GE Capital Mobile App Helps Restaurants Cut Energy Costs

GE Capital is rolling out WattWise, a new mobile application, to its franchise restaurant operator customers in the U.S. WattWise analyzes the energy consumed by the lighting currently installed in a restaurant, then estimates the savings operators can achieve if they switch to more energy-efficient alternatives.

 

Restaurants spend up to five times more on utilities than other commercial businesses, according to the 2011 Chain Restaurant Industry Review, released this week by GE Capital, Franchise Finance. Lighting accounts for 13% of a restaurant’s total energy usage but it’s one of the expenses that can be most easily managed. Initial testing with WattWise identified at least $500 in cost-saving opportunities per store per year, and sometimes much more. Savings are dependent on a number of factors, including the number and age of the lighting fixtures in use.

 

“A simple system like this for improving light bulbs can directly impact an operator’s bottom line over the long run,” says Chris Armbruster, vice president of franchise development for Taco Bell Corp. “WattWise is a great way to save money and be environmentally conscious at the same time.”

 

WattWise was introduced at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, AZ. It is available for free to all companies that finance directly through GE Capital.

 

WattWise was developed through a GE collaboration team spearheaded by GE Capital’s Access GE program through which the company shares tools and insights from across GE to help customers tackle some of their most pressing business challenges.