Harmony Bar earns Dane County Climate Champion

Dane County Executive Melissa Agard and the Office of Energy and Climate Change recognized the Harmony Bar & Grill for leading on climate action through its significant investments in energy efficiency.

The Harmony Bar achieved 2025 Climate Champion status for installing a heat recovery system and a new efficient compressor for the beer cooler, as well as upgrading all refrigeration and fans to new EnergyStar appliances. In the kitchen, the owners replaced gas-fired soup warmers with two electric induction rethermalizers, eliminating food waste and reducing energy consumption. In addition, the owners invested in properly insulating coolers and other efficiency measures.

“When we first bought the place, I took one look at the MGE bills and jokingly re-christened the Harmony my One Bar Global Warmer,” co-owner Mike Barrett said. “Within 6 months we slashed total energy usage by over 20%.”

Savings were achieved through energy efficiency measures large and small. Like better thermostat management, better air circulation through ceiling fan use and replacement of all refrigeration with EnergyStar appliances, Barrett explained.

The most drastic efficiency jolt was the May 2025 installation of a heat recovery tank. Barrett was happy to report on the success of the latest improvement.

“We are now capturing compressor heat into an insulated water tank instead of dumping it into the indoor air,” he said. “Now we only burn 66% of the electricity & fossil gas that was burned as recently as 2019.”

The Harmony was one of 23 entities that earned 2025 Climate Champion awards.

“We developed the Climate Champions program to recognize the leadership of entities like the Harmony that are taking significant action to reduce carbon emissions,” Kathy Kuntz, the county’s director of OECC, said in a statement.

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