Power Smart for Business: Using Energy Wisely in ... - Manitoba Hydro

Using energy
wisely in your
restaurant
*Manitoba Hydro is a licensee of the Trademark and Official Mark.

2
COnSErVIng
EnErgy
restaurants are among
the most energy intensive
commercial spaces. Simple
low cost measures can add
up. A restaurant operating
with a profit margin of
5 per cent will need $10,000
worth of sales to earn $500,
which can often be achieved
through low or no-cost
energy saving measures.
restaurants and commercial
kitchens rely on many types
of appliances and equipment.
Save on energy and hot
water costs with efficient
appliances and by adopting
some simple habits.
Table of Contents
Conserving Energy ................................ 2
Power Smart Incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
What employees can do............................ 3
What is payback? .................................. 4
Appliances ......................................... 5
Buying new? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Tips for Using Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 to 10
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)...11
Central air handling systems/air conditioners . . . . . . .12
Heating systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Natural gas pilots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Thermostats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Lighting ..........................................14
Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Faucets and fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Hot water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Leaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Pre-rinse spray valves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Toilets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Power Smart incentives
Manitoba Hydro offers incentives for many
equipment upgrades and retrofit projects .
For up-to-date information, visit our website
at: www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb
With the help of Power Smart incentives, you
can often recover the cost of installing approved
energy efficient technologies in only a few years .
Understand typical
energy use in restaurants
Learn how you can determine your energy use.
To achieve persistent energy savings:
1. Determine your energy use (audit, survey).
2. Cultivate staff support as described in
“What employees can do”.
3. Review measures in this guide.
4. Integrate a conservation/energy savings plan
into your company procedures that encourages
regular review of energy use.
Some changes may be as simple as remembering
to turn off the lights when you leave a room. If
you are ready to purchase new appliances, look for
ENERGY STAR® qualified replacements. For more
extensive energy upgrades, such as retrofitting
lighting, Manitoba Hydro can offer technical guidance
through Power Smart* for Business programs.
Encourage employees to adopt the practices outlined
in this booklet. Discuss energy conservation measures
with all employees. Offer specialized training for
operations and maintenance staff.
Encourage staff to:
• Turn off lights in unoccupied refrigerated areas
and shut doors. Post signs or posters as reminders.
• Report uncomfortable temperatures to the office
manager, instead of altering the thermostat.
Contact us
What employees can do
For more information about how your business can
save energy, contact your local Manitoba Hydro
Energy Services Advisor or a Power Smart for Business
Commercial Sales or Marketing Representative at:
Telephone: 360-3676 in Winnipeg
Toll-free: 1-888-MBHYDRO (1-888-624-9376)
Email: powersmartforbusiness@hydro.mb.ca
Web: www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb
Helpful links and resources
ENERGUIDE:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energuide/index.cfm
ENERGY STAR®:
www.energystar.gov
Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN):
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca
Waste disposal facilities
Listed in the Winnipeg Yellow Pages or on
http://mts.yellowpages.ca under:
• Hazardous waste removal
• Waste reduction and disposal service
• Scrap metal
(to recycle metal components from lighting systems)
• Keep furniture away from radiators and make sure
windows are closed when the room is being heated
or air conditioned.
• Power down appliances, equipment, and other
electronics when not in use. This includes unplugging
power strips at the end of the day, as they consume
energy even when equipment is shut off.
• Turn off computers and monitors at the end of the
day, if they won’t be used again for many hours.
3

4
Payback
What is payback?
Payback is the amount of time it
takes for the savings earned by
your upgrade to equal the cost
of the upgrade, or “pay it back.”
Future savings depend on
the accuracy of calculations,
equipment performance, and
energy prices.
Restaurant Energy
Cost Breakdown
Lighting
10%
Ventilation, 6%
Cooling, 7%
Water
Heating
16%
Other, 4%
refrigeration
16%
Note: Computers and office equipment total
less than 1 per cent. May not total 100 due
to rounding.
© E Source, data from Energy Information
Administration
Cooking
25%
Space
Heating
17%
To make an informed decision,
look at both the expected return
or cash flow projection, and
the risk that the return will not
be achieved. Also, weigh other
benefits of energy efficiency
measures, such as improved
building comfort, increased
building value, and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions.
Simple payback
If you want to install new
equipment or adopt new
measures, simple payback will
indicate the amount of time
needed for energy savings to
equal the purchase price.
For example, if a new energyefficient
measure costs
$10,000 and saves $1,000
in energy costs each year, the
simple payback is 10 years.
You can estimate simple payback
on new lighting using the
Simple Payback Calculator on
Natural Resources Canada’s
(NRCAN) website at:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/
commercial/technical-info/tools.
You can also view simple
calculations of how much you
could save by using more efficient
equipment at: http://oee.nrcan.
gc.ca/commercial/equipment.
Incremental
payback
If you are installing a new type
of equipment or if your old
equipment is at the end of its
life-cycle, incremental payback
will tell you the length of time
needed to pay for the difference
between an efficient and less
efficient unit.
For example, suppose that an
energy-efficient replacement
model costs $700 and a less
efficient model costs $500.
If you can save $100 a year
by buying the efficient model,
the incremental payback of
the efficient replacement
model is two years, compared
with buying the less efficient
replacement model.
Please note that some
applications do not
differentiate between simple
and incremental payback.

Appliances
Did you know... that approximately 25 per cent of the energy consumed in a commercial kitchen is
from the appliances used in food preparation? How you use your appliances is just as important as
which appliances you buy.
Visit www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb to see if there is a Power Smart program available to help your restaurant
serve great food while saving energy and money.
To ensure your equipment works efficiently, start with these general tips:
Read the owner’s manual:
The owner’s manual has information to help you
operate the appliance at its highest efficiency.
Determine appliance start-up times:
Turning on all of the appliances first thing in the
morning means energy is being wasted. Choose
start-up times for each appliance, so that they are
ready to use when needed.
Ensure optimal temperatures:
Appliances can overheat and run at too hot a
temperature. Routinely check each appliance to
ensure it runs at its optimal temperature.
Cleaning and maintenance:
Routinely clean every appliance to eliminate food
build-up. Dirty appliances can have inefficient
heat transfer that results in uneven cooking and
can cause break-downs. Follow the maintenance
recommended in your owner’s manual.
Recalibrate your equipment
to help maintain efficiency:
Equipment, such as thermostats and control
systems, can fall out of calibration. Check and
recalibrate to ensure you cook at the right
temperature. Repair or replace broken control
panels on ovens, steamers, and other appliances
that feature control systems.
Check pilot lights:
Typically, older gas-burning appliances have pilot
lights, which use a constant stream of gas to stay
lit. Check pilot flames to make sure you use only as
much gas as you need. You can spot an over-fired
pilot light by its tall yellow flame. Adjust flames so
they are bullet-shaped and mostly blue.
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6
Appliances
Buying new?
Energy efficient appliances have many benefits.
Not only do they use less energy, they also have:
• fewer temperature variations;
• shorter cook times;
• higher production rates;
• less heat loss.
When you are ready to buy equipment:
Look for insulated cooking equipment (e.g. fryers,
ovens, coffee machines). Insulation retains heat, so
equipment uses less energy to stay hot.
Think about the capacity. Evaluate your food
production needs and try to buy appliances that
match your needs on a pounds-per-hour basis.
Oversized appliances can cause higher capital and
operating costs.
Purchase equipment with high EnerGuide ratings or
ENERGY STAR® labelling, such as:
• Boilers, • Microwave ovens,
• Freezers, • Fryers,
• Furnaces, • Hot water tanks,
• Griddles, • Holding tanks,
• Refrigerators, • Steam cookers,
• Convection ovens, including steamer models,
• Dishwashers/ware-washers,
• Office and computer equipment,
• and any other specialized cooking
equipment or appliances.
Visit: www.energystar.gov/productdevelopment
for a current list of ENERGY STAR® appliances.
Tips for using appliances:
Braising pans
During cooking, close the lid.
You use 50 per cent less energy by closing the pan’s
lid during periods of extended use.
Buy an insulated braising pan.
Insulation helps retain heat, so you use less energy.
Broilers
Cut preheat time.
Typically, a broiler only takes 20 to 30 minutes to
preheat. Heating up your broiler earlier, wastes
energy and heats up your kitchen, which causes
your air conditioner to work harder.
Eliminate standby time.
Turn your broiler down or off whenever possible.
Or turn off a section, when cooking smaller
amounts of food.
Use your griddle.
A griddle can be a good alternative to broilers.
Thermostatically controlled griddles use less energy
than broilers. Grooved griddles can sear “grill marks”
onto foods so they look broiled.
Align broilers with exhaust hoods.
Check that your broiler is placed under the exhaust
hood and pushed back against the rear wall. This
ensures the heat and smoke are exhausted properly.
Pasta cookers
Use the minimum setting.
Food cooks just as quickly at the minimum
setting required to maintain a boil, as it does
at the highest setting.
Cut the idle time or shut off when not in use.
A pasta cooker standing by at less than boiling
temperature uses less energy than a pasta cooker
running a constant boil.

Appliances
Dishwashers
Fully load the dishwasher.
A half-empty dishwasher uses the same amount of
energy and hot water as a full one.
Ensure the dishwasher is equipped with either
a booster heater, a point of use hot water tank,
or a natural gas tank less water heater.
For manual dishwashing and automatic
dishwashers, final rinse water temperature may
need to be as high as 82°C (180°F). For safety
reasons, the booster heater can provide the
adequate temperature when required.
Consider features like gray water recovery,
slow temperature rise, and restricted rinses.
A gray water heat recovery system recovers some
of the heat from drain water and uses it to reheat
supply water. A slow temperature rise gradually
increases water temperature, which in turn reduces
energy use. Restricted rinses will reduce your water
usage by 30 to 35 per cent per wash.
Ensure that your dishwasher is properly sized
for your restaurant.
A too large or too small dishwasher can result in
a loss of energy. Talk to your supplier/contractor
about appropriate sizing for your restaurant.
Make sure your dishwasher is professionally
installed and set up.
If you start to notice that your dishes are
consistently not cleaned to satisfactory levels,
call your dealer or a repair professional. Having to
rewash dishes is not only a headache but also a
huge waste of energy.
Fryers
Cut preheat time.
Typically, fryers only need 10 to 15 minutes
to preheat.
Reduce thermostat during times of low use
or turn off the fryer.
The lower temperature will reduce energy usage as
well as extend oil life. Regularly clean oil filters as well.
Pack shortening and melt accordingly.
For solid shortening, make sure it is solidly
packed before you turn on the fryer. Melt
shortening at a moderate temperature, and
then increase the temperature for cooking.
Frying tips:
• Avoid frying at higher than
necessary temperatures.
• Fill fryer baskets to the recommended capacity.
Overloading increases cooking time.
• Ensure food pieces are roughly the
same size. This ensures even cooking.
• Cover fryer during slow periods
to minimize heat loss.
• Check the cooking oil temperature with
a commercial thermometer to ensure that
heating elements or burners and controls
are working properly.
Holding cabinets
Buy insulated hot food holding cabinets.
Insulation helps retain heat, so you use less energy.
Turn off cabinets overnight.
Don’t waste energy by heating empty space.
Implement a shutdown schedule for your cabinets
to ensure they are off when you close for the night.
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Appliances
Ice machines
Change your ice production time.
Install a timer and shift ice production to
night-time or off-peak hours. Ice machines that
run during the afternoon create more heat in your
kitchen and add to your demand load.
Shop smart:
• Comparison shop for an efficient ice machine . Ice
machine manufacturers voluntarily list the water and
energy-use numbers for their ice-cube machines
with the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute.
• Think about the capacity. Large ice machines are
more efficient than smaller ones for restaurants –
you can get twice the ice capacity at half the
energy cost per pound of ice. A larger machine
also makes it easier to shift all of your ice making
to night-time hours.
Ovens and ranges
Use the right size pot.
The base of your pot should just cover the element.
If the pot is too large, it will take more energy to heat
the pot. If the pot is too small, energy is wasted.
Check pot bottoms.
Pots and pans with a smooth, flat bottom use less
energy for cooking, since the pot is in full contact
with the element. Food will also cook faster with the
right type of pot.
Ensure oven door seal is tight.
You can check whether your door seal is tight by
placing a lit flashlight inside a cold oven. Close the
door. If you see light along the door edges, the seals
need to be replaced. You can also check freezer and
refrigerator seals this way.
Preheat only when required.
Depending on what you are cooking in the oven,
you may not need to preheat your oven.
Keep it closed.
Whenever you open the oven door, at least 20 per
cent of the heat is lost. Instead of opening the door
to check on cooking, look through the oven window.
refrigerators and freezers
Set-up and operation:
Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for shelf
position and size.
Make sure that enough ventilation is available
for your refrigerator’s mechanical equipment.
A one-inch gap on the sides and four-inch gap at the
back are recommended to allow the condenser and
fan to have access to a steady flow of air.
Optimize the location of compressors,
condensers, and refrigeration equipment.
Place in cool surroundings and avoid direct sunlight.
Set operating temperatures as low as necessary
to ensure optimum levels and maintain consistent
temperatures.
The ideal temperature for refrigerators is
3°C (37°F). If the temperature is lower, turn it up.
The ideal temperature for freezers is
18°C (0°F). If the temperature is lower, turn it up.
Keep doors shut. Repeated fluctuations in
temperature will damage food quality and
will cost money.
Avoid heat build up – use as few lights as possible
to illuminate interiors.
Talk to your service company about the possibility of:
• higher suction pressures,
• lower condensing pressures,
• floating head pressures.

Appliances
Raise the evaporator temperature to the
maximum level possible.
Optimal refrigeration efficiency is achieved
with ambient air relative humidity levels between
40 to 55 per cent.
Verify operation and efficiency of defrost timers and
moisture sensors to ensure optimal performance.
Turn off lights in unoccupied refrigerated areas.
Optimize the defrost cycle based on seasonal,
humidity, and load requirements by resetting
cycle frequency or installing an automatic control.
Control conditions to reduce refrigeration needs.
Install:
• a thermometer in each freezer to enable frequent
temperature checks;
• dehumidifier units to control humidity;
• defrost controls;
• evaporator fan motor controls;
• sensors to monitor product temperature, instead
of air temperature in a cold storage area;
• motion sensors to turn off lights in unoccupied
refrigerated areas.
Control the refrigeration system to operate only
when a product needs cooling.
Purge non-condensables from the refrigeration
system at each purge point.
Maintenance and prevention:
Regular maintenance and cleaning helps appliances
to run at peak efficiency. Certain signs indicate that
your appliance may need servicing. Look for:
• absence of fluid in the site glass;
(This may indicate that there is no
refrigerant in that portion of the system.)
• high pressure readings on any gauges;
(This may indicate problems;)
• new noises from the refrigeration room;
(This may indicate mechanical problems.)
If your appliances show any of these signs,
contact a service professional.
Consider contracting monthly/bimonthly
maintenance.
Perform regular checks and inspect:
• mechanical and electrical equipment,
• filters,
• refrigerant charge,
• economizer,
• cabinet panels,
• unusual noise, vibration, and decrease in
performance of compressors/motors.
Schedule regular maintenance checks for
fans, evaporator and condenser coils, and
compressors.
Clean this equipment regularly. Dirt build-up
reduces efficiency. Ensure the evaporator coils
are kept free of ice.
Manage anti-sweat heaters and defrost cycles
and turn off when not required.
Keep cold air supply and return registers clean
and clear of product.
Ensure hot and cold water basins are clean.
Clean and disinfect condensate drain pan.
Defrost freezers when ice build-up reaches
5 mm thick.
Check door seals and weather stripping regularly
and repair if needed.
Insert a piece of paper between a door and its
frame. If the paper can be withdrawn easily, the
gasket is not sealing properly.
Adjust door latches.
Change filters regularly.
Ensure compressor belts maintain proper tension.
Replace damaged and worn belts promptly.
Replace all insulation damaged by moisture.
The presence of frost may indicate a breakdown
in insulation.
9

Appliances
Steam cookers
Reduce preheat time.
Minimize amount of preheating in a pressurized
boiler before use.
Steam cooking tips:
• Thaw products prior to steaming to reduce
cooking time.
• Cook food loads in the largest amount possible.
• Use perforated pans.
• Keep cavity door closed during the entire
steam cycle.
Shut off during slow times.
Turn steam cooker off during slow periods.
Perform regular cleaning and maintenance:
• Flush boilers at least once a week, following
manufacturer’s instructions. Use cleaning
chemicals if necessary due to hard water.
• Use a water treatment system to reduce scaling.
• Remove all deposits, including rust, scale,
and lime from external surfaces.
• Repair all steam leaks, regardless
of amount leaking.
Stocking
Size refrigerators and freezers to avoid over
or under-loading.
Overloaded units disrupt air-flow patterns
necessary to cool the products efficiently
and allow deterioration to occur. Proper
cooling occurs when air can circulate freely.
Under-loaded units waste energy – keep freezers
full. It is easier to keep a full freezer at the correct
temperature than a partially empty one.
Load product when cool.
Do not let refrigerated items warm-up during
delivery and/or restocking. Shut down refrigeration
areas where extensive loading and unloading occurs.
Keep the doors closed as much as possible.
Ensure freezer curtains remain in a vertical
position to retain cool air and keep warm air out.
Defrost and re-cool during off-peak hours.
Rotate stock regularly.
Defrost frozen goods in the refrigerator.
Technical assistance and financial incentives from
Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart for Business programs
may be available to assist with more extensive upgrades:
Increase insulation thickness in walls, floors, and ceilings.
Install high efficiency refrigeration equipment such as:
• compressors; • outside air economizers;
• ambient sub-cooling; • evaporator and condenser fans;
• case lighting fixtures; • heat recovery systems.
• auto door closers, and add strip curtains to walk-in doors;
Use night covers on refrigeration and freezer units to keep out unwanted heat.
Use hot gas defrosting instead ofelectric defrosting.
10

Heating,
Ventilation and
Air Conditioning
(HVAC)
Did you know... In most restaurants, heating, ventilation, and cooling typically account for 40 per
cent of energy costs? A great way to reduce energy consumption and offset rising fuel costs is to
replace old, inefficient equipment with energy efficient technologies.
Financial incentives are available to help with the added cost of efficiency upgrades and reduce the
payback in energy savings in just a few years or less.
Visit www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb to see if there is a Power Smart program available to help your
restaurant stay cool while saving energy and money.
To ensure your equipment works efficiently, start with these general tips:
Inspect, clean, and maintain equipment regularly.
Dirty heat transfer surfaces (heating and cooling
coils,) torn or misaligned ductwork, and missing or
damaged equipment insulation can dramatically
lower the efficiency of your HVAC equipment. Clean
and mend equipment, ductwork, and piping where
you can. Also, keep louvers, grilles, and diffusers
clear from obstructions.
Rebalance HVAC system.
Over time your system will become out of balance,
potentially moving too much or too little air or fluid.
Talk to a Testing and Balancing (TAB) contractor for
more information on fine tuning your system to
ensure its peak performance.
Install an Energy Management System (EMS).
If you have a centralized heating and cooling system,
an EMS may provide significant energy savings.
Energy Management Systems can automatically
control lighting, fans, pumps, and other equipment
to operate only when needed and often utilize setback
and economizer strategies to minimize energy
use. Talk to a controls or energy expert to see if an
EMS is right for you.
11

12
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Central air handling
systems/air conditioners
Keep windows and doors closed when the air
conditioning is on.
Replace an old, inefficient air conditioning unit
with an energy efficient model.
The following measures may require professional
help to ensure maintaining adequate ventilation:
• Increase mixed air temperatures to reduce
volume of outside air. Mixed air temperatures
are normally set at 13°C (55°F), but in some cases
can be set as high as 16°C to 18°C (60°F)
to 65°F) without causing problems.
• Reset discharge temperatures if there are
preheat or reheat coils. This may be useful if
some areas overheat.
• Reduce the discharge temperature to the
lowest possible temperature to keep all heated
areas comfortable in winter. A similar method
may be used for cooling in the hot season.
Heating systems
Turn off equipment when it is not required.
You can turn off:
• boilers and furnaces in the spring and leave them
off until fall, when the heating season starts;
(Always follow manufacturers shut down, lay-up
and start-up instructions.)
• circulating pumps;
• electric baseboard at the breaker;
• unit ventilators and vestibule heaters to avoid
heating these areas.
Cut back on patio heater operation time.
Make sure patio heaters are turned off when the
patio is not in use. Look for opportunities to limit
the number of heaters whenever the patio is not
fully occupied.
Technical assistance and financial incentives from
Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart for Business programs
may be available to assist with more extensive upgrades:
Install a humidistat to control
exhaust fans in high humidity areas,
such as showers and washing areas.
This ensures fans only come on to
reduce the humidity to a preset value
and then turn off.
Ensure fans are turned off when not
required. Connect them:
• to occupancy sensors or time clocks;
• to manual spring-wound or
automatic times;
• to illuminated local manual switches;
• in tandem with light switches.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
natural gas pilots
Turn off a standing natural gas pilot in your
space heating system every spring when
the heating season ends.
Natural gas pilots use as much as $5 to $10 worth of
natural gas per month. This measure saves money if
there is someone in your company who is able to turn
the pilot lights off and re-light them again. However,
if you have to call a tradesperson to re-light the pilots
then it may not be worthwhile, depending on how
many furnaces or boilers you have.
Thermostats
Install a programmable thermostat to
automatically control temperature settings.
Significant savings in operating costs may be
realized by raising the building temperature setting
during cooling season and lowering the building
temperature setting during heating season.
The amount of setback depends on the outside
temperature and how long it takes to bring the
area back to normal temperature. Generally set the
temperature for at least 26°C (78° F) in summer and
16°C (60° F) in winter during unoccupied periods.
Ventilation
Install controls on kitchen exhaust and make-up
air systems that automatically reduce fan speeds
during idle cooking.
Variable speed, demand-based exhaust, and makeup
air controls monitor your cooking to match your
ventilation needs, reducing excess energy use.
Turn off washroom, kitchen/coffee room and
general exhaust and supply fans when a room is
unoccupied or at the end of the day.
De-stratification or ceiling fans should:
• run all the time at a speed appropriate to the
space in winter;
• be operated to provide cooling only when the
room is being occupied in summer.
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Lighting
Did you know... the atmosphere and ambiance of a restaurant is just as important to its
success as the menu items offered to the customer? Lighting is a key part in creating the
correct mood but it doesn’t have to mean creating high energy bills!
Energy efficient lighting is available in an assortment of styles, technologies, and colours.
Visit www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb to see if there is a Power Smart program available to help
your restaurant look good while saving energy and money.

Lighting
Turn off lights manually:
When you leave a room unoccupied
or leave for the day.
In rooms that are seldom used. Storerooms,
utility rooms, washrooms, and meetings rooms
do not need to be lit when not in use.
Install devices to turn
off lights automatically:
Install occupancy sensors that turn the lights
off when the room is unoccupied.
Install a local light switch or occupancy sensor in rooms
where the lights are controlled by a breaker panel.
A less expensive alternative is to label and colourcode
all circuit breakers, so everyone knows which
breakers control which lights and can turn on only
the lights that are needed.
To turn off exterior lights during the day, install
a timer, a photocell switch, or a motion sensor.
Perform regular maintenance:
Look for flaking, chipping, and rusting, metal showing
through the paint and/or layers of dust or dirt on
fixture reflectors, as the fixture’s ability to reflect
light will be inhibited.
Look at the sockets, check for deformation, cracking
or exposed metal contact, and note any difficulty in
lamp installation.
Lens condition: Check for brittleness, cracking,
discolouration or yellow colour, glare, and pitting.
Consider this:
One CFL bulb equals seven incandescent bulbs.
The life span of one CFL (compact fluorescent lamp)
is 6 to 7 times greater than one incandescent. That
saves you time and money if you switch to CFLs
when considering labour and purchasing costs.
Consider your existing lighting level.
Does your current lighting provide the quality and
ambiance you want to achieve? If current lighting
levels are too high, retrofitting to a lesser number
of lamps or low light ballast is often adequate.
In particular, review:
Performance:
Consider the speed and accuracy of work, fatigue,
eye strain, morale, and motivation of employees.
Comfort:
Is glare, reflected images, or adequate light falling
on the task, or work area?
Ambiance/lighting effects:
What is the employee and customer perception
of the space? What kind of lighting effect is
desired (direct, indirect, diffused, concentrated,
task or ambient?)
Light colour and temperature:
Colour Rendering Index (CRI) indicates how
light sources affect object colour: the higher
the number, the more likely the light source will
render object colours well.
Consider this:
For fluorescent technologies, a CRI of 80 per
cent and above is recommended. By switching
to T8s, you are achieving 80% CRI, bringing you
closer to daylight quality which can help you save
money by being able to properly view due dates
and food spoilage before they happen, providing a
cleaner and safer working environment!
Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) describes
the colour appearance of the source. While
there are several colours available in T8 and
T5 fluorescent lighting for neutral white light,
consider using Cool White (4,100°K). For softer
lighting, consider utilizing Soft White (3,500°K).
15

Lighting
Safely dispose of old
fixtures and lamps
Proper disposal and recycling is very important
as old light fixtures may contain polychlorinated
biphenyls, commonly known as PCBs. Release of
PCBs into the environment continues to occur as a
result of improper handling of hazardous waste.
Identifying lamp ballasts with PCBs
To identify lamp ballasts with PCBs, contact
manufacturers of ballasts and capacitors.
Manufacturers use distinct catalogue and date
codes to identify the product, manufacture date,
and presence of hazardous material(s).
Correctly interpreting the codes on the ballast
is imperative in determining whether the ballast
contains PCBs or not. Removal of a ballast from its
mount in the fixture should only be done by qualified
personnel after the circuit has been de-energized.
Lamp ballasts containing PCBs are designated as
hazardous waste. They must be properly handled
and stored by a waste contractor until they can be
properly destroyed (either by chemical treatment
or incineration in accordance with provincial and
federal regulations).
Proper handling and recycling of
lamps
Consider the environment and purchase low
mercury flourescent lamps, then recycle the lamps
at the end of their life.
Unbroken lamps should be packaged, labelled, and
delivered to an approved contractor for proper
disposal.
Technical assistance and financial Incentives from
Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart for Business programs
may be available to assist with upgrades:
Install energy efficient lamps and ballasts if lamps
are on for 40 hours or more per week.
Replace regular T-12 fluorescent lamps with
T-8 fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts.
Replace incandescent lamps with compact fluorescents.
Replace incandescent exit signs with new LED exit signs.
LEDs are up to 90 per cent more efficient than
neon systems with the same light output. The
low-voltage wires (less than 50 volts) compared
to neon (10,000 volts or more) do not deteriorate
16
Broken lamps should be stored in a sealable,
non-metallic container, labelled and an approved
waste contractor should be contacted for proper
disposal.
Waste disposal facilities are listed in the Winnipeg
yellow Pages under:
• Hazardous waste removal
• Waste reduction and disposal service
Metal components from lighting systems may be
recycled as scrap metal. To find companies that
recycle these components, look in the Winnipeg
yellow Pages under “scrap metal.”
or pose a fire risk, which means less chance
of property loss and lower insurance premiums.
A 50,000 to 100,000 hour product life means
fewer system changes, fewer disruptions, and lower
maintenance costs. LEDs are more resistant to
vibration, salt corrosion, temperature, humidity,
and emit a specific wavelength of light that can be
customized to match the colour of the sign face
material. Electrical connections ensure that an outage
of one LED does not affect the entire system.

Water
Did you know... that thousands of litres of water (and money!) are flushed down the drain
each year in a restaurant that doesn’t use any water saving measures?
By installing devices like low-flow spray valves and faucet aerators, you are saving on your
water bill and on your electricity or natural gas bill, which is used to heat the water.
Visit www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb to see if there is a Power Smart program available to help your
restaurant conserve water while saving energy and money.
17

18
Water
Faucets and fixtures
2. Mark the water level with a waterproof
felt pen every 500 ml (1/2 litre).
3. Run faucet or shower at reasonable rate.
Fill the pail for 10 seconds.
4. Estimate, using the pen markings, how
much water filled the pail during that time.
5. Multiply by six the number of litres from
Step 4 to calculate the flow per minute.
Hot water
Install water efficient fixtures or retrofit existing Reduce temperature of hot water.
fixtures. Also Install:
For normal hot water use, hot water should
• flow control devices on faucets;
be 54°C (130°F).
• early closure devices for flappers on toilets; • Check the insulation levels on hot water heating
systems to minimize standby loses.
• flow control devices on faucets with excessively
high flows to reduce splashing water, waste, and • Perform regular maintenance as per manufacture
hot water energy costs.
specifications to maximize water heating systems
useful life.
Bathroom faucets are normally set to eight litres per
minute. Flow control devices can reduce this to less Leaks
than 3.5 litres per minute. Taps in the janitor’s rooms,
or in the kitchen for filling pots or for pre-rinsing
Fix leaks as soon as they are detected.
dishes, should be left at full flow. Note: Low flow
A slow leak can waste about 50,000 litres of water
aerators may not fit on all faucets.
per year. If hot water is leaking, repairing the leak will
also reduce energy costs. Leaking faucets can result
When replacing faucets, (depending
in stained wash basins, resulting in additional costs
upon the type of use and amount of
for cleaning.
use of the faucet), consider:
• metering faucets that deliver
Schedule regular leak detection on toilets and
measured quantity of water;
other water using devices.
Scheduled maintenance of fixtures is a cost effective
• self-closing faucets that close as soon
method of reducing water bills and saving on water
as the user releases the knob;
heating costs. Scheduled maintenance checks may
• automatic sensor-controlled faucets.
reveal other problems, reducing the change of
disruptions or emergency maintenance incident.
Some faucets are manufactured to limit
maximum flow rate without using an aerator.
When considering payback for reducing water
flow at faucets, water-heating costs may add
substantially to predicted savings.
How to determine flow rate of faucets and showers:
1. Take a measuring pail. Use a 0.25 litre (one cup)
measure to fill a four litre ice cream pail.

Water
Pre-rinse spray valves
Switch to energy efficient spray valves
Standard pre-rinse valves flow at 11 to 15 litres
per minute, while energy efficient “low-flow” valves
use under five litres per minute (55 to 65 per cent
less water.) An energy efficient pre-rinse valve
can reduce your water and energy bills, while still
cleaning dishes effectively.
Toilets
A toilet that continues to run after flushing
can waste up to 200,000 litres of water in
a single year.
Reduce toilet water use and install toilet retrofit
devices. Facilities may wish to experiment with
various devices, such as early closure devices for
flappers. By using identical toilets, you can determine
which will result in the most reasonable investment.
Consider:
• water saved;
• ease of installation;
• incidence of multiple flushing, cost, and
• water saved per flush.
Various retrofit devices may work better in certain
brands of toilets than in others. Payback often
occurs within one year.
Target toilets in high traffic areas for replacement
with ultra low flow toilets (six litres per flush).
If it is not obvious which toilets have the highest
usage, install count mechanisms.
Fix toilet leaks.
To check for a toilet leak, put a non-toxic and nonstaining
dye in the toilet tank. Wait fifteen minutes.
If the dye seeps into the toilet bowl (no flushing),
you have a toilet leak. The most common cause is a
flapper that needs to be replaced.
Determine flow rate of toilets in litres per flush.
This may be noted between the seat attachments
and the tank; or note the make, model, and year
made. If toilet was made prior to 1985, it uses more
than 13 litres per flush; significantly older toilets can
use 20 or more litres per flush. Modern low flow
toilets use six to 13.5 litres per flush.
19

For more information on how to make your business
more energy efficient or Power Smart for Business financial
incentives or technical assistance, contact Manitoba Hydro at:
Power Smart for Business
Telephone: 360-3676 in Winnipeg
Toll-free: 1-888-MBHYDRO (1-888-624-9376)
Email: powersmartforbusiness@hydro.mb.ca
Website: www.hydro.mb.ca/psfb