Short answer: A filtration schedule should identify the system served, design airflow, cooking duty, equipment sequence, manufacturer/model, clean and loaded pressure loss, electrical load, controls and interlocks, casing/access dimensions, supports, maintenance tasks, consumables, commissioning tests, performance evidence and responsible contractor.
A drawing note such as “provide ESP and carbon unit” is not a specification. It cannot support comparable prices, fan selection, electrical coordination or handover. A schedule creates one source of truth and exposes exclusions before plant is ordered.
Important: This guide explains design questions; it is not a product selection, planning approval or performance guarantee. A competent designer should assess the actual kitchen, air system, discharge and maintenance conditions.
Duty and selection fields
Begin with the source and required outcome: appliance group, menu, operating hours, odour-risk category and airflow. For each stage, record the pollutant controlled and the selection basis. Include the exact configuration rather than a brand family name.
- System and canopy reference.
- Design/maximum airflow.
- Cooking and risk basis.
- Stage sequence and model.
- Claimed performance with test reference.
Mechanical and electrical fields
Record casing dimensions, weight, orientation, support points, connection size, clean and loaded pressure loss, power, isolator, controls, fan interlock, alarm outputs and any drains. Add service-clearance dimensions and the route for removing cells, lamps or carbon.
- Overall and service dimensions.
- Pressure and fan allowance.
- Supply voltage/load.
- Control philosophy and interfaces.
- Access, lifting and drainage.
Operational and handover fields
The schedule should state cleaning and replacement tasks, expected consumables, safe isolation, spare strategy, commissioning evidence and warranty/service requirements. Name who supplies, installs, wires, tests and maintains each element. Use revision control so changes reach the fan and controls designers.
- Maintenance task and indicative trigger.
- Consumable type/quantity.
- Commissioning measurement.
- O&M/manual requirement.
- Responsible trade and approval status.
What the observation may be telling you
| Observation | What it may mean | Correct next step |
|---|---|---|
| Airflow | m³/s or l/s at design duty | Links product selection and fan calculation |
| Pressure loss | Clean and defined loaded condition | Prevents fan under-selection |
| Service clearance | Exact withdrawal/lifting envelope | Prevents inaccessible plant |
| Controls | Enable, proving, alarm and shutdown logic | Allows integrated testing |
| Maintenance | Task, access, interval basis and consumables | Makes performance sustainable |
A practical evidence workflow
Planning evidence and commissioning evidence answer different questions but should describe the same installed system. The first explains why the proposal should control impact; the second proves what was actually fitted and how it performed on the day of test.
- Freeze the operating brief. Record appliances, fuel, menu, hours, peak demand and delivery constraints. Note assumptions that may change, such as a future chargrill or later opening hours, because they can alter both treatment duty and planning risk.
- Issue a coordinated specification. Align the drawings, equipment schedule, treatment stages, duct route, discharge, access, acoustic measures, utilities, controls and maintenance requirements. Assign responsibility for every interface.
- Inspect before concealment. Photograph labels, access panels, fire-rated penetrations, drains, isolators, controls and service clearances. Resolve substitutions against the approved performance requirement rather than accepting a similar-looking unit.
- Commission and close out. Measure airflow and relevant pressure, electrical, water, gas, temperature or control values. Record test conditions, instruments and defects. Retest corrective work and provide the operator with the final evidence set.
Keep a useful record: Use a controlled index for drawings, calculations, product data, approvals, test sheets, certificates, photographs, training and maintenance information. Mark superseded versions clearly. A concise, traceable pack is stronger than hundreds of unindexed pages.
Project or service checks
- Use one unique tag for every item.
- Include units with every numeric field.
- Reference the current drawing and equipment revision.
- Separate supplier data from design assumptions.
- Identify by whom for supply/install/wire/commission.
- Record approved substitutions.
- Issue final as-installed schedule at handover.
Turn the agreed checks into named deliverables. Each item should have an owner, due date and acceptance method. Where a measurement is required, record the value, unit, instrument or source, operating condition and result. This makes the information usable at handover and during a later investigation.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving pressure loss blank.
- Using “TBC” for airflow at order stage.
- Omitting service dimensions.
- Mixing clean and dirty data.
- Allowing substitutions without checking fan, controls and planning evidence.
Avoid closing the issue on appearance alone. A new filter, reset controller or revised drawing may change the symptom without resolving the underlying duty, utility, access or maintenance problem. Confirm the completed work under a representative operating condition and keep the evidence with the asset or ventilation record.
Frequently asked questions
Should the schedule include carbon mass?
Yes where carbon is specified. Media type, quantity and arrangement help define capacity and future replacement.
Is a product datasheet enough?
No. It describes a product but not how it is applied, controlled, accessed and commissioned on the project.
Who updates the schedule after a substitution?
The responsible designer should approve and coordinate the revision with mechanical, electrical, structural and planning information.
Related Kitchen Install Guide reading
- What Should a Kitchen Extraction Quote Include?
- Electrical Information for a Kitchen Equipment Schedule
- Where Do Kitchen Extract Cleaning Access Panels Need to Go?
Capture the installation and commissioning detail
Use the KIG 318 Commercial Kitchen Installation Checklist to record interfaces, checks, outstanding actions and the evidence needed at handover.
Sources and further guidance
- BESA: DW/172 Specification for Kitchen Ventilation Systems
- Purified Air: Commercial kitchen ESP systems
- Purified Air: Commercial kitchen multi-filter units
- Purified Air: Commercial kitchen UV-O systems
- Extechnology: ESP, carbon, ozone and kitchen extract treatment
Last reviewed: 14 August 2026. This article provides general commercial-kitchen design information. It does not replace a site-specific ventilation design, manufacturer instructions, risk assessment, planning conditions or advice from a competent specialist.