Abstract: Systems and methods optimize energy savings associated with a kitchen hood system. Embodiments of the present invention relate to adequately exhausting a gaseous substance while minimizing the devotion of unnecessary energy. An identification module identifies a plurality of parameters associated with the kitchen hood system. Each parameter has an impact on the overall efficiency of the kitchen hood system. A weighting module weights each parameter. A weight associated with each parameter is representative of a predicted impact each parameter has on the overall efficiency that the kitchen hood system operates relative to each other parameter. An incorporation module incorporates the weight of each parameter into a reduction factor. The reduction factor is representative of an overall impact that the plurality of parameters has on the overall efficiency that the kitchen hood system operates.

Abstract: A ground source heat transfer system circulates transfer fluid between heat exchange units and a ground loop. The system includes a bypass which allows the transfer fluid to continue to circulate past the exchange units while bypassing the ground loop. Monitoring the conditions of the system with temperature sensors allows the system to selectively activate the bypass whenever diverting fluid away from the ground loop can save heat or energy.

Abstract: An exhaust control system (72) for a commercial or institutional kitchen exhaust system (32) is disclosed in which the exhaust fan speed is optimized for the amount of cooking heat and cooking by-product generated by the cooking units, as well as for comfort in the kitchen (12). Kitchen comfort is determined by sensing temperature, humidity, noxious gases, smoke, odor, or some combination thereof. In particular, exhaust air temperature can be used by the control system (72) to modulate fan speed from a minimum value to a maximum value based on the minimum and maximum temperatures that define a particular temperature span. During operation, the control system (72) continues to monitor environmental parameters of the kitchen (12) to determine if the current temperature span provides optimal performance. Upon determining that the current temperature span is no longer the optimal one, the control system (72) operates the exhaust system (32) according to a different temperature span.

Abstract: An air control system (33) for an exhaust system (32) of a commercial or institutional kitchen (12) of a facility (10) in which the volume rate of air exhausted may be increased to improve the comfort, health, and safety conditions in the kitchen (12) and the rest of the facility (10). Comfort, health or safety may be determined by sensing a parameter in the ambient air environment (28), such as temperature and/or gas level. With the exhaust system (32) operating at a first volume rate to handle the activity of the cooking units 18, the air control system (33) causes exhaust system (32) to increase the volume rate toward a second, higher volume rate to exhaust more air from the ambient air environment (28) thereby reducing the temperature or gas level in the facility (10) to improve comfort and reduce load on a HVAC system (30) or to improve air quality which has health and safety benefits as well.