Energy efficient supermarkets - Behavior, design and layout

Energy measurements and energy survey were performed in a Max Hamburger restaurant and nine energy saving measures were proposed. The greatest energy savings are heat recovery of the ventilation air, which is estimated to reduce the total district heating demand by about two thirds. An energy saving of just over 10 % can be obtained by minimizing the operating times of the grills. If all nine measures are implemented, the savings will be about 20 % of the electricity and just under 90 % of the district heating, or 42 % of the total purchased energy.

There are several items in a grocery store that do not need to be refrigerated but are often sold from a refrigerated counter anyway. In this project, some grocery’s that are cooled unnecessarily have been identified: eggs, drinks (PET 0.5l) and snus. They found out how much energy was used to cool them. They also examined how sales are affected if the grocery no longer is sold as cooled.

A document which compiles the rules applicable to safe handling of flammable refrigerants and which can be approved as a guideline by the Swedish authorities, and to encourage the development of efficient energy use in food premises and thus contribute to national energy and environmental objectives has been produced. The document has been used in the development of Swedish Refrigeration norm for units with flammable refrigerants.

A store retrofitted doors on all its refrigerated counters. The cooling capacity demand in the cooling counters decreased by about 40 % during the day, after doors were installed. The electricity requirement in the cooling system decreased by about 15 % after the door installation. By making changes in the cooling system, you can also reduce the electricity demand by about 40 %.

This is a guide how to make a safe and correct LED conversion of the refrigerated counter regarding electrical safety and EMC and still be able to claim compatibility with LVD and EMC-directive. Laws and directives referred to in the report may have been updated and may not be applicable.

The possibility of establishing a small-scale biogas plant at larger grocery stores to handle the food waste that arises in stores has been investigated. If technical, economic, and environmental aspects are considered, the assessment is that it is better to transport the grocery store’s food waste to a digestion plant nearby.

In this pre-study we aim to shed the light and different perspectives for actors on how to achieve increased energy efficiency between tenant and landlord by energy contracts or energy agreement. This may lead to increased energy efficiency, better use of energy and reduce environmental impact.

This prestudy which was completed in February 2018, specifies how a future implementation project will be set up in terms of technical solution (measurment and application/ interface) as well as testing and evaluation. 

This pilot study has mapped which measurement data and information is relevant for commercial kitchen staff to take part of and how this should be made available in a digital solution (application) to support and motivate improved behaviour for reduced energy use in daily work. It is important for users that the digital tool is easy to use. A wish from the users are that the tool should provide precise information about what individual machines/zones uses. You want to be able to easily deduce where you can adjust work routines. Users also want to receive direct reminders at the place in the kitchen where they work and be able to get the information gathered in a report/ overview that can be presented at day/ weekly meetings and work team meetings.

One way to reduce food waste can be to lower the temperature in the cold chain so that the temperatures are optimal. The National Food Administration's proposal is that the storage temperature for refrigerated goods should be a maximum of 4 ° C. This feasibility study has investigated consequences it could entail with regard to increased energy use and the need for investments. The results show, among other things, the importance of all industries along the food cold chain / value chain having to work more and better together towards common goals.

The aim of the feasibility study has been to produce a prioritized compilation of the most important measures for energy efficiency in food premises. The results show that energy efficiency does not have to be expensive - much can be done quickly and at a low cost. Usually no major investment is required in components or equipment.

Most often, it is ownership conditions that prevent solutions with heat recovery in food premises. Ventilation systems including heat production and distribution are owned by the property owner, while systems for cooling and heating food are owned by the tenant. If both parties believe that they can benefit from energy efficiency measures, more energy agreements will be able to be concluded.

Doors on refrigerators in shops drastically reduce energy consumption. But does it make customers shop less? Ulla Lindberg, doctoral student at SIIR, Swedish Institute for Innovative Retailing, at the University of Borås, examines customers' experiences and behaviors in stores when they buy chilled food.

The need to clean refrigerator and freezer furniture has been the subject of a BeLivs study, which focused on the profitability of washing the dishes' batteries. Direct and indirect benefits have been analyzed together with service companies and store owners.

With available refrigeration technology, we have been able to create a trade in fresh produce that has not been possible before. But it places high demands on our resources, globally 17% of all electricity is used for the refrigeration sector, which also includes air conditioning. The question is, how can we make energy efficient, with the consumer in focus?

This thesis is multidisciplinary, and the research has been broadened from studying measured and perceived comfort parameters in supermarkets to incorporating qualitative studies with a clearer and deeper interest in consumers’ perceptions and behaviors. In this thesis, findings from the cold environment of chilled food display cabinets, either with doors or
without, are discussed and tangible commodities are used to illustrate how ‘details’ such as doors on cabinets matter to consumers. The consumers are of the main interest since they make up the businesses. The aim of this thesis is to gain knowledge of how to improve energy efficiency and the store layout for chilled groceries by adding consumer insights. Four specific papers contribute to this thesis’ aim of overcoming specific challenges faced by retail grocery stores as regards energy efficiency.

Energy measurements and energy mapping were performed in restaurants and kitchens at IKEA and six energy-saving measures were proposed. The greatest energy savings are given to a rebuild of the cooling system that can reduce electricity consumption by 40 MWh / year or 6% of the kitchen's total electricity consumption. If all analyzed measures are implemented, the restaurant is estimated to be able to save 14% of the electricity for the kitchen and restaurant.