--- title: Energy Conservation in Commercial Buildings description: While financial metrics are important to DCKV installation, there are also soft benefits for the building's occupants and workers. image: https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Brent-Article.png --- - [Services](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - - - [Services Overview](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - [Building Commissioning](https://melinkcorp.com/services/building-commissioning/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-and-balance/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-balance-faqs/) - - #### Why we do what we do “We’ll build a 7 figure new store and we’ll fight with the A/C or negative air pressure for months or years, all because the equipment was never set up properly, causing problems that extend for the life of the building. Your reports allow us to know everything is set the way it should be from the beginning.” *Director of Facilities for a national restaurant chain* - [Kitchen Hood Controls](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - - - [Intelli-Hood Overview](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - [Intelli-Hood FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-faqs/) - [Intelli-Hood Resources](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-resources/) - - #### Why we do what we do > “Our engineering department worked with the engineers from each of our hotel brands and fully evaluated Intelli-Hood. Everyone is convinced that this is one of our most cost-effective paths to sustainability.” > > *SVP Operations New Development at Leading Global Hotel Chain* [tel:15139657300](tel:15139657300) - [Services](https://melinkcorp.com/services/) - [Building Commissioning](https://melinkcorp.com/services/building-commissioning/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-and-balance/) - [Test, Adjust & Balance FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/services/test-adjust-balance-faqs/) - [Kitchen Hood Controls](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/) - [Intelli-Hood Resources](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-resources/) - [Intelli-Hood FAQs](https://melinkcorp.com/kitchen-hood-controls/intelli-hood-faqs/) [About](https://melinkcorp.com/about/) - [Green Buildings](https://melinkcorp.com/about/melink-green-buildings/) - [Careers](https://melinkcorp.com/about/careers/) - [Contact](https://melinkcorp.com/contact/) # Green Link Sharing our expertise to help you succeed ![](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Brent%20Morris.jpg) [Brent Morris](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/author/bmorris) 4/18/19 8:00 AM [DCKV](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/topic/dckv) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) There's no doubt that energy conservation in commercial buildings (or any building for that matter) is important.  Reducing operating costs are important for valuations, freeing capital up for other projects or simply reducing the carbon footprint of your building (or portfolio of buildings).  There are many different Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) available to companies to help achieve these goals, and almost always the decision to use certain measures comes down to "I have to be at three years or less for the simple payback."  While financial metrics are important, I believe that this focus often obscures the soft benefits to the building's occupants and workers. A noise study was recently completed where a corporate kitchen's noise levels were measured before and after the installation of variable speed controls on both the hood exhaust and supply fans. Traditionally, kitchen exhaust fans run at 100% speed for constant periods of time.  With the addition of a variable speed system like [Melink Intelli-Hood](https://melinkcorp.com/intellihood), fan speeds are reduced to slower speeds when cooking isn't at its maximum. From an energy savings perspective there are two buckets of operational cost reductions: fan energy and conditioned air. The chart below shows that when the kitchen fans are operating at 100% speeds the decibel level is just short of what a fire alarm sounds like when activated.  With the addition of the variable speed controls, the site realized much lower average fan speeds, as well as a reduction in kitchen noise levels to just below conversational speech, or a reduction of 11 decibels.     ![Intelli-Hood Savings](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Brent-Article.png?width=545&name=Brent-Article.png)   The financial metrics for this project met all approval hurdles and the site is very happy.  For a moment, think about the chef and his staff.  Their work environment has now become much more quiet.  They can hear each other better when they're coordinating and preparing meals for several hundred employees each day.  Shouting and miscommunication is greatly reduced, and their environment is more pleasant. This particular improvement would be hard to show on an income statement…or would it?  As one example, within the senior living market, dining services is consistently near or at the top in employee turnover percentages. The current industry turnover rate is 36.91%* (McKnight's Senior Living, Salaries and Benefits Report 2017-2018*) with Certified Nurses Aids coming in a close second at 34%.  It will cost a facility approximately $2,500 in recruiting and training to backfill a single new employee.  Compound that amount with multiple hires each year and it gets expensive very quickly.  If, along with reducing energy costs, a site can also create a better work environment for its employees, then perhaps that large expense can begin to be reduced and more employees will remain on the payroll instead of seeking other places to work.  See the full [case study here](https://melinkcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Melink-IntelliHood-Corporate-Kitchen-Noise-Case-Study.pdf) or contact us today to learn more about Intelli-Hood and the benefit of kitchen hood controls. Call us at (513) 965-7300 or leave a comment below.     ![Brent Morris](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/hubfs/Brent%20Morris.jpg) #### About [Brent Morris](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/author/bmorris) Brent Morris currently serves as the Director of Sales. He is responsible for sales, strategy, and customer service within many of the largest hospitality, healthcare, and energy service companies in North America. Brent also manages Melink's international sales efforts in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and Europe. ## Most Popular Blog Posts ### Recent Posts ### VIEW BLOG POSTS BY TOPIC - [HVAC Test & Balance (50)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/hvac-test-balance) - [DCKV (49)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/dckv) - [Employee Owned (35)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/employee-owned) - [Energy Efficiency (27)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/energy-efficiency) - [Building Health (21)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/building-health) - [Climate Change (13)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/climate-change) - [Construction (10)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/construction) - [Commissioning (8)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/commissioning) - [Green (8)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/green) - [Renewable Energy (6)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/renewable-energy) - [Corp (5)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/corp) - [Zero-Energy Building (5)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/zero-energy-building) - [Electric Vehicle (4)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/electric-vehicle) - [Solar PV (3)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/solar-pv) - [HQ2 (2)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/hq2) - [Geothermal (1)](https://blog.melinkcorp.com/blog/tag/geothermal) See all ## Most Recent Blog Posts ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe to Email Updates ## CONTACT US **Global Headquarters:** Melink Campus 5140 River Valley Road Milford, OH 45150 USA 513-965-7300 © Copyright 2025, Melink Corporation. 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