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Food Storage

Return to Cafeteria

Design Guidance

Overall Strategies

Food must be stored properly to ensure the quality and safety of the item over it's edible life. Fresh and pasteurized foods require refrigerated storage. Dry goods do not require refrigeration, but should be kept in airtight containers to ensure freshness and minimize infiltration by vermin.

Freezer

Walk-in and reach-in freezers should have fully-gasketed doors to fully contain the cold air within, and walls should be adequately insulated. When available, select units that carry the Energy Star label for energy efficiency. Look for freezer equipment that does not use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) based refrigerants which deplete the ozone. Freezers may be connected to back-up power supplies such as generators to preserve food during power outages.

Refrigerator

Walk-in and reach-in refrigeration units should have fully-gasketed doors to fully contain the cold air within, and walls should be adequately insulated. When available, select units that carry the Energy Star label for energy efficiency. Look for refrigeration equipment that does not use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) based refrigerants which deplete the ozone. Freezers may be connected to back-up power supplies such as generators to preserve food during power outages.

Dry Storage

Dry food storage should be provided off the room floor on shelves or racks that can be easily cleaned. Food should be stored in air-tight containers.

Hot Food Holding Cabinets

Warming cabinets can be stationary or mobile carts that are plugged into convenience outlets, and generally have multiple racks to keep several trays of food warmed to the same temperature. When not in use, warming cabinets should be turned off or unplugged to conserve energy.

Under Counter Refrigeration

Under-counter refrigeration units should have fully-gasketed doors to fully contain the cold air within, and walls should be adequately insulated. When available, select units that carry the Energy Star label for energy efficiency. Look for refrigeration equipment that does not use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) based refrigerants which deplete the ozone.

Best Practices

  • Select temperature settings that balance food safety needs with energy conservation efforts.
  • Use Energy Star rated and FEMP-designated appliances to reduce electricity consumption when in use and to reduce phantom plug load during off-hours. Alternatively, use only appliances that can be turned off completely when not in use.

Compare Food Storage Options

EB = Existing BuildingsNC = New Construction and Major Renovation

Federal Requirements

Guiding Principles

  • Environmentally Preferable Product ( Guiding Principles [EB, NC])
    Section: V. Reduce Environmental Impact of Materials

    Use products that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment over their lifecycle when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. A number of standards and ecolabels are available in the marketplace to assist specifiers in making environmentally preferable decisions. For recommendations, consult the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers.

    Whole Building Design Guide | Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers EPA Greener Products and Services

  • Energy Efficiency ( Guiding Principles [NC])
    Section: II. Optimize Energy Performance

    From the Guiding Principles for NC: “Employ strategies that minimize energy usage. Focus on reducing energy loads before considering renewable or clean and alternative energy sources. Use energy efficient products as required by statute.”
    Determining Compliance: “For new construction, ensure energy efficiency is 30% better than the current ASHRAE 90.1 standard. For modernization, ensure: (1) energy use is 20% below the fiscal year (FY) 2015 energy use Baseline, (2) energy use is 30% below the FY 2003 energy use baseline, (3) the building has an ENERGY STAR® rating of 75 or higher, or (4) for building types not in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, where adequate benchmarking data exists, the building is in the top quartile of energy performance for its building type. For new construction and modernization, use energy efficient products, as required by statute.”

    DOE FEMP - Energy- and Water-Efficient Products

  • Energy Efficiency ( Guiding Principles [EB])
    Section: II. Optimize Energy Performance

    From the Guiding Principles for EB: “Employ strategies that minimize energy usage. Focus on reducing energy loads before considering renewable or clean and alternative energy sources. Use energy efficient products as required by statute.”
    Determining Compliance: “Ensure: (1) the building has an ENERGY STAR rating of 75 or higher, (2) energy use is 20% below the FY 2015 energy use baseline, (3) energy use is 30% below the FY 2003 energy use baseline, or (4) energy efficiency is 30% better than the current ASHRAE 90.1 standard. Use energy efficient products, as required by statute.”

    Whole Building Design Guide | Optimize Energy UseENERGY STAR Qualified Products

  • Commissioning ( Guiding Principles [EB])
    Section: I. Employ Integrated Assessment, Operation, and Management/Design Principles

    From the Guiding Principles for EB: "Meet the commissioning requirements of Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 section 432 and Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) guidance. Employ recommissioning, tailored to the size and complexity of the building and its system components, in order to optimize and verify performance of building systems. Recommissioning should be led by an experienced commissioning agent who is independent of the facility operations team. Building recommissioning should include a commissioning plan, verification of the performance of systems being commissioned, and a commissioning report that confirms identified issues were appropriately addressed."
    Determining Compliance: "Commissioning reports for certification purposes must be completed within two years prior to certification date. Recommissioning should be completed at least every four years thereafter to optimize building performance. Use commissioning agents who are independent of the design and construction or operating team. Commissioning should be consistent with EISA section 4327 and FEMP commissioning guidance."

    DOE EERE - Commissioning for Federal Facilities
    DOE - Guidance for the Implementation and Follow-up of Identified Energy and Water Efficiency Measures in Covered Facilities.

  • Commissioning ( Guiding Principles [NC])
    Section: Section: I. Employ Integrated Design Principles

    From the Guiding Principles for NC: "Employ commissioning tailored to the size and complexity of the building and its system components in order to optimize and verify performance of building systems. Commissioning should be led by an experienced commissioning provider who is independent of the project design and construction team and the operations team. At a minimum, commissioning should include a commissioning plan, verification of the installation and performance of systems being commissioned, and a commissioning report that confirms identified issues were appropriately addressed. Follow Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 section 432 and associated Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) commissioning guidance.”
    Determining Compliance: “Commission and recommission at least every 4 years to optimize building performance using commissioning agents who are independent of the design and construction or operating team. Commissioning should be consistent with EISA section 4321 and FEMP commissioning guidance.”

    DOE EERE - Commissioning for Federal Facilities
    DOE - Guidance for the Implementation and Follow-up of Identified Energy and Water Efficiency Measures in Covered Facilities

  • Material Content and Performance ( Guiding Principles [EB])
    Section: V. Reduce the Environmental Impact of Materials

    From the Guiding Principles for EB: Procure construction materials, products, and supplies that have a “lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment over their life cycle when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose”, including:
    (i) “Use Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) section 6002 compliant products that meet or exceed EPA’s recycled content recommendations for building construction, modifications, operations, and maintenance.”
    (ii) “Per section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (FSRIA), for USDA-designated products, use products with the highest content level per USDA’s biobased content recommendations.”
    (iii) “Purchase products that meet Federally Recommended Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels or are on the Federal Green Procurement Compilation.”
    (iv) Eliminate, to the maximum extent practicable, “ozone depleting compounds and high global warming potential (GWP) chemicals where EPA’s SNAP has identified acceptable substitutes or where other environmentally preferable products are available” during construction, repair, or replacement at the end of life.
    Determining Compliance: “Procure products that meet the following requirements where applicable: (A) RCRA section 6002, and (B) FSRIA section 9002, and (C) Federally Recommended Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels or are on the Federal Green Procurement Compilation for other green products, as appropriate, and (D) Avoid ozone depleting compounds and high GWP chemicals.”