Thermal Comfort in Commercial Kitchens: a Real-World Perspective!

The restaurant industry in the United States is the second largest private-sector employer with a workforce of nearly 13 million. And while engineers designing HVAC systems for foodservice facilities recognize the importance of thermal comfort, the extent to which this design goal has been compromised has not been well documented by ASHRAE. This information gap became the catalyst for RP-1469, “Thermal Comfort in Commercial Kitchens.” The study focused on documenting the thermal environment, both winter and summer, in 100 food service facilities. Key findings of this study are presented in context with the author’s 40-year experience in commercial foodservice.