The design of a commercial kitchen ventilation system considers many factors that contribute to the functionality, beauty and efficiency of the space. An expert design creates efficiencies, forecasts potential issues and ensures long-term success. When designing a ventilation system for a commercial kitchen, we recommend approaching your design through the following three phases.

Phase 1: Identify your top objectives

Typically there are multiple stakeholders who will determine which objectives have the most significance and how the selected objectives will be prioritized. Ensuring that the owner, consultant, architect and engineer come to a consensus on the objectives will create the foundation for the design. Common design objectives include:

• Managing costs: It is important to understand how cost is weighed against all other priorities. Some priorities, like pollution control, could drive up first costs, while prioritizing energy savings can control lifetime costs. Understanding how cost factors into each key priority will dictate how other priorities can be carried out within the design.
• Increasing comfort: For patrons and employees, the temperature and freshness of an environment can make or break a dining experience or a work day.
• Controlling pollution: This encompasses sound, odor, smoke and/or grease emitted from your kitchen that affects the community in and around your restaurant and must comply with regional jurisdiction.
• Increasing safety: Ensuring a safe environment for restaurant staff and customers means mitigating risks that are prominent when cooking with grease and heat.
• Saving Energy: Having the ability to automatically adjust airflow of the kitchen ventilation system to accommodate varying cooking loads and utilizing the most efficient equipment available allows for significant energy savings and lower life-cycle costs.
• Increased Flexibility: Select products which make serviceability, scalability and variety in menu options simple and easy.

Phase 2: List out the design constraints

Once you’ve defined your objectives, and before you select the best products for meeting them, you’ll need to list out your constraints. This list informs which options are available for the design. For instance, there could be features of the building – like limited roof space or complicated ductwork runs – that will dictate the type of fan to be used and where it can be placed. Local, regional and national codes will also add to the list of criteria the system must meet. For example, the controls system may need to meet certain interlock and energy management requirements. The budget will dictate the types of products, as well as their options and accessories, to be used in the design. A smaller budget may necessitate a simpler system, while a larger budget could accommodate higher automation or self-cleaning products, reducing labor and total cost of ownership. Below are a few questions to make sure you’ve considered before selecting and designing around particular products and features:

• What is the budget?
• What duty classification do the cooking appliances have?
• Are there any combustible materials within 18 inches of the hood?
• Is there space for a utility cabinet on the hood for housing fire systems and controls components?
• What will the finished ceiling height be?
• Are there conditions that will affect getting the equipment to where it needs to be and installing it?
• Are there features of the kitchen layout that will create cross-drafts and lead to capture issues at the hood? (e.g., open kitchen, pass-thru or many doors/windows)
• Will the kitchen layout make it difficult to keep a consistent environment throughout the building? (e.g. large kitchen or open concept)
• What are the electrical and plumbing constraints? (e.g. single-phase electrical only; gas, propane, or electric for heating)
• Are there building features that will affect the ductwork route?
• Are there code requirements that specify design elements such as exhaust fan location or pollution control?
• Are there requirements that necessitate a particular level of control over the exhaust airflow volume and/or the tempering of the make-up air?
• Is there a building management system that will need to monitor or control the ventilation components?

Phase 3: Determine which products most efficiently meet your objectives

Only after the design objectives and constraints are reconciled can the products for the design can be selected. There are elements of a commercial kitchen ventilation system that can answer for multiple objectives. And oftentimes products produce better results when paired with certain units or accessories. Contacting an experienced kitchen ventilation expert, like those on our team at Accurex, will provide you with options that fit your objectives, requirements and budget. If you choose to partner with an Accurex expert they can provide engineering support, foodservice consultant specifications, AutoCAD & Revit drawings, jobsite surveys, product applications, project pricing and more.

A well-planned design is a successful design. And leveraging the expertise of a partner like Accurex will simplify the process and address your design challenges, collaborate on creative solutions and build the most efficient kitchen ventilation system possible. Our innovative products can make any objective a reality regardless of the requirements or limitations your project may have. To discuss your commercial kitchen ventilation design project in more detail, simply contact an Accurex expert in your area.