Commercial, Demand Management, Energy Efficiency  -  July 14, 2017

Michigan brewery wins energy reduction competition

BarFly Ventures, a Michigan restaurant and bar company, was awarded June 2 for its achievements in reducing energy and water use, notably stemming from a shift in management rather than the installation of new equipment.

Grand Rapids Brewing Co., one of the properties owned by the Grand Rapids, Mich.,-based parent company, won the Michigan Battle of the Buildings energy reduction competition, reporting a reduction in energy use of 8.5% in 2016, according to a blog post on the competition's website.

The competition was organized by the West Michigan chapter of the U.S. Green Buildings Council to encourage business owners to reduce their carbon footprints through energy efficiency programs.

“Sustainability initiatives, as a whole, are rare in the restaurant industry,” Barfly sustainability manager Autumn Sands was quoted as saying. “We are really excited that our small changes have made an impact.”

Adjustments to the restaurant’s sustainability measures included simply talking with employees about the being aware of the amount of energy they use, and reducing unnecessary lighting and equipment use by standardizing the procedures for opening and closing the restaurant.

Going forward, Barfly Ventures plans on continuing their energy efficiency programs throughout its properties and initiating projects such as LED lighting retrofits and installing U.S. EPA Energy Star-certified equipment.

Other energy efficiency efforts at the company include partnering with energy consulting firm Midwest Energy Group to track energy data and participating as one of the founding members of Grand Rapids 2030 District, a coalition of downtown Grand Rapids business owners committed to increasing sustainability in the city.

In addition to Grand Rapids Brewing Co., Barfly also owns HopCat, Stella’s Lounge and Waldron, all in the Grand Rapids region.

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