Hobart, a foodservice equipment company, launched its new dishwasher system that does just that at today’s opening of the 2011 NAFEM Show in Orlando, Florida.

The CLeR system, which promises to save operators about $11,000 per year, is already receiving “very favorable feedback from customers,” says Allen Hasken, who was showcasing the warewasher machine on the floor of the show.

The secret behind CLeR’s cost-savings is the Advansys Energy Recovery technology. In true space-age form, the heat from the dishwashing cycle is captured within the vent-less machine and then used to heat the water for the next cycle.

Hasken says that while the CLeR may impress some because it uses less water than the traditional 300-gallon-an-hour dishwashers produced by the company, the real sustainable improvement is its energy savings.

“The EPA is mostly focused on water consumption right now, but they’re beginning to look at energy use more,” he says. “The overall carbon footprint should be considered really closely, and that’s water and energy use combined.”

In addition to the company’s CLeR launch, Hobart is also informing operators about the increasingly corrosive qualities of tap water.

According to Blake Heim, of Hobart, 43 of the 50 states are increasing the amount of chloramine in their water supplies to eliminate toxins. Chloramine is an 80-20 combination of chlorine and ammonia, respectively, that also corrodes steel when combined with heat.

“Operators can start seeing erosion within a couple days,” Heim says.

To combat equipment erosion, Hobart is also rolling out a new water purification system that runs exclusively off the kinetic power of water—without any electricity.

“We’re trying to take a leadership role in preventing this type of thing,” Heim says. The new system removes chloramine and softens the operation's tap water.

NAFEM is the annual trade show for North American Foodservice Equipment Manufacturers and has more than 500 exhibitors this year. The show continues until Saturday, February 12, 2011.