The current government strategy is steering us to Net Zero by 2050 with a mission target of ending the UK’s contribution to climate change whilst at the same time turning the situation into the greatest opportunity for job and prosperity since the industrial revolution. Current claims are we have already reduced our omissions by 44% whilst growing our economy by 75%.

The Net Zero Strategy released in October 2021 sets out the next steps we are to take to cut omissions, seize green opportunities and leverage further private investment towards this overall goal.

Being involved within the overall construction sector as a whole, we are already noticing the “Greener Trend” so much so that many areas of change are now common practice, such as developing structures that are scalable, taller, greener, healthier and more technologically advanced than ever before.

Whilst LEED, BREEAM and the likes of EDGE have always been commonplace, one of the afore mentioned are now an everyday standard in either one project we are involved in or another.

Catering and kitchen systems’ design is also playing its part towards this goal. Over the last 10 years the equipment manufacturing sector has been actively developing equipment with greener credential with clients naturally expecting to pay a cost premium for this type of equipment.

Whilst customers still expect the “Theatre” of alternative fuel sources such as wood or charcoal, the omission of gas within kitchens is now, commonplace. The days of stoves being left on all day and complicated gas structure being run into buildings to serve a few items of cooking equipment are long gone. Not to mention the advantages this brings to other kitchen related systems like canopy extract and HVAC systems.

The trend is not just stopping with electrification. current direction is demanding kitchen electrical systems be more & more accountable of themselves. Electrical load sharing across kitchen equipment, or even load balancing across multiple kitchen zones, is becoming more and more popular.

Whilst these systems come at a cost premium, they are helping catering operators find solutions in a world where economic efficiencies, whether in energy usage, operational cost or productivity improvements are demanded of them.

Load management systems allow for the borrowing or sharing of electrical power across multiple kitchen equipment items to reduce overall usage and assisting in levelling out a facilities overall electrical peak usage.

Written by Russell Baynes, Project Director