A popular phrase used widely throughout the industry is "the cheapest energy is the energy you don't use". While this may intuitively make sense, how exactly does one discover and reduce sources of wasted energy throughout an industrial facility? One of the best tools at an energy manager's disposal is what's known as an Energy Treasure Hunt; an onsite three-day event that engages cross-functional teams of employees in the process of identifying operational and maintenance (O&M) energy efficiency improvements. Often carried out several times over the course of a year, treasure hunts involve multiple teams simultaneously walking through areas of a facility during production while searching for opportunities to reduce energy use. This process empowers plant personnel to discover energy-saving opportunities while simultaneously building a culture of continuous improvement.
What does an energy treasure hunt look like?
Phase One | Phase Two | Phase Three |
| Start: 6 weeks out from treasure hunt | Start: The first day of planned treasure hunt | Start: After the conclusion of the treasure hunt |
| Schedule discussions with your organization’s or facility’s leadership to obtain their support. Gather data on current energy usage and costs, equipment specifications, and operating parameters. | Identify and quantify energy-saving opportunities at an onsite three-day event. Summarize and present the results for management review. | Develop a schedule to pursue the energy reduction opportunities identified during the Energy Treasure Hunt to keep the momentum and follow-through with improvements. |
Why should you host a treasure hunt? | What are some examples of treasure hunts? | ||
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Ready to start your own treasure hunt?
The Department of Energy has developed the necessary tools and materials, collectively known as the Energy Treasure Hunt Toolkit, to help with each individual phase of the treasure hunt process. This toolkit provides the treasure hunt facilitator with the tools needed to effectively plan and prepare for the event, successfully run it, and track the results. Explore the resources listed below to prepare for your Treasure Hunt and execute the three phases.
 | Start by reading the Treasure Hunt Overview and watching the webinar to the right. This overview of the Energy Treasure Hunt Toolkit provides information on the different stages of the treasure hunt, as well as the materials in the toolkit. | |
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Ready to take your treasure hunt to the next level?
To support partners in developing their internal Energy Treasure Hunt programs, Better Plants partners can apply to host a DOE-led Energy Treasure Hunt. These events are facilitated by Better Plants experts that train participants on how to identify and measure energy-saving projects using a variety of diagnostic equipment and tools. Better Plants partners can host an on-site, three-day training at one of their facilities, and invite others to attend. Experience gained through the facilitated events help companies train their employees on how to conduct their own Energy Treasure Hunt events for their organization.
To apply for an Energy Treasure Hunt, partners must meet all eligibility requirements and then work with their TAM to complete the required preparatory data collection request form. This information ensures adequate preparation for a high-impact event.
To view the full list of upcoming Energy Treasure Hunts, click here.
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