GreenTech recently participated in a General Electric “Eco Treasure Hunt,” (ETH) hosted by a Staples distribution center in Orlando, FL. This was one of over 250 EHT’s run by GE at corporate sites across the country, ranging from manufacturing plants to theme parks to office buildings. In these events, GE sends a team to the site to study the facility’s energy use and to identify and recommend energy savings opportunities. Included on these teams are GE employees as well as outside energy experts like GreenTech who have worked with the facility owner. In this case, GreenTech was brought onboard by Staples, for whom we have done numerous lighting projects over the past several years.
A typical hunt, running from Sunday through Tuesday, utilizes small group activities, with each team being assigned a specific focus area, such as operational processes (cutting, washing), energy sources (electricity, steam, natural gas) or types of equipment (motors, HVAC, lighting). Following tours of the site, teams analyze and document all potential areas of energy waste, using GE’s ETH calculators to quantify potential energy savings, capital investment cost, return on investment, and payback schedule.
Companies interested in participating in a treasure hunt are required to provide detailed facility energy use data, and must demonstrate a high-level environmental commitment. They must also show that they have the resources and time to host the event as well as implement the results. “Follow-up is key,” says GreenTech’s vice president Paul Haviland, who participated in the Treasure Hunt at Staples. “The event will result in a wide variety of recommendations for cutting utility bills and reducing carbon emissions, but it’s just words on paper unless the company has the commitment and resources to implement the recommendations.”