Tips for Saving Energy around the Bar

1. Heating

Needless to say, guests in the bar should be warm and comfortable. However, with effective heating and targeted use of heat, many - especially hidden - costs can be avoided.  

· Bleed the radiators before the start of the heating season to prevent air in the system and poor heating performance. 

· Carry out hydraulic balancing (or have it carried out) to even out the volume flow and to supply radiators further away from the heat source sufficiently. 

· Avoid long pre-run times for the heating and only increase the heating when the bar is about to open. 

· Also plan for run-down (do not wait to turn down the heating until the chairs are raised).   

· The “sweet spot” for a pleasant temperature is between 20 and 22 degrees - check the desired and actual temperature regularly with a thermometer.

·  The more crowded it gets, the less heating is necessary due to body heat

· Ideal: regulate the temperature automatically with electronic thermostatic valves 

· Use timers to regulate the heating in parallel with the opening days and times. 

· Timers can also regulate the demand per room. 

· Keep storage rooms cool, i.e. do not heat them.  

· If the bar is connected to a kitchen: extractor hoods that operate non-stop unnecessarily draw heated air out of the rooms, even those further away

· Set the hot water tank to 60 degrees operating temperature.

· Check the insulation of hot-water pipes and, if necessary, improve it; there is a savings potential of up to 10 percent here. 

· Check window and door seals

· Do not block radiators with furniture etc. 

· Do not use gas heaters outside, offer blankets instead and serve warm drinks like Hot Toddies :-)

This winter room temperature can probably also be one degree lower. The difference is marginal in terms of perception, but significant in terms of costs: one degree less room temperature reduces costs by up to 6%!  

2. Cooling 

Well-chilled drinks are the be-all and end-all. This makes it all the more important to adjust the settings in the "back-office" in order to optimise cooling and thus keep the cooling energy used as low as possible. After all, in a typical restaurant, cooling accounts for about one fifth of the electricity demand, and in the bar even more due to the significantly higher share of beverages.  

· Open the doors of refrigerators, freezers and cold stores as briefly as possible: plan loading and unloading in advance, always place goods in the same place, collect delivered goods in front of the door to avoid long opening times.

· Observe ideal cooling temperatures: for the freezer, for example, -18 degrees is sufficient; each degree below that requires approx. 6% more energy.

· Fill refrigerators well, avoid empty refrigerators as well as overfilling them. 

· Check: can contents be combined and appliances switched off? 

· Old appliances and mini-fridges require significantly more energy: switch off or discard them. 

· Glass refrigerators are chic but require more energy: check whether they are really necessary or whether the glass front can be insulated.  

· When buying new appliances, look for the best possible energy efficiency class. 

· Pre-cool glasses (also has a nice visual effect) 

· Do not put glasses/bottles that are still hot/warm into the refrigerator.

· Store pre-mixed drinks or ingredients in the refrigerator.

· Check that the condenser is free of dust and ice, otherwise power consumption will increase.

· Clean the cooling fins and heat exchanger, keep sufficient distance from the wall (min. 5 cm), avoid sunlight on the cooling unit. 

· Check seals and replace if necessary

· Ice: make or buy? Check previous calculations against the background of changing energy prices

· Air-cooled ice makers require less energy than water-cooled ones    

Eric Bergmann of “Jigger & Spoon” in Stuttgart has hacked his ice maker with a particularly energy and water-saving software ‘patch’*:  

“Since the ice balls of our Hoshizaki ice ball machine start to look unsightly about 40 minutes after they are ejected, they ideally have to be skimmed off immediately after being ejected. Logically, this is not possible during the night and so all the ice has to be disposed of the next morning. To counteract this, I have installed a smart relay that makes the machine “believe” the bin is full. Accordingly, after the last ball is ejected, the machine goes into standby and the plate moves to a position where as little standing water as possible remains. 45 minutes before the first employee arrives, the machine switches on again and starts production.”

*Note: this reprogramming goes hand in hand with a loss of guarantee  

How energy-saving is my fridge? Is replacement worthwhile? Check here: KühlCheck von co2online.

3. Dishwashing 

Many bars would not be operational without dishwashers under the counter, But are they always well filled when turned on? And how can even more energy costs can be saved here? 

· Only switch on dishwashers that are as fully loaded as possible 

· Dump beverage residues into the sink (not the dishwasher) beforehand. 

· Remove all garnishing

· Check rinse temperature (wash cycle 55 to 60 degrees, rinse approx. 65 degrees)

· Check "glass pool": is there enough glassware to run only full dishwashers? 

· Use eco-rinse cycle if possible (takes longer but uses less energy)

· If possible, connect the dishwasher to the central hot-water system. 

· Run the self-cleaning programme regularly

· Clean the sieves, rinsing arms and seals manually 

· Leave the washed glasses to cool in the basket or on a glass mat. 

· Do not put warm glasses directly into the freezer. 

Now is the time to enquire with your trusted supplier about recommendations for energy-saving dishwashing. Maybe the company can even send somebody to train your team in (energetically) optimised dishwasher operation on site? 

4. Ventilation 

Fresh air supply/ventilation is important for indoor air quality. But efficiency is also important here and there is a lot of energy-saving potential.

· Ventilation systems do not have to run continuously, but should be switched off on closing days, before and after working hours. 

· Here, too, timers can ensure demand-responsive use.

· Multi-stage/variable fans are advantageous, only rev up when there is a high load 

· Clean filters regularly or have them cleaned (Covid measure: use gloves and face masks). 

· Brief all staff in the team on which ventilation levels are optimal for operation 

· Have ventilation systems serviced regularly  

· Equip the entrance area with a vestibule if there is no space in between.

· Take a guest perspective: check the room for draughts (often it is draughts, not too little heating, that make guests feel cold or uncomfortable).

· Avoid water vapour (e.g. from the kitchen or the open dishwasher).

· If - at all - open the window completely for a short while and then close it again instead of leaving it half-open all the time.    

The ideal solution are mechanical air-handling systems with heat recovery because they save heating costs. Their installation is subsidised:

For more information click here. 

5. Lighting

Efficient lighting and the use of state-of-the-art energy-saving lamps can markedly cut consumption. Our tips in detail:  

· Avoid excessive lighting: discreet light is a good fit for evening and night-time catering anyway 

· High-power LED and fluorescent lamps require up to 90 percent less energy

· A surge protector in front of the light switch increases the service life of energy-saving lamps

· Spotlights instead of diffuse general illumination: targeted lighting of tables, counters, back buffets and the like is more efficient and focuses on the essentials 

· Use motion detectors in corridors/aisles, sanitary facilities, staff areas and storage rooms

· Clean lamps and luminaires indoors and outdoors regularly to ensure maximum light output 

· Check decorative lighting (e.g. fairy lights, neon signs, etc.) to see if it is really necessary - more and more companies are switching it off nowadays  

· Use solar-powered outdoor lights, which also work in the darker months of the year 

· Brighter interiors (wall paint, furniture, curtains, carpets, etc.) reflect the light better and increase brightness levels. 

· Create "on & off" checklists for employees and display them.

Find more other hands-on tips for cooling, heating, lighting and the like at bars and clubs at Kiez-Toolbox der Berliner Clubcommission.

Saving energy is a team effort: all employees must be informed and their awareness raised in order to jointly keep costs low and secure profitability (and thus also their own jobs). It may even make sense to appoint an energy-saving officer to take charge of the issue and to inform and support colleagues. 

Practical templates for energy-saving checklists are available from DEHOGA.