Due to a degrading rooftop unit at The Onion Bar & Grill in Spokane, Wash., the retaurant owners experienced high energy costs while the kitchen staff dealt with poor indoor air quality. To fix this, co-owners Ken Belisle and Roger Dadi partnered with Doc Holliday at Holliday Heating to find a cost-effective solution: the installation of a new gas-fired condensing rooftop unit (C-RTU).

The High-Efficiency Choice in Commercial Ventilation

This emerging, high-efficiency technology is particularly advantageous for commercial buildings with high outside air percentages and long runtimes. As gas-fired C-RTUs are far more efficient than their non-condensing, gas-fired counterparts, The Onion Bar & Grill joins a growing number of businesses looking to support their bottom lines with significant gas and electric savings and favorable payback on their investments.

Savings, Value and Comfort

With the installation of a Reznor RHH-350 C-RTU powered by gas and electricity provided by Avista Utilities, The Onion Bar & Grill saved $1,890 on their utility bills during the 2015/2016 heating season. In addition, by significantly reducing operating costs, the C-RTU installation increased the building’s asset value to the tune of $37,800.

And the benefits didn’t stop at the bottom line. By eliminating recirculated air, the C-RTU provides kitchen staff with 100-percent-conditioned outdoor air to vastly improve their indoor comfort.

High Efficiency Means Quick Payback

While non-condensing RTUs operate at manageable thermal efficiencies of around 75 percent, The Onion Bar & Grill’s new C-RTU operates at an impressive 91 percent thermal efficiency. Although the C-RTU unit comes with added costs to manage condensate, these profound savings on both gas and electricity more than compensate for the investment. In fact, Ken Belisle and Roger Dadin managed to reclaim these costs in under 16 months and continue to save substantially on their utility expenses.