requirements, such as a restaurant. In

areas of high heat, an evaporative cooler is considereda Direct Cooling application.

• Indirect Space Conditioning – Indirect spaceconditioning involves the use of a heat exchangerbetween the air that conditions the area and thecooling or heating medium employed to provide forthe loads. When the heat exchanger uses evaporatingrefrigerant for cooling or burns natural gas forheating, it is considered a “primary indirect system.”If the heat exchanger employs a secondary heattransfer fluid, such as chilled water or glycol forcooling and/or hot water or steam for heating, it isconsidered a “secondary indirect system.”

• Humidity Control – For most comfort applications,proper selection of equipment will provide forhumidity maximums in the range of 45 – 55% duringthe summer months, with little thought being given tolow winter humidity being a problem. Humiditycontrol within specific ranges, for those applicationsrequiring such, may be attained through variousmeans such as water vaporization, reheat, or steaminjection. Occupant discomfort, product needs, staticelectricity, or other requirements may demand precisehumidity control.

Step SixCheck out more natural gas enhancements.

There are additional opportunities for natural gasproducts to assist in making your foodservice operationmore efficient and enjoyable too! Check outincorporating direct fired make-up air units for yourkitchen ventilation system, gas fireplaces, firepits, gaslights and infrared heaters for indoor and outdoor diningambiance and even gas desiccant systems for moisturecontrol in high humidity locales. If you are operating inareas that experience frequent power outages due toweather related issues, a natural gas backup generatorcan be a real asset in keeping your location open andringing up sales while your competitors are faced withremaining closed until the power is restored.

Don’t forget to check with your local gas utility forany rebates they offer for energy-efficient equipment.

To learn more about how natural gas can benefityour foodservice operation, visit the Gas FoodserviceEquipment Network at www.gfen.com.

3 Published by COOKING FOR PROFIT Magazine/ © 2012 Gas Foodservice Equipment Network 2012Aug