How to Run an Energy Treasure Hunt with your team

In this video, we share one of the most popular carbon reduction actions from our Giki Actions platform, with step-by-step instructions on how to implement it in your business. The energy treasure hunt is perfect for companies who want to engage their employees with a fun, team-based approach to reduce fuel use and electricity costs. This proven method has helped many organisations cut their energy use by up to 15%, delivering significant cost savings while reducing carbon emissions.

Why Run an Energy Saving Treasure Hunt

Energy waste is often hiding in plain sight across your facilities. From lights left on in empty rooms to heating systems running inefficiently, these small inefficiencies add up to substantial costs and unnecessary carbon emissions. An energy treasure hunt harnesses the collective knowledge of your team - the people who work in these spaces every day - to spot opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity and inclusivity. Unlike complex energy audits that require specialist consultants, treasure hunts can be run by any team, in any type of building or industry. They create a culture of energy awareness that extends far beyond the hunt itself, encouraging ongoing vigilance about energy waste.

Companies like Colgate have made energy treasure hunts an annual tradition, consistently identifying new savings opportunities. In 2023 alone, Colgate's three treasure hunts uncovered improvements ranging from chiller upgrades to smart air compressor installations. Similarly, Energy Star helped Stryker Osteonics identify potential savings of $385,000 per year through a single treasure hunt at their New Jersey plant.

Impact opportunity: Medium (typically 1-5% of emissions)
Implementation time: Short (under 6 months)
Cost saving potential: Medium
Business growth potential: Small

The Treasure Hunt Process

Running an effective energy treasure hunt doesn't require specialist expertise - just enthusiasm and a systematic approach. The process involves forming small teams of about five people, giving each team a specific area to investigate (whether that's a building, floor, or department), and having them hunt for energy-saving opportunities.

Teams should look for quick, low-cost changes that could make an immediate difference. This might include identifying lights or video screens that could be switched off, reviewing heating and cooling settings, or spotting machinery that could run more efficiently. The key is focusing on opportunities that don't require major capital investment but can deliver meaningful savings.

The hunt works particularly well because it taps into employees' intimate knowledge of their workspaces. They know which meeting rooms are rarely used but always lit, which equipment runs constantly when it could be scheduled differently, or where drafts suggest heating is being wasted. This ground-level insight often reveals opportunities that external auditors might miss. 

After the hunt, scheduling follow-up sessions to review findings and plan implementation is crucial. Not every idea will be immediately feasible, but many will offer quick wins that can be implemented within weeks rather than months. The treasure hunt also serves as an excellent foundation for building a culture of continuous improvement, where energy awareness becomes part of everyday operations.

This energy treasure hunt is just one of over 600 carbon reduction actions available on our Giki Actions platform. Each action comes with detailed information including environmental impact, cost savings potential, business case justification, and full implementation plans, plus examples from companies who've successfully implemented them. Contact us to find out more.