Green Certification for Commercial Kitchens

Recently, FoodServiceWarehouse.com announced that they’d be offering a green certification program for commercial kitchens. That’s good news, considering that EnergyStar reports that commercial building with kitchens use, on average 2.5 times more energy per square foot than commercial buildings without kitchens. All the energy used by overs, blenders, and refrigerators really starts to add up in a hurry if you aren’t careful.

“Today’s commercial kitchens are being squeezed by high operating costs driven by energy prices and a reduction in discretionary spending by consumers,” said Steve Kurtz, vice president at FoodServiceWarehouse.com. “Our customers wanted a way to reduce their operating costs while becoming more ecologically responsible, which in turn would make their establishment more appealing to patrons. The program we developed allows our customers to achieve these goals, while putting them further down the path toward other types of certifications.”

To kick-start their new certification program, FSW is giving away a green commercial kitchen valued at up to $40,000 to one qualifying business. According to their website, The Certified Green Commercial Kitchen Program is open to all business kitchens, and participants will have access to LEED-qualified certification experts during their time in the program.

There are five categories of green in this program:

• Energy Conservation
• Water Conservation
• Waste Reduction
• Green Cleaning
• Education

When you buy an energy-efficient product or otherwise go green in one of these areas, you accumulate points. In each category, there is a set number of points you must acquire. When you reach that goal number in all five categories, you’ll receive certification.

There are rewards other than a piece of paper though. If you sign up for this program, you’ll receive extended product warranties, discounts, and more from partnering companies. So this is a win-win program! If you run a commercial kitchen, you can read more about the program’s details here.

Pictures via sxc.hu.