Short answer: A filtration supplier needs the appliance schedule, fuels, menu, peak simultaneous use, operating hours, design airflow, duct dimensions and route, fan duty, discharge location, receptor plan, odour-risk assessment, available space, electrical supply, access and maintenance capability. Missing inputs become assumptions that should be stated and resolved.
Airflow alone cannot describe the contaminant load, and menu alone cannot describe the equipment or dispersion risk. The best brief combines kitchen, mechanical, planning and operational information so treatment can be selected against a defined duty. It also names the people responsible for final design and commissioning.
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.
Cooking and operational information
List each appliance by manufacturer, model, fuel, energy and position. Describe the foods and processes at peak operation, including frying, chargrilling, spices, baking and solid fuel. Record covers or meals per hour and opening hours. Future equipment must not be hidden inside a vague allowance.
- Equipment schedule and layout.
- Menu and cooking methods.
- Peak simultaneous operation.
- Daily/weekly operating hours.
- Future phases and menu changes.
Ventilation and building information
Provide canopy, duct and fan details, design airflow and available pressure, supply-air arrangement and the proposed filter location. Show bends, fire compartments, roof routes and space for service. Existing projects need measured airflow and a condition survey rather than old drawings alone.
- Extract and supply air quantities.
- Fan curve and controls.
- Duct route, size and material.
- Available plant area and service envelope.
- Electrical and drainage provisions.
Planning and receptor information
Show the discharge on elevations and plans relative to windows, roofs, terraces, gardens and air intakes. Include applicable planning conditions, noise limits and odour assessment. The supplier can then distinguish equipment selection from the wider question of whether the discharge proposal is acceptable.
- Sensitive receptor distances and heights.
- Terminal type, height and velocity.
- Local authority correspondence.
- EMAQ+ or equivalent risk result.
- Required commissioning evidence.
What the observation may be telling you
| Observation | What it may mean | Correct next step |
|---|---|---|
| Only kitchen floor area supplied | Cannot define pollutant or airflow duty | Provide appliances, menu and ventilation data |
| Only fan model supplied | Actual operating airflow unknown | Provide measurements/pressure duty |
| No receptor drawing | Odour-control objective cannot be assessed | Survey windows, intakes and surroundings |
| No maintenance space | Selected equipment may be unserviceable | Coordinate service envelope before order |
| Future chargrill mentioned verbally | Major unpriced/unassessed duty change | Include it formally or prohibit until redesign |
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
- Issue a controlled equipment schedule.
- Provide measured or calculated airflow.
- Show the complete duct route and fan.
- Complete odour-risk and receptor information.
- Identify power, controls and drain needs.
- State installation and maintenance access.
- List every assumption and responsibility.
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
- Requesting a filtration quote from one photograph.
- Using duct size as proof of airflow.
- Ignoring make-up air and building pressure.
- Leaving cooking duty “to be confirmed” until after order.
- Assuming the filtration supplier owns planning approval.
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
Can a supplier size filtration from canopy length?
Not reliably. Canopy size does not define airflow, equipment duty, pollutant load or receptor risk by itself.
What if the menu is not final?
Set a conservative, clearly defined design envelope and require review before exceeding it.
Who owns the final specification?
The appointment should name the responsible designer. Product selection, ventilation design, fire strategy and planning may involve different specialists.
Related Kitchen Install Guide reading
- Commercial Kitchen Site Survey Checklist
- What Should a Kitchen Extraction Quote Include?
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment Duty Categories
Survey the premises before committing to the design
Use the KIG 221 Commercial Kitchen Site Survey Sheet to record routes, utilities, access, constraints and decisions in one consistent site record.
Sources and further guidance
- BESA: DW/172 Specification for Kitchen Ventilation Systems
- EMAQ+: Control of Odour and Noise from Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Systems
- Purified Air: Commercial kitchen ESP systems
- Purified Air: Commercial kitchen multi-filter units
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.