With margins as tight as ever, cost savings may be hiding in the daily routines of the business: an oven switched on hours before it is needed, an extraction fan left running after service or refrigeration working harder than it should because of a worn door seal. Individually, these things may seem minor, but repeated across a year, they can add up.

When considering where you can gain savings, energy is a useful place to start because as we know hospitality businesses operate a considerable amount of power-hungry equipment. EECA estimates that refrigeration accounts for 22 per cent of energy use in our sector, while commercial ovens and cooking elements account for a further 15 per cent.

Here are some tips to gain savings by making small changes.

1. Rethink opening routines

Opening routines tend to become habitual. Equipment may be switched on at the same time each day even when preparation schedules, menus or service times have changed.

Review your opening checklist against when each item is first required and how long it genuinely takes to become service-ready. Ovens may need preheating, but extraction, dining-room lighting, heating and dishwashing equipment may not need to operate from the moment the first person arrives. A simple equipment schedule could include:

• Ovens are switched on according to their actual preheat times.
• The dishwasher is started closer to when washing begins.
• Extraction is linked to cooking activity rather than staff arrival.
• Dining-room lighting and heating are switched on shortly before the area is occupied.

This is less about switching equipment on in a particular order and more about avoiding an unnecessary hour—or several hours—of operation each day. Allow enough start-up or preheating time for equipment that requires it, and switch on lighting, extraction and other equipment when it is actually needed.

2. Consider whether a beverage fridge can be put on a timer

A separate drinks fridge containing beer, wine and mixers may not need to operate around the clock. Depending on the products and equipment, a suitable timer could switch it off after closing and restart it early enough for drinks to reach serving temperature before opening.

Before trialing this, check:

• whether anything in the fridge must remain chilled for safety or quality, particularly opened or juice-based products;
• whether regular switching is suitable for the fridge and will affect its warranty;
• how long the fridge will need to return its contents to serving temperature;
• whether temperature changes or condensation could affect the stock or equipment; and
• that the timer is appropriately rated for the appliance.

This approach should not be used for milk, prepared food or other temperature-controlled products. Where switching off is not appropriate, savings can still come from turning off display lighting, replacing worn seals, cleaning condenser coils and ensuring adequate ventilation around the unit.

3. Give refrigeration some attention

Refrigeration runs around the clock, so small inefficiencies can quickly add up.

Check door seals regularly, keep doors closed and avoid blocking the airflow inside a cabinet or cool room. Store frequently used items where they are easy to access, reducing the time fridge or cool-room doors remain open during service.

Condenser coils also need to be kept clean. Dust, grease and poor ventilation make refrigeration equipment work harder. EECA advises that keeping coils clean can produce measurable savings, while repairing poor door seals can save approximately 1–5 per cent of refrigeration costs.

Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions and use a suitably qualified technician for servicing or adjustments where required.

4. Check what stays on after everyone leaves

Occasionally check the venue after the normal closing routine has been completed. This can reveal equipment that is routinely overlooked or left operating. Sometime this is because nobody has clear responsibility for it. Common culprits may include:

• extraction and ventilation;
• heating or air conditioning;
• outdoor and decorative lighting;
• glasswashers and dishwashers;
• heated holding equipment;
• screens, sound systems and office equipment; and
• illuminated signage and fridge-display lights.

Some equipment must stay on for safety or operational reasons. For everything else, add it to a closing checklist or investigate timers and automated controls.

5. Match the equipment to the job

Look for opportunities to group preparation and make better use of equipment that is already running. Where practical, several products may be cooked within the same oven window rather than repeatedly heating and cooling an oven throughout the day.

For appropriate tasks, smaller appliances or the correct-sized pot may use less energy than firing up larger equipment. Heat lamps, bain-maries and other holding equipment should also be switched on according to when they are required, while allowing enough time to reach the necessary operating temperature.

6. Review extraction, heating and cooling

Extraction systems are essential during cooking, but they are also major energy users and remove air that has already been heated or cooled.

Make sure extraction is not started unnecessarily early or left running well after cooking has finished. Heating and air conditioning should also reflect when spaces are occupied. EECA recommends using timers, separating premises into appropriate zones and avoiding heating or cooling an empty building.

Keep doors and windows closed when heating or cooling is running where practical, and clean filters and coils regularly. Dining rooms should remain comfortable—but a system should not be fighting an open door or heating an unused function space.

7. Find the hot-water waste

Water leaks are an obvious source of waste, but hot-water leaks carry an additional energy cost. Include taps, pipes and dishwasher connections in routine maintenance checks, and look at whether hot water continues running during cleaning when it is not actively needed.

Any changes must continue to meet cleaning, sanitising and handwashing requirements. The opportunity is to eliminate waste, not reduce hygiene.

8. Plan maintenance and replacement

Review your maintenance records and identify equipment approaching the point where reliability and efficiency are declining. Warning signs may include taking longer to heat, struggling to hold temperature, running continuously or producing unusual noise or heat.

Planned maintenance can reduce energy use, extend equipment life and lower the risk of an expensive breakdown during service. When replacement becomes necessary, compare the expected operating and maintenance costs—not only the purchase price.

9. Give staff clear responsibility

“Save energy” is too general to become a reliable operating practice. Turn it into specific instructions:

• what is switched on at opening;
• when each item is actually needed;
• what can be turned off between uses;
• who checks equipment at closing; and
• what warning signs should be reported.

Invite staff to identify waste as well. The people opening, cleaning and closing the venue often know exactly which equipment is running unnecessarily or no longer performing properly.

10. Start by measuring

Compare monthly electricity and gas consumption with the same period last year, allowing for changes in trading hours, covers and weather. Looking only at the dollar amount can be misleading when energy prices have changed, so check the units consumed as well. Tracking energy use per trading day—or per cover, where practical—may help distinguish a genuine efficiency issue from a busier month.

Start with easy wins

A good first target does not need to be a costly technology upgrade. It might be reducing the daily operating time of selected equipment, addressing refrigeration inefficiencies and tightening opening and closing routines. The savings may come in small increments—but, unlike a one-off cut, better operating habits keep delivering every day.

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Useful resources

• EECA has developed a free Food and Beverage Service Energy Efficiency Checklist, covering measurement, equipment use, maintenance, staff engagement and future planning.
• Businesses can also explore EECA’s food and beverage service pathway and its more detailed guidance on efficient workplace refrigeration.