McDonalds - Trend

CASE STUDYTrend Controls’ BEMS helps McDonald’smeet its sustainability targetsFirst published: January 2013McDonald’s has installed Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) fromTrend Controls across 1,100 of its UK restaurants. Not only does this reducecosts but it also helps make it one of the world’s most sustainable quick servicerestaurant chains.Since it was founded in 1954, McDonald’shas grown from a family burger stand toone of the world’s most recognisablerestaurant chains, with more than 30,000locations in 118 countries. The companyopened its first UK restaurant in 1974,which is still operating in Woolwich,London, and it now has a total of 1,200restaurants across the UK.Energy efficiency is incredibly importantto McDonald’s and it has a carefullydefined and maintained sustainabilityagenda. Peter Schroeder, the company’senergy and environment consultant,explains, ‘Like many other multi-sitequick service restaurants, energy usageis something that we need to monitor andmanage from cost and environmentalperspectives. We are also part of theCarbon Reduction Commitment (CRC)Energy Efficiency Scheme and haveto measure and report our energyconsumption. These factors mean that itis more important than ever that we useenergy wisely.’Each one of its restaurants is givenstrict usage targets and has the latesttechnology to monitor and manageits energy. The task of installing thisequipment is given to Sidcup basedPowell Systems Engineering.The company specialises in the design,installation and maintenance of BEMSand for the last five years has beeninvolved with specifying equipment fromTrend Controls throughout McDonald’sUK outlets. Ian Powell, managingdirector of Powell Systems Engineering,comments, ‘For all new restaurants weget involved at the planning stage sothat we can design site specific systems,while for existing restaurants we retrofitsolutions based on what is required.’Powell Systems Engineering hasenjoyed a long and successful workingrelationship with Trend Controls, andasked what he puts this down to,Powell replies, ‘We believe that Trendmanufactures some of the most robustand reliable products on the market.They are also incredibly flexible, whichmeans that whatever environment wehave to install a BEMS in – whether newbuild or an existing location – it will meetthe client’s exact needs.’Powell Systems Engineering’s relationshipwith Trend has also gone from strengthto strength and the company recentlybecame an IQ Assured AccreditedPartner. Only companies that operateat the pinnacle of their profession canachieve this designation. In order toqualify, a business must be a buildingcontrols specialist and an authorisedsupplier of Trend systems. AccreditedPartners are regularly audited to ensurethey are maintaining high standardsof workmanship and quality control,and are given access to Trend’s latestdiagnostic tools.The BEMS at the McDonald’s outletsare based around Trend’s IQ3xcitecontrollers. The versatility of the deviceshas proved ideal in every situation,despite the wide variety of air conditioningand other plant they are called to control.

The controllers monitor cold stores,fridges and air extracts at each site, aswell as monitoring and controlling airconditioning. The cold rooms specificallyare monitored back at McDonald’s HeadOffice using the Trend 963 Supervisor.This powerful software solution providesthe facilities team with a fully automateddial-out feature for contacting theindividual service companies to alertthem of a refrigeration failure, which inturn reduces damage and stock losses. Atdrive-through locations, Trend controllersalso switch on and off external signageand car parking lighting automatically,depending on natural light levels.The IQ3xcite controllers have also beenconfigured with ModBus for energymonitoring functionality and eachrestaurant is linked to McDonald’s virtualprivate network (VPN), which enables alldata to go to a central monitoring station.Every restaurant manager is able toview data and temperature trends, andcan change times and settings usinga PC with a graphical user interface.Powell Systems Engineering is alsoable to update software as necessary,view system data, adjust plant settingsand rectify system problems, all withoutvisiting the site.McDonald’s has increased the numbersof customers it serves by nearly 20 percent in three years, whilst at the sametime reducing its energy consumptionthrough precise temperature control andavoiding the unnecessary operation ofplant and lighting. New innovations suchas rooftop air handling systems with fanspeed control and water filter monitoringare also being implemented to makefurther savings.During 2013 Powell Systems Engineeringwill carry out installations across afurther 50 McDonald’s restaurants. Thefinal word goes to Peter Schroeder ofMcDonald’s, who concludes, ‘As a globalentity we believe in leading by exampleand make our energy reduction targetsdeliberately tough in order to go beyondthe minimum of what is expected. UsingBEMS in our restaurants helps us achieveour on-going environmental objectives.’For further information PowellSystems Engineering can becontacted on 01689 879000.Trend Marketing can becontacted on 01403 211888 ormarketing@trendcontrols.comTrend Control Systems LimitedAlbery House, Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 2PQ, UK.Tel: +44 (0)1403 211888 Fax: +44 (0)1403 241608 www.trendcontrols.comMKT 1135 v1.0