Energy Effecient and "Green" Commercial Kitchen Design
Rapids Wholesale Contractors are working daily to find energy-efficient, cost-effective design solutions to share with business owners. Contractors and Rapids sales reps accomplish this in part by working with manufacturers who also use “green” solutions, like Vollrath. Recently, Vollrath’s director of consultant sales, Suzanne Painter-Supplee, visited the Marion branch of Rapids Wholesale to discuss energy-savings strategies with Rapids associates.
The contract team at Rapids uses energy-savings strategies to help customers become certified in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program, otherwise known as LEED, a U.S. Green Building Council initiative. Businesses with LEED certified designs can save on expenses, build environmental awareness, and qualify for tax credits.
Christie Hodnefield, a certified contract interior designer at Rapids, is familiar with LEED and energy-efficient equipment. According to Hodnefield, it’s crucial to pit low up-front cost against potential energy-savings, especially when it comes to large items like refrigerators and ovens. Choices that seem inexpensive may end up costing extra money on energy bills in the long run, said Hodnefield. Rapids contractors are available to help customers find the most cost-effective choice when it comes to decisions like this.
Right now, Rapids contractors are helping an Army National Guard Readiness Center receive a “silver” LEED certification level, the second rung on four-rung energy-savings ladder. So far, contractors have helped the center find an efficient convection oven, cost-saving exhaust hoods, dishwashers that reduce water use, and other equipment with similar energy-related benefits. Painter-Supplee, Vollrath’s director of consultant sales, is also knowledgeable when it comes to “green” solutions. She discussed this topic in an interview with Rapids videographer Paul Adams. During the interview, she highlighted induction cooking, disposables, and the use of aluminum composite material.
Painter-Supplee described a Vollrath beverage lid dispenser as an example. She said customers tend to pick through stacks of lids out in public, seeking one no one has touched —leading to waste. Vollrath’s design eliminates this problem by dispensing only one lid at a time, Painter-Supplee said. She also praised the use of aluminum composite material. This architectural component is a bendy combination of aluminum and polyethylene. Painter-Supplee emphasized its aesthetic advantages, explaining how easy it is to sculpt into seamless, curvy shapes. Choosing aluminum composite material may contribute to reductions in unsafe emissions, too, because it’s lightweight. This means it requires less fuel to transport and produce.
Interview with Suzanne Painter-Supplee on LEED Initiatives in the Foodservice Industry
Both Hodnefield and Painter-Supplee view the use of induction heat as a good strategy for reducing energy waste. Induction equipment focuses heat on the surface directly below pots and pans, and nowhere else, allowing little warmth to escape. Hodnefield also said this strategy can lead to ventilation-related savings and speed up cook-times.
Rapids Wholesale contractors and sales reps encourage customers to call Rapids with questions on how well-selected equipment can lead to money savings and good environmental practice. Associates are available at 1-800-472-7431, Monday through Saturday.
Written by Holly Hines
