Why better overall restaurant comfort starts in the kitchen

When restaurants experience moisture and odor problems in the dining room, the root source is almost always the kitchen. Cooking heat and steam are difficult to confine and even more challenging to manage, which creates systemic problems for the entire restaurant.

This is the typical cycle: kitchen heat and steam (humidity) must be ventilated, and ventilated air must be replaced with fresh outdoor air. That incoming outdoor air is almost never the ideal temperature or humidity. In winter, incoming air must be heated. In summer, it must be cooled. Conventional kitchen heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system designs see an ongoing battle between ventilation and comfort, and this highly inefficient and costly approach rarely produces 100 percent satisfying results.

Who hasn’t experienced a freezing-cold restaurant during peak summer heat? That’s the unpleasant effect when dining room air conditioning is running overtime to remove moisture from the air. Restaurant managers that dial up the temperature may eventually see mold growth and moisture-related damage developing.  

Trane has the solution. Our engineers have re-designed the approach to total restaurant HVAC. The solution begins with a high-performance kitchen system that replaces the need for two rooftop units (make-up air and HVAC) with one high performance kitchen unit that manages temperature and humidity simultaneously. This dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) pre-conditions 100 percent outdoor air to the proper temperature and humidity before it enters the room. Gaining better control over kitchen air results in fewer problems migrating into the dining room, which means smaller and more cost-efficient units and ductwork can be installed.

What this means: First and foremost, employees and guests can experience better air quality and comfort throughout the restaurant. Trane’s Total Restaurant HVAC System introduces up to 10-times more fresh air than the HVAC in conventional buildings (125 – 130 percent more than most codes require). It replaces air 25 – 30 percent faster than a traditional design. It also offers a solid financial justification by delivering an average $4,000 to $12,000 in annual energy savings*.

We can replicate this solution almost anywhere. Contact us to learn more.

*Actual savings may vary. Information based on data and analysis from a major national restaurant chain