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Appliances for commercial use

Buy ENERGY STAR® certified products to save you money!

Did you know that food preparation equipment consumes 35% of the energy in the average Canadian commercial or institutional kitchen? Food service is an energy-intensive business. Commercial kitchens use up to seven times more energy per square metre than other commercial spaces.

Average energy consumption of a full-service restaurant, 2015 by kitchen functional area

Source: Figure reproduced from ENERGY STAR Guide for Cafés, Restaurants, and Institutional Kitchens - Example of the Average Energy Consumption of a Full-Service Restaurant, 2015, United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Text version

Breakdown of energy use by kitchen functional area

Pie graph shows the share of energy used by different functions: food preparation 35%; heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) 28%; sanitation 18%; lighting 13%; and refrigeration 6%.

When buying commercial food service equipment, it’s important to remember the cost of energy to operate a product over its lifetime is just as important as its purchase price. In fact, some of these products can differ in their energy use by 70%!

Make the switch to ENERGY STAR certified commercial food service equipment to cut your electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint.

ENERGY STAR certified commercial food service products

The following ENERGY STAR certified products are available in Canada.

Cooking/warming equipment

Cooling/refrigeration equipment

Warewashing equipment

Other commercial appliances

Find certified products using the ENERGY STAR Product Finder. (Note: you will be redirected to the U.S. ENERGY STAR website. Click “Canada” as your market).

Commercial food service products that are regulated

Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations establish minimum performance standards for energy efficiency and help eliminate the least efficient products from the Canadian marketplace.

The following ENERGY STAR certified equipment is subject to Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations: commercial refrigerators and freezers, ice-makers, refrigerated vending machines and pay to use clothes washers.

Pre-rinse spray valves and walk-in refrigeration are regulated but are NOT eligible for ENERGY STAR certification.

Helpful tips

  • Read your owner’s manuals and operating guidelines to ensure you are benefitting from energy-saving features of your commercial kitchen products.
  • The layout of your kitchen is also a significant factor in saving energy. For example, arrange equipment so that appliances do not interfere with each other’s energy performance. Contact a professional in commercial kitchen design or kitchen energy efficiency for expert advice.
  • Don’t forget to look as well for ENERGY STAR certified lighting and ENERGY STAR certified heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. A well planned system means both comfort and energy savings.

Tools to find energy efficient food service equipment

  • The easiest way to identify efficient commercial food service equipment is to look for the ENERGY STAR symbol. All ENERGY STAR certified products are tested to meet strict efficiency standards and are certified by an independent third party. They perform the same as or better than standard products without compromising performance in any way.

Appliances for residential use

Many business buy residential sized major appliances for their hotels, apartments, cafeterias or lunchrooms. Always consider energy efficiency when buying these products and choose ones that are either regulated or eligible for ENERGY STAR certification in Canada: clothes dryers , clothes washers, integrated washer-dryers, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, cooking appliances—electric and gas ranges, cooktops and ovens.


The ENERGY STAR name and symbol are trademarks registered in Canada by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are administered and promoted by Natural Resources Canada.

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