Energy Treasure Hunts
Energy Gemba Walks or Energy Treasure Hunts are collaborative activities where employees learn and work together to walk around their facility to uncover opportunities to save energy.
These events are different than energy audits, as they don’t require as many experts, while engaging employees in learning about electricity usage in the building, and helping them identify low cost opportunities to reduce usage and save money.
Teams representing different departments from the facility are invited to the team. Over a series of meetings that can span hours to a few days, they receive training and walk around the facility looking for quick ways to save energy.
Want help conducting your own event? Learn more about our Energy Treasure Hunt virtual coaching sessions to help you facilitate an event at your facility >>>
Paul Lemar of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory spoke about his vast experience with Treasure Hunts in a March 2024 webinar we conducted together for the Iowa Sustainable Business Forum (ISBF). He explains the process as follows:
Planning Phase
- Determine goals and objectives of Treasure Hunt with facility leadership (start with 10% reduction)
- Determine team members who represent different areas of the facility (12-30 attendees, depending on company and facility size)
- Key areas include HVAC, air compressors, process machinery and other large energy consumption equipment
- Review monthly energy/utility bills and quantify business case
- Request incremental, hourly, daily or more granular data from utility company (if available, something less than just monthly)
- Develop agenda and schedule the 2-3 day event and logistics
- Finalize team members with their availability to participate and finalize dates of event
Activity Phase
- Conduct 2-3 day event
- Day 1 (Usually Sunday (when facility is not running or idle)
- Morning
- Kickoff session on 1st day
- Safety briefing, training on what to look for, and training on any energy measurement tools (including using your eyes and ears, and taking lots of photos)
- Facility tour while idle to identify quick win opportunities (air leaks, equipment running, lights on, etc)
- Afternoon
- Discuss initial findings
- Document ideas and enter into tracking tool (with training on how to use), such as MEASUR tool
- Focused on capturing and quantifying low-cost solutions (little to no capital expense required, less than 1 year payback) that are focused on process changes, equipment settings and behaviors
- Continue facility tour to identify opportunities
- Plan agenda for next day
- Morning
- Day 2 (Usually Monday when facility is fully operational)
- Morning
- Kickoff with leadership
- Review goals and objectives
- Facility tour while facility is running (equipment running during breaks, optimizing energy usage for each equipment, review room temperatures, doors/windows open, etc)
- Continue facility tour to identify opportunities
- Afternoon
- Document ideas and enter into tracking tool
- Conduct data collection to estimate impact or potential savings
- Prioritize top ideas and opportunities
- Get agreement from team on top ideas
- Take team photo
- Plan agenda for next day (consider evening and overnight shift observations if applicable)
- Morning
- Day 3 (Usually Tuesday)
- Morning
- Conduct data collection to estimate impact or potential savings
- Finalize top ideas
- Summarize findings and total opportunities
- Afternoon
- Develop presentation for leadership
- Develop plan for next steps (follow-up meetings and cadence reviews)
- Present findings to leadership
- Celebrate with team
- Morning
- Day 1 (Usually Sunday (when facility is not running or idle)
Cadence Phase
- Conduct weekly meetings to check status and progress on top ideas (strong emphasis to complete as much as possible within 30 days)
- Provide monthly updates to leadership on progress
You can watch our entire webinar presentation below or go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti7TolvBJc8 or download the audio podcast at https://leansixsigmaenvironment.org/index.php/e116-using-energy-treasure-hunts-and-energy-swaps-to-engage-employees-and-reduce-costs/
Hundreds of organizations have used Energy Treasure Hunts to reduce their facilities’ energy use by up to 15 percent.
Energy Star has many details about how to conduct Treasure Hunts, and we wrote an article about details of an Energy “Go and See” event (alternative name). You can also find some training slides for team leaders at the Better Buildings website from DOE, and Tools and Resources from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Check out some helpful videos below…
Here is an Energy Treasure Hunt conducted at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, with the help from GE employees
This nonprofit hospital identified over $200,000 in energy savings opportunities, and typically 50% of those opportunities are implemented.
A Treasure Hunt was conducted at a TV station in Hawaii
Here is a 4-part series of videos to learn more about Energy Treasure Hunts
You can learn more about Energy Treasure Hunts at the Energy Star website
