Signing a Restaurant Lease: Why You Should Call an Engineer
Restaurants are subject to special requirements that do not exist when it comes to other types of commercial buildings. Providing safe and healthy conditions for occupants is important in all indoor spaces, but restaurants are a special case because food is prepared and consumed within their walls. Commercial spaces typically do not have the necessary infrastructure for a restaurant and commercial kitchen, unless they were built specifically for that purpose. Following are some common problems:
- No kitchen exhaust: All commercial kitchens must be equipped with exhaust fans that terminate in the roof, or any area considered acceptable under New York codes, and must be equipped with an oxidizer or precipitator to control particulate emissions.
- Insufficient hot water supply: Commercial kitchens and restaurants require hotter water than other commercial occupancies, so they must be equipped with a dedicated hot water system.
- No grease traps: In spaces that were not originally built for commercial kitchens, it is necessary to excavate the floor to add the grease traps required by law.
- Insufficient Electrical Capacity Commercial kitchens use refrigerated chambers and other types of equipment with high electrical energy consumption. Electrical installations found in commercial homes typically do not have the capacity for a commercial kitchen and must be modernized.
- Insufficient gas capacity: Kitchen appliances consume a lot of gas and the service entrance of a typical commercial space usually needs upgrading.
- Insufficient cooling capacity: Commercial kitchens have a higher cooling load than other commercial occupancies, largely due to the presence of cooking appliances and other heat-emitting equipment. Before installing a commercial kitchen, it is important to check whether the refrigeration power of the existing installation is sufficient.
- Limited space: A restaurant not only requires space for commercial kitchen equipment, but there must also be enough space for exhaust fans, hoods, and other ventilation system components.
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NSF International is the industry authority on all matters related to commercial foodservice equipment. The organization was founded in 1944 as the National Sanitation Foundation, but changed its name in 1990 as its reach became global. NSF-marked kitchen equipment has been rigorously tested and offers the following benefits:
- Compliance with all applicable U.S. food safety standards: NSF regulations are enforced so heavily in the U.S. that it is virtually impossible for restaurants and commercial kitchens to begin operating without addressing them.
- Electrical safety.
- Energy efficiency.
Of course, restaurants must also meet all applicable requirements set forth in New York City building codes. There are heightened risks to customers when a restaurant fails to comply with sanitation regulations, and the legal consequences following an incident are severe. Therefore, an assessment by a qualified consultant or engineering firm is highly recommended before signing a restaurant lease.
Kitchen Hoods and Ventilation
Chapter 5 of the New York Mechanical Code establishes requirements for all exhaust systems deployed in the city, and this includes commercial kitchens. Section MC 506 is dedicated exclusively to exhaust system ductwork and equipment serving commercial kitchen hoods, and the following are some of the key requirements:
- Hoods and grease ducts must be specified and designed according to the type of kitchen appliance used. Any incompatibility between these equipment is against the Code.
- Grease ducts must lead directly to the outside and end according to the type of hood used: Type I or Type II.
- Anti-corrosion protection is mandatory for all ducts exposed to the outside of the building or to corrosive environments.
- All welds on kitchen exhaust systems must be impeccable to ensure there are no leaks or grease deposits.
- Exhaust fans in grease ducts must be of the type specified for the application.
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Requirements for kitchen hoods are covered in section MC 507. These hoods must be Type I or Type II as required by the application and must meet the UL 710 standard.
- Type I range hoods are intended for cooking equipment that produces grease or smoke, while Type II range hoods are for lighter appliances that produce only heat or moisture.
- Type I exhaust fans are acceptable where Type II is required, but the reverse does not apply; a Type II range hood cannot be used if Type I is specified.
Grease filters are mandatory for all Type I hoods and must comply with UL 1046. The minimum height above the cooking appliance is 0.5 meters when there is no exposed flame, 60 centimeters if there are exposed flames or burners and 1 .2 meter for charcoal grills or devices.
Makeup air supplied to commercial kitchen spaces should be approximately equal to the sum of all exhaust airflows, providing balanced ventilation. Makeup air gets its name because it replaces the internal air extracted by the ventilation system.
Specific Requirements for Broilers – Emissions Control
In 2015, Title 24 of the New York Administrative Code was amended with additional requirements for broilers used to cook more than 875 pounds of meat per week. The New York Department of Environmental Protection determined that commercial chickens released about 1,400 tons of particulate matter each year, and 400 deaths per year could be attributed to these emissions, according to the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. .
After the Title 24 amendment, all broilers used to cook more than 875 pounds of meat per year must have an emissions control device such as a flameless catalytic oxidizer or electrostatic precipitator.
- A catalytic oxidizer burns smoke and gases, turning them into carbon dioxide and water. Although CO2 is a greenhouse gas, it does not pose the health hazards caused by particles.
- An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) removes fine particles by inducing an electrostatic charge and capturing them.
The amendment to Title 24 (broiler chicken rule) allows any type to be used in commercial kitchens. ESPs were developed specifically to control particles; on the other hand, catalytic oxidizers were initially more suitable for volatile organic compounds and other gaseous pollutants, but as technology evolved they also became suitable for particles. For example, an ESP is very effective for capturing particles in a coal-fired power plant, while a catalytic oxidizer is the best choice for an industrial facility that processes paints.
Electrostatic precipitators are generally more expensive and their installation is more complex. However, they cause minimal disruption to exhaust airflow, reducing fan power and providing long-term energy savings.
Catalytic oxidizers are simpler to install and have a lower initial cost, but they produce a greater pressure drop than electrostatic precipitators, requiring more fan power as a result.
Electrical Requirements
As previously mentioned, the NSF mark not only guarantees food hygiene and safety, but also electrical safety and energy efficiency.
- NSF is accredited by OSHA and is a nationally recognized testing laboratory, which means it can provide electrical safety certification to UL standards.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR program requires third-party certification for all labeled products, and NSF is also an ENERGY STAR certifier.
A qualified consultant or engineering company can check the labeling of your kitchen equipment, ensuring it complies with electrical safety standards. The capacity of the existing electrical installation must also be checked, ensuring that it can provide sufficient energy for all equipment to be installed.
Of course, it's also important to verify that restaurants meet the general requirements for commercial spaces set forth in the New York Electrical Code and Chapter 27 of the New York Building Code.
Lighting installations
Lighting systems used in food processing areas are exposed to a unique set of conditions and operational requirements not found in other industries. In general, the luminaires used must provide reliable lighting output, tolerate the vapors and humidity common in foodservice areas, and without themselves being a potential source of contamination. Lighting in commercial kitchens and other food processing areas must have the following characteristics:
- Lighting fixtures for eating areas should use materials that resist corrosion and heat but are non-toxic. Products with glass components are not recommended as they may break on impact, potentially contaminating the food below.
- Its construction must be free of holes or spaces that could accumulate water or bacteria.
- They must have lenses that tolerate frequent cleaning without color changes or distortion of the lighting output.
- Paints and coatings that could peel off and contaminate food should be avoided.
As with all other types of electrical equipment, NSF certification is highly recommended to meet electrical and hygiene requirements all at once.
LED lighting is not required by code, but there are many compelling reasons to implement it in commercial kitchens and restaurants. For example, LED light fixtures can be constructed without glass, eliminating the risk of food contamination from broken bulb shards. Fluorescent tubes, which contain mercury, are also eliminated. Furthermore, thanks to their lifespan of more than 50,000 hours, LED luminaires require little maintenance and reduce the frequency of lamp replacement.
Fuel Gas Code Requirements
The New York Fuel Gas Code covers cooking appliances specifically in Chapter 6, FCG Section 623. This section applies to all combustion-based appliances and prohibits the use of LPG cooking appliances unless exceptions are made. by the New York Fire Code. All commercial cooking appliances must be properly connected to a vent or chimney and are subject to the general requirements set forth in Chapter 5 of the New York Fuel Gas Code.
Final Observations
The foodservice industry is known for its strict regulations, and there can be serious legal consequences if you fail to comply, even if no customers were affected in a food-related incident. Therefore, a proper assessment by qualified professionals is highly recommended whenever a commercial space is occupied by a restaurant.
