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The Lean and Energy Toolkit
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Purpose of This Toolkit
This Lean and Energy Toolkit offers Lean implementers practical strategies and techniques for improving Lean results—waste elimination, quality enhancement, and delivery of value to customers—while reducing energy use, costs, and risk. The toolkit is also intended to introduce Lean practitioners to the extensive array of energy management resources available from EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and other organizations.
The “Lean” methods discussed in this toolkit are organizational improvement methods pioneered in the Toyota Production System. Lean production and Lean manufacturing refer to a customer-focused business model and collection of methods that focus on the elimination of waste (non-value added activity) while delivering quality products on time and at a low cost. The toolkit assumes that you are familiar with Lean methods.
Key Questions Addressed by This Toolkit
Lean works well when it focuses on identifying and eliminating waste. Environmental improvement and energy reduction efforts that could distract Lean efforts from this prime focus may not get much traction. By contrast, this toolkit contains strategies and techniques that can enable Lean practitioners to easily identify energy wastes and improvement opportunities alongside the myriad other wastes and improvement opportunities uncovered by Lean. To accomplish this, the toolkit aims to answer the following questions:
How to Use the Toolkit
The Lean and Energy Toolkit uses icons to help you
find and follow important information in each chapter.
Key Point
Identifies an important
point to remember.
Key Term
Defines an important
term or concept.
New Tool
Presents a technique
or resource that helps
capture, communicate,
or
apply new knowledge.
Chapters also include one or more “To Consider” text boxes that contain questions to help you explore how the information relates to your organization.
What is the relationship between Lean and energy use?
Substantial
energy savings typically ride the coattails of Lean. By eliminating manufacturing
wastes, such as unnecessary processing and transportation, businesses
also reduce the energy needed to power equipment, lighting, heating,
and cooling. Chapter 1 describes benefits of combining Lean and energy
improvement efforts. Chapter 2 explores the relationship between Lean and energy
use, and provides background information on energy use and costs.
How does
one know how much and where energy is used in a facility?
A key step
in effective Lean and energy efforts is learning where to target energy-reduction
activities. Chapter 3 discusses techniques for assessing energy use and
identifying opportunities to save energy in the context of Lean. Methods include
energy treasure hunts, value stream mapping, Six Sigma, and kaizen events.
How can one reduce energy use with Lean methods?
Chapter 4 examines specific
opportunities for using Lean to reduce energy use, including Lean methods
such as total productive maintenance, right-sized equipment, plant layout,
standard work, and visual controls. Chapter 5 discusses additional ideas
for achieving process excellence with less energy use and environmental impacts.
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Executive Summary
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Overview of Energy Use and Lean
- Chapter 3: Energy Assessment Strategies
- Chapter 4: Energy Reduction Tools and Strategies
- Chapter 5: Conclusion
Appendices
- Appendix A: Energy Assessment Service Providers, Resources, and Tools
- Appendix B: Sector-Focused Energy Reduction Resources
- Appendix C: Energy Conversion Resources and Rules of Thumb for Estimating Energy Cost Savings