Water view Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale Restaurant
New Haven, CT – Retailers seeking immediate and long-term savings through energy-efficient measures must also balance the effect that changes in infrastructure will have on their customers’ experience. In the competitive restaurant industry, that means cost-saving, efficiency upgrades in food storage, cooking equipment, and lighting must also contribute to ambiance and top-notch customer service.
Lenny and Joe’s Fish Tale of New Haven recently paired with The United Illuminating Company, an administrator for Energize Connecticut, to accomplish efficiency upgrades throughout the facility. UI helped the famous shoreline seafood restaurant identify key areas for energy loss, including outdated food storage equipment and inefficient lighting, and offered technical guidance throughout the project.
“By providing cost-effective energy solutions, we’re able to help restaurants enhance their overall performance,” said Roy W. Haller, UI director of commercial and industrial energy service programs. “The strategic improvements we recommend will reduce operating costs, improve profitability, and enhance customer experience.”
As part of the Small Business Energy Advantage program, Lenny and Joe’s purchased new refrigeration equipment with evaporator fan controls and an electronically commutated motor, increasing the unit’s performance and significantly reducing its energy usage. They upgraded lighting throughout the restaurant interior and exterior to LEDs and super high efficiency T8 fluorescent systems. The restaurant also incorporated gas measures, including optimizing the water system with new spray valves and aerators. These combined changes are generating a $10,800 annual savings.
“The success of this project has been twofold,” said Lenny and Joe’s owner Brian Faye. “Not only have we gained significant savings but even more importantly, we’ve been able to positively impact the communities we serve by becoming a more sustainable business.”
The United Illuminating Company also worked with Stratford-based Riverview Bistro on a comprehensive energy efficiency project this year. Program engineers with the Small Business Energy Advantage program recommended upgraded refrigeration with improved motor controls and evaporator fans, as well as programmable thermostats and more centralized temperature sensors. The restaurant also reduced hot water usage by installing high efficiency sprayers and aerators.
Energy-efficient lighting upgrades were incorporated throughout Riverview’s riverfront facility, including installing LEDs in the interior, converting the exterior incandescent lamps to LEDs, and enhancing the restaurant signage with LEDs. The cumulative changes translate to an estimated $13,600 annual savings.
“The process of incorporating these changes was turnkey, thanks to Energize Connecticut’s custom approach to our energy goals,” said Dave Petrone, owner of Riverview Bistro. “From the start, they helped us think long-term and achieve optimal savings through energy efficiency.”
Both restaurants secured more than $20,000 incentive payments through the Energy Efficiency Fund for their upgrades.
As an energy authority, UI provides an excellent opportunity for restaurants and food service businesses to lower their energy usage and environmental impact through the portfolio of Energize Connecticut programs.
Information on Connecticut’s energy efficiency programs can be found at EnergizeCT.com or by calling (877) WISE.USE.
