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An investigation into induction stovetops for the new SUB

University of British Columbia. Sustainability Office

The following report outlines a comparison between induction stovetops and conventional gas stovetops using a triple bottom line analysis approach. The purpose of this comparison was to identify the most suitable type of stovetop technology for the kitchens in the new Student Union Building. The triple bottom line analysis consists of an economic, social, and environmental assessment. Research on these three topics was gathered through websites, government documents and academic papers. The main economic results from the analysis are that induction stoves have an increased initial capital investment, but that they have lower operating costs. In the model we developed for our research, the payback of the initial increased cost is approximately twenty three years. Although this seems like a large investment, twenty three years is not that long for a company to make a return, especially considering the life time of the new SUB. The main social result is that an induction kitchen stays at a much cooler temperature than a kitchen that operates gas stovetops. Higher temperatures in kitchens with gas stoves have been linked to high heart rates, high skin temperatures and high blood pressures for the workers. Heat stress for cooks is also a huge issue and this will be minimized with the installation of induction stoves. Increased cooking times, lower noise output, immediate heat response and ease of cleaning are also social impacts related to induction stoves. The environmental research found that running induction stoves produces approximately 13 times less greenhouse emissions than natural gas stoves. Not only does the reduction in greenhouse gases have a direct positive environmental impact, but this reduction could be a major contributor to earning LEED Platinum Plus certification, the merit that the new SUB is aiming to achieve. In conclusion, based on the points outlined above, we believe that induction stove tops have an advantage over gas stoves and therefore our recommendation is to install induction stove tops in the kitchens of the new SUB. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Text

University of British Columbia. APSC 262; UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0108328

Applied Science, Faculty of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/