Norris Food Services, a division of the Constance Food Group, recently opened a new 130,000 square foot fresh foods facility in Long Island that serves 674 7-Eleven stores in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Because Norris Food Services is committed to serving the Long Island community in both the areas of environmental sustainability and economic well-being, the design and construction of their fresh foods facility placed a premium value on energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
Norris Food Services partnered with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to implement a number of energy and water saving systems in their new facility, including:
- High efficiency tray washing system;
- High efficiency, low flow sanitation system;
- Energy efficient lighting and occupancy sensors; and
- Comprehensive energy management system with ongoing operator training.
Most notably however, is the high efficiency refrigeration system Norris Food Services invested in. Collaborating with LIPA, the company implemented a design that includes central chillers which operate approximately 30 percent more efficiently than standard equipment. While the incremental design and construction costs to Norris Food Services were significant, the resulting demand and energy savings— along with incentives from LIPA—made the project cost effective. The refrigeration system alone saves Norris Food Services $340,000 annually in energy costs.
In the midst of the current economic downturn, Norris Food Services has been able to save significant money and energy through efficiency measures. Their support of the community remains strong, as their fresh foods facility employs 250 Long Islanders.
Norris Food Services is committed to sharing lessons learned from their efficiency projects by continually offering public tours of their state of the art facility.