Your goal will be to identify energy use in the kitchen of your school. The kitchen is a busy place in your school and is also a place where water and energy is used in many different ways. There are probably ways that your school’s kitchen could be more energy efficient, but budget constraints may make this difficult to implement. To learn more about energy use in the kitchen, observe the kitchen staff in action and conduct a brief interview by asking them the following questions. (Note: Enlist the support of the administration, the custodial staff, kitchen staff, and other teachers as needed to complete this audit.)
Kitchen Survey
Below is a survey of the kitchen area. Get permission to observe the kitchen staff at peak hours. Interview the kitchen staff and complete the following informal, kitchen survey. A printable version of this survey is provided below.
1. How many of the following are in the kitchen?
a. fry units
b. ovens
c. broilers
2. How many of each of the following is used during peak hours?
a. fry units
b. ovens
c. broilers
3. At what temperatures are the ovens preheated?
Is this higher or lower than the desired temperature or the same?
4. Are smaller, energy efficient ovens available?
Are these used when possible?
5. How often are oven doors opened to place food in or remove food?
(Note: About 1% of the heat from an oven is lost every second the door is open.)
6. Are ovens and heating elements turned off when not in use?
7. Is meat cooked slowly at low temperatures or more quickly at higher temperatures?
(Note: A roast cooked at 250º for 5 hours uses 20 – 25% less energy than cooking the same roast at 350º for 3 hours.)
8. What is the schedule for baking and roasting?
Does the schedule maximize the oven capacity?
9. How often are the fryers cleaned?
10. Are food warmers and hot plates turned on only as needed? Are they on a timer or are they turned on and off manually?
11. Are the dishwashers full before they are run?
12. Are the hot water heat coils free of lime?
13. Do the faucets leak?
How many leak?
14. Do the hot water lines have water pressure regulators?
15. Is the cleaning done during daylight or nighttime hours?
16. Are the seals on the refrigerators and freezers in good repair?
17. Do any of the appliances carry the Energy Star rating?
Which ones?
If not, are there plans to replace existing appliances with Energy Star appliances when the time comes?
18. Is there space between the refrigerator and freezers to allow proper air circulation?
19. Are hot items placed into the refrigerator?
20. How often are the appliances cleaned?
Kitchen Audit Thumbnail
To view full-size lesson plan and print, follow these directions:
1. Click on the image above
2. Click on the small "print" icon at the top left of the lesson
3. Make sure your "Page Scaling" is set to "Fit to Printable Area"
4. Click "OK" and your lesson will be printed!
Click on the second icon from the print button to save your lesson to your computer.
For technical assistance with printing any of the GEF lessons, please contact: service@