Keep your cool

During this economic downturn, catering businesses will be even more circumspect about buying new refrigeration kit, leading manufacturers recognise. However, purchasers are urged to look beyond the price tag to the total life-cycle costs of a unit, and particularly at energyefficiency features that offer cost savings in the longer run. CEDA recommends caterers to look at the Carbon Trust-managed Energy Technology List (www.eca.gov.uk/etl) before making a buying decision. The association points out that this independently-ratified source of reference "will help to point you in the right direction when sourcing the most reliable, energyefficient and cheapest-to-run solutions for your premises." Products on this list attract Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) from the Inland Revenue, it added. Support came from Glenn Roberts, managing director of Gram UK, who said: "The ETL provides caterers with transparent information on which products are most energy efficient as well as displaying detailed results such as how many kilowatt hours of energy they use per year." "Gram boasts more than 30 products on the ETL. We have been able to reduce the total energy consumption across our range of cabinets by between 47% and 74%. Environmental impact has also been lessened by use of natural refrigerants and insulation materials free of the greenhouse gas HFC." The company has also launched a 'Keep Your Cool' brochure offering caterers detailed hints and tips on how to run more energy-efficient refrigeration. Delfield Sadia, whose S490 upright refrigerator was recently added to the ETL, spoke specifics about the potential financial benefits. "The caterer will be able to achieve savings of up to 40% on energy costs. "They will now be able to claim 100% first-year capital allowances on their investment. In simple terms, a business can claim back £300 for every £1000 spent on ETL-listed products, in comparison to just £75 for every £1000 spent if they are unlisted." Energy-saving features are attracting many buyers, according to CESA. "Drawers are becoming more popular, despite being more expensive than doors, because they can save energy (less cold air is lost when a drawer is opened compared to a door)," it stated. "Drawers also allow easier access to ingredients. Likewise, smart controls are designed to cut energy costs, by minimising power consumption in quiet periods." Remote condenser systems, whereby the compressor and the fan are located away from the actual storage cabinet or coldroom, are gaining popularity both for their energy efficiency and for removing heat from the kitchen. Gordon MacBride, managing director of Porkka UK agreed that, in the current economic climate, customers are looking really closely at overheads such as energy but that they are still seeking to minimise their capital outlay when buying kit. In this context, he added, that the company's latest generation of Future Plus chiller and freezer cabinets are "competitively priced" while offering "energy savings of up to £100 per annum compared to many other products on the market, as illustrated by independent testing". According to John Savage, foodservice director at Foster Refrigerator, energysaving product developments are significantly enhancing his company's offering. The company has revamped all of its core refrigeration products - the Pro and Prem upright and counter refrigeration – to incorporate low-energy refrigeration systems, effectively offering "around 50% savings in energy" compared to earlier models "at no extra cost". All of these products are now on the ECA scheme while parts and labour warranties have been doubled to two years. With the Climate Change Bill becoming law at the end of last year, "the more informed and bigger companies are seeing the way the world is going" and so are taking an interest in 'energy saving' equipment. Savage said that these companies also recognise that there are "big cost savings" available. "It's not unreasonable to exp