Heat and Ventilate Efficiently – How to Combine Heat Recovery and Heat Pump Systems in Gastronomy

High temperatures and humidity are natural in a professional kitchen – but controlling them is key. Ventilation is essential for any restaurant, yet it also represents one of the largest energy loads. Traditional systems exhaust warm air outside and reheat the incoming supply, while the combination of heat recovery and a heat pump returns waste heat back into operation – improving comfort, hygiene, and energy efficiency.

How the Connection Between Heat Recovery and a Heat Pump Works

A heat pump combined with a ventilation unit with heat recovery creates a closed, highly efficient system. The exhaust air from the kitchen transfers its heat to the fresh supply air, while the excess heat can also be used to heat the restaurant space or domestic hot water. In summer, the same system can cool the supply air, improving working comfort for the kitchen staff.

Modern systems achieve up to 75% heat recovery efficiency and meet the strict EN 16282 standards for professional kitchen ventilation.

Economic Benefits and Return on Investment

Ventilation systems in kitchens operate many hours a day, leading to high energy consumption. Adding a heat pump to a heat recovery system significantly improves the energy balance.

• Average heat output: 28 kW for 7 kW of electrical input
• Energy savings up to 50%
• Annual savings of approx. CZK 100,000 (for 14 hours of operation daily, 340 days per year)

The investment for a system with a heat pump is around CZK 500,000–700,000, with a payback period of only 5–7 years. After that, the system generates heat virtually for free.

Suitable Even for Smaller Kitchens

According to EN 16282, even medium-sized kitchens (with total installed power above 35 kW, approximately 50 meals a day) must include heat recovery ventilation. This means that energy-efficient kitchen ventilation is not limited to large facilities – the investment pays off equally well in small restaurants and hotel kitchens.

Case Study: Hotel Královka, Bedřichov

The Královka Mountain Hotel demonstrates how modern technology and energy efficiency can go hand in hand. The ATREA system ensures heat recovery from kitchen exhaust air and converts it into usable energy for space heating and hot water production. The result is lower energy consumption, stable indoor climate, and a healthier working environment for staff.

“Heat recovery in a kitchen can return up to half of the energy back into operation. It’s no longer just a comfort feature – it’s an economic necessity.”

— Jan Foret, Kitchen Ventilation Specialist, ATREA

The Future: Self-Sufficient Kitchens

With rising energy prices and increasing sustainability demands, heat pumps and heat recovery are becoming the standard in modern gastronomy. ATREA systems integrate heating, ventilation, and cooling into a single solution — ensuring that the energy generated by cooking stays where it belongs: in your kitchen.

Contact Us

Every kitchen is different — that’s why we offer complete design support, from concept to implementation. We’ll help you create a system that’s hygienically safe, energy-efficient, and built for long-term performance.

Get in touch with us – we’ll design a system that saves energy instead of losing it.