المستخلص: |
This paper aims at improving energy efficiency in national and international quick service restaurants in Cairo with focus on the implications of energy leakage and waste. A questionnaire form was designed and distributed to 180 operation managers, from which 118 responded making a response rate of 65.5%.The findings of the study showed that fossil fuels are the main sources for generating energy at national and international quick service restaurants (QSR) and the forms used in national chains are in a descending order, Liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas and electricity and vice versa in international chains. The results clearly showed that only 1% of the investigated international QSR chains use solar energy for water heating only. It is quite clear that there are several barriers that hinder improving energy efficiency among which; shortage of financial resources, lack of technical services and skilled labor force. Loose legislations and the extent of top management adoption of energy efficiency improvement technologies are among other barriers. The entire population of the study is only interested in investing no and low cost to minimize energy leakage and waste. This research concluded the indigence need to raise the level of restaurant managers' awareness of the potential applications of renewable energy. There is also essential to build up a policy based on implementing feasible energy management program.
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