The two actions that matter most this week are simple: run the no-cost checks in this guide, and consider an audit to identify equipment that may qualify for Energy Efficiency Grant co-funding, which supports up to 70% of eligible equipment costs for SMEs, capped at S$30,000 per company per year.
TL;DR:
- Auditors compare bills, service walkthroughs, and spot measurements, then rank priority upgrades in refrigeration, cooking, and ventilation by cost, savings, and payback.
- Check refrigeration door seals and thermostat settings, switch off idle fryers and ovens, clean condenser coils, and log readings from the biggest energy users.
- Applicants need SSIC 56 or 68104, a valid SFA licence, 30% local shareholding, turnover capped at S$500 million, and equipment used in Singapore.
- The grant runs through March 31, 2028, and covers approved induction hobs, inverter refrigerators, LED lighting, air conditioners, clothes dryers, and water heaters.
- The grant funds eligible equipment, not audit fees, so request a separate audit quotation and confirm eligibility before buying recommended replacements.
Table of Contents
- What a commercial kitchen energy audit examines
- Step-by-step checklist to run or brief an energy audit for your restaurant
- Which kitchen systems drive most energy and what to check in each
- No-cost and low-cost measures to cut energy use today
- When to upgrade equipment and how the EEG affects the economics
- How to keep savings durable
- Why audits and equipment decisions work best together
- How we support your audit follow-through
- Book a consultation or showroom visit with us
- FAQ
- Sources
What a commercial kitchen energy audit examines
An energy audit for a restaurant kitchen looks at every system that draws power, then ranks them by how much they cost you. Auditors combine three sources of information: your past electricity bills, a physical walkthrough of the premises, and spot measurements taken while the kitchen operates normally. This blend matters because bills alone show totals, not causes, and a walkthrough alone misses equipment that looks fine but runs inefficiently.
A typical scope covers:
- Refrigeration, including chillers, freezers and display units
- Cooking equipment such as hobs, fryers, ovens and steamers
- Ventilation and air conditioning, including extraction hoods and makeup air
- Lighting throughout kitchen, dining and storage areas
- Water heating for washing, food preparation and staff facilities
- Controls and operational practices, including schedules and staff habits
Benchmarking work carried out by auditors tends to confirm the same pattern across food businesses: a small number of systems, usually refrigeration, cooking and ventilation, account for most of the electricity bill. An NEA-commissioned benchmarking study of food manufacturing plants used on-site measurement and energy performance indicators to identify system-level opportunities and quantify savings for targeted investments.
Step-by-step checklist to run or brief an energy audit for your restaurant
A structured sequence keeps the audit focused and produces a report you can actually act on, whether you run it yourself or brief a consultant.
- Gather your electricity bills, a full equipment inventory with age and nameplate ratings, your SFA licence and your tenancy agreement.
- Walk the kitchen during service to observe equipment schedules, thermostat setpoints, airflow around condensers, door seal condition, and how staff load and use each appliance.
- Take spot measurements: kW readings on major equipment, temperature maps across refrigeration units, and simple energy performance indicators such as kWh per cover or per kilogram of food produced.
- Review the findings against your bills to confirm which systems are driving cost, not just consumption.
- Request a report with prioritised measures, each with an estimated cost, expected saving and payback period, structured so it also supports an EEG application.
Pro Tip: Photograph nameplate data and serial numbers on major equipment during the walkthrough. You will need this detail for both the audit report and any grant claim.
A report that stops at “install LED lighting” is not finished. The version worth paying for ranks measures by payback and flags which ones align with EEG pre-approved equipment categories, so the audit and the grant application move in the same direction. Our own commercial kitchen energy audit guide covers the walkthrough stage in more detail for Singapore kitchens specifically.
Which kitchen systems drive most energy and what to check in each
Not every system deserves equal attention, and knowing where to look saves time with auditors and vendors alike.
- Refrigeration: inverter compressors modulate output to match load, unlike fixed-speed units that cycle on and off at full power; dirty condenser coils, worn door seals and overloaded shelving all force compressors to work harder than needed.
- Cooking: induction hobs transfer heat directly to cookware rather than heating the surrounding air, which cuts wasted heat compared with open-flame gas burners; duty cycles and any heat recovery from fryers or ovens are worth reviewing alongside this.
- Ventilation and HVAC: extraction hoods pull conditioned air out of the kitchen, so an imbalanced system forces air conditioning to work harder to compensate; control strategies that match extraction rate to actual cooking activity reduce this load.
- Lighting and standby loads: LED fixtures use a fraction of the power of older fluorescent or incandescent lighting, and zoning lets you switch off areas not in use; equipment left on standby overnight adds up across a kitchen.
- Hot water: efficient water heaters paired with scheduling that avoids reheating during quiet periods cut a cost that is often overlooked next to refrigeration and cooking.
No-cost and low-cost measures to cut energy use today
Before any purchase decision, a handful of operational changes start reducing your bill immediately.
- Keep chiller and freezer doors closed and check seals monthly for gaps that let cold air escape.
- Set thermostats to the correct range for each product type rather than colder than necessary.
- Switch off idle equipment, including fryers and ovens left on during slow periods, and reduce unnecessary pre-heating before service.
- Clean condenser coils on refrigeration units, replace worn door seals, and swap old lighting for LED fixtures.
- Build staff standard operating procedures around staggered cooking times and a clear shutdown routine at close.
- Add simple submeters or log kW readings on your highest-use equipment so you can measure the effect of each change.
Quick fixes to refrigeration, cooking equipment and HVAC can help address energy use across the kitchen.
When to upgrade equipment and how the EEG affects the economics
Once the quick fixes are in place, the next question is whether replacing equipment pays for itself fast enough to justify the spend. Simple payback is the easiest way to compare options: divide the net cost of the upgrade by the annual saving in electricity cost, using the current regulated electricity tariff as your reference point if you are not on a private contract. A shorter payback period makes the case stronger, and grant support shortens it considerably.
The Energy Efficiency Grant has been extended to 31 March 2028 and supports eligible SMEs in the Food Services sector with up to 70% of qualifying costs for pre-approved equipment, capped at S$30,000 per company per year under the Base Tier.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Support rate | Up to 70% for eligible SMEs, 30% for non-SMEs |
| Annual cap | S$30,000 per company per year |
| Eligible categories | Induction cooking hobs, inverter refrigerators, LED lighting, air conditioners, clothes dryers, water heaters |
| Business classification | SSIC 56 or 68104, valid SFA licence |
| Shareholding | Minimum 30% local shareholding |
| Group turnover limit | No more than S$500 million |
| Equipment location | Must be used in Singapore |
Claims require quotations, invoices, proof of payment, delivery orders and clear installation photos, with serial numbers recorded where applicable. Keeping this paperwork organised from the moment of purchase avoids the most common cause of rejected or delayed claims. Our page on EEG-ready procurement walks through matching equipment choices to these categories before you order.
How to keep savings durable
An audit produces a snapshot, so the gains only last if you build routines around them. Set a monthly internal check against your bills and treat it the way you treat food safety checks, as a fixed part of running the kitchen, not an occasional task.
- Reconcile your electricity bill against submeter or kW log readings every month to catch drift early.
- Track a simple energy performance indicator, such as kWh per cover, so you notice a decline before it shows up as a large bill.
- Put major refrigeration and cooking equipment on a scheduled maintenance contract rather than waiting for a breakdown.
- Review the BCA’s guidance on energy efficiency in existing buildings periodically. Mandatory energy audits target large, energy-intensive buildings, and voluntary audits are encouraged for restaurants.
Pro Tip: Assign one staff member to own the monthly reconciliation. Savings that depend on everyone remembering tend to disappear within a few months.
Why audits and equipment decisions work best together
Most restaurant operators treat the energy audit and the equipment purchase as two separate projects, often months apart, and that gap is where savings leak away. The audit tells you which system costs the most to run, but without a procurement plan lined up against EEG categories, the finding sits in a report while the inefficient compressor keeps running. We think the audit only earns its cost when it is commissioned with the next step already in mind: which categories qualify for co-funding, and which supplier can deliver pre-approved equipment with the paperwork ready for a claim.
The other habit worth questioning is treating energy efficiency as a one-off equipment swap rather than an operational discipline. A new inverter fridge loses its advantage quickly if door seals are never checked and staff never alter old habits around loading and temperature settings. The equipment and the routine have to move together.
— David
How we support your audit follow-through
Once you have audit findings in hand, we help convert them into a procurement plan: reviewing which systems came up as priorities and matching them against EEG-eligible categories. Visit our showroom to see energy-efficient refrigeration and cooking equipment before you commit, and we can assist with the documentation that claims typically require, including quotations and invoices.
Book a consultation or showroom visit with us
If you have audit findings, or just a sense that your energy bill is higher than it should be, we can help you turn that into a procurement plan.
- Book a showroom appointment to review your findings and shortlist EEG-eligible equipment.
- Check our Energy Efficiency Grant page for information about co-funding and browse the standing gas kebab machine and standing electric kebab machine.
- Ask us about pulling together quotations and invoices as part of your order, so your claim paperwork is ready when you need it.
Browse our full range of commercial kitchen equipment to see what fits your kitchen before you book a visit.
FAQ
How much can a restaurant save from an energy audit in Singapore?
Most restaurants save on electricity costs after acting on audit findings, and savings increase further when combined with equipment upgrades, according to audit and grant guidance. The exact figure depends on how old your current equipment is and how many of the recommended measures you implement.
How long does a restaurant energy audit take?
A typical kitchen audit involves a bill review, an on-site walkthrough during service, and a short measurement phase, which together usually take a few days from data collection to a draft report. Smaller kitchens with straightforward equipment lists move faster than multi-outlet operations with varied systems.
What does an energy audit cost, and does the EEG cover it?
The EEG supports eligible equipment purchases, offering up to 70% of qualifying costs for eligible SMEs, capped at S$30,000 per company per year. Ask consultants for an audit-fee quotation, and check the grant requirements before purchasing equipment based on the findings.
Which kitchen equipment qualifies for the Energy Efficiency Grant?
Pre-approved categories for the Food Services sector include induction cooking hobs, inverter refrigerators, LED lighting, air conditioners, clothes dryers and water heaters, as listed on GoBusiness. Businesses must meet eligibility criteria including SSIC classification, a valid SFA licence and minimum local shareholding before claiming.
Do all restaurants in Singapore need to carry out an energy audit?
Mandatory energy audits currently target large, energy-intensive buildings rather than individual restaurants, but voluntary audits are encouraged for smaller operators seeking to reduce costs. Running one voluntarily also positions you to claim EEG co-funding on any resulting equipment upgrades.
Sources
- Grants
- Changes to the Building Control Act to enhance Energy Efficiency measures in Existing Buildings for a Sustainable Future | Building and Construction Authority