Longhorn Steakhouse
ORLAND PARK & BOLINBROOL, IL | 6,000 SQ FT TOTAL | RESTAURANT
INCREASED GUEST COMFORT & ENERGY SAVINGS
CHALLENGE:
Darden Restaurants, the largest fine dining restaurant group in the world with over 1,500 locations, was looking for a partner that could solve their comfort issues for their Longhorn Steakhouse Brand. Simultaneously, they sought a company that would help them meet their long-term energy efficiency goals.
They ordered pilots for two Illinois locations, Orland Park and Bolingbrook, which received constant guest feedback regarding temperature-related comfort issues. These comfort issues were primarily driven by two factors. First, their current programmable thermostats were unable to solve the temperature imbalances created by varying heat loads in their dining area. Second, their existing system required too much human intervention. They were looking for a simpler and systematic approach that could respond to the complex needs of their buildings.
SOLUTION:
Airoverse installed the Dynamic Airflow Balancing and Outside Air Optimization solutions in both locations. Dynamic Airflow Balancing was installed in restaurant dining areas. By obtaining a live weather feed and collecting empirical data, the cloud-based algorithm was able to rapidly learn and adjust the balance of airflow so that temperatures became uniform throughout service hours.
For Outside Air Optimization, Airoverse combines demand control ventilation (DCV) and enthalpy economizer solutions into one easy strategy. The solution offers the following advantages:
1. Airoverse receives enthalpy from live weather feeds, which wirelessly inform the economizer. Other economizers receive enthalpy data from a module received on the rooftop unit; should that fail, the economizer fails.
2. The Airoverse economizer solution uses temperature and humidity sensors to calculate indoor enthalpy. By understanding the difference between outside and inside enthalpy, free cooling is provided when conditions are right.
"The Airoverse system has definitely made a positive impact to the bottom line of the P&L with savings in utility expenses year over year."
– MANAGING PARTNER / LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE
RESULTS:
Within 24 hours, managers at both the Orland Park and Bolingbrook locations reported a noticeable difference in comfort. The building was being conditioned without human intervention thanks to the predictive power of the Airoverse proprietary algorithms. Not only that, but they were also able to prove it from Airoverse for Facilities, our online reporting tool.
