Smart Exhaust Optimization for a Commercial Kitchen 

One-Line Summary:

FLO₂ helped a resort kitchen reduce exhaust fan energy consumption by 39% while maintaining responsive ventilation for active cooking conditions. 

Project Snapshot:

Parameter	Details
Client / Project Reference	The Tamara Coorg – South Indian Kitchen
Sector	Hospitality
Location	Coorg
Building Type	Resort commercial kitchen
Application	Kitchen exhaust fan optimization
Monitoring Period	March 2025, 31 days
Daily Operating Window	Approx. 14.5 hours/day
FLO₂ Intervention	Smart kitchen exhaust automation
Energy Saved	Approx. 963.6 kWh in one month
Energy Impact	Approx. 39% reduction compared to estimated constant operation
Occupant / Operations Benefit	Better-aligned exhaust operation, reduced avoidable fan energy, and responsive ventilation during active kitchen conditions

Project Highlight:

39% exhaust fan energy savings in a high-use commercial kitchen — without compromising operational responsiveness. Commercial kitchens are energy-intensive spaces. Exhaust fans often run for long hours at fixed speeds, even when the cooking load varies through the day.
At The Tamara Coorg’s South Indian Kitchen, FLO₂ helped shift exhaust operation from a fixed high-energy pattern to a more responsive model. Over the March 2025 monitoring period, the system reduced exhaust fan energy use by approximately 963.6 kWh, delivering an estimated 39% energy saving compared to constant operation. 

The Context:

A resort kitchen has a very different ventilation profile from an office or retail space.
Cooking activity rises and falls across breakfast, lunch, evening prep, and dinner service. During peak cooking periods, exhaust performance is critical for heat, fumes, and kitchen comfort. But during lower-demand periods, running the exhaust system at full intensity can waste energy.
The challenge was to reduce avoidable fan energy without affecting the kitchen’s ability to respond during active cooking conditions. 

The FLO₂ Intervention: 

FLO₂ was introduced as a smart automation layer for the kitchen exhaust system.
Instead of treating the exhaust fan as a fixed-load system, FLO₂ helped the fan operation respond to actual kitchen conditions. This allowed exhaust performance to increase when the kitchen needed it and reduce unnecessary energy use during lower-demand periods. The system was designed with operational safeguards, ensuring that kitchen safety and responsiveness remained central to the intervention. 

What Changed:

Before FLO₂, the exhaust fan energy profile was assessed against a constant-operation baseline.
After FLO₂, actual energy use over the monitored month was significantly lower. The estimated baseline energy use for the period was 2,472.25 kWh, while the actual energy use recorded was 1,508.65 kWh. This resulted in approximately 963.6 kWh of energy saved in one month.
For the kitchen team, the benefit is not only energy savings. A smarter exhaust system also supports a better working environment by responding to periods of higher heat and cooking intensity, while reducing unnecessary over-operation when demand is lower. 

Impact Delivered:

Area	Result
Energy Efficiency	Approx. 39% reduction compared to estimated constant operation
Monthly Energy Saved	Approx. 963.6 kWh in March 2025
Baseline vs Actual	2,472.25 kWh estimated baseline vs 1,508.65 kWh actual usage
Operational Fit	Suitable for a high-use commercial kitchen with changing cooking load
Kitchen Comfort	Supports better ventilation response during active cooking periods
Sustainability Value	Reduces avoidable energy use in a hospitality back-of-house operation

Project Outcome:

For The Tamara Coorg, FLO₂ delivered measurable energy savings in one of the most operationally demanding areas of a hospitality property: the kitchen. The project shows how commercial kitchen ventilation can move beyond fixed-speed operation. By making exhaust performance more responsive to real kitchen demand, FLO₂ helped reduce energy waste while supporting comfort, safety, and day-to-day kitchen operations.