Status: In the Works (Details Coming Soon)
Energy costs are not just a facilities issue. They are an operating cost that directly impacts margin, cash flow, and profitability. Energy 101 is a hands-on, discussion-driven workshop designed to help manufacturers see how everyday operational decisions drive energy spend, and what practical energy management techniques can do to improve the bottom line.
Through an interactive simulation, participants will experience how unmanaged energy use increases operating costs and how structured practices like load sequencing and predictive maintenance create measurable profit improvements.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the hidden cost of unmanaged energy use and how it erodes margins
- Apply load management and sequencing techniques to reduce peak demand charges
- Understand the link between predictive maintenance, energy performance, and profitability
- Quantify the impact of improved practices using real-time cost simulations
Workshop Format
This is not a lecture. Participants will work through a guided simulation and apply real operational tradeoffs.
Delivery Style: Hands-on simulation, group discussion, facilitator-led debrief
Tools Used: Excel-based factory model, energy load charts, maintenance event cards
Simulation Overview
Participants operate a virtual food manufacturing plant across three rounds. Each round represents a higher level of energy management maturity, and profitability improves as operational practices evolve.
Round 1: The Wasteful Factory
Participants run all equipment continuously to hit production targets, then calculate energy costs and margins.
Key takeaway: High production does not guarantee high profit when energy is unmanaged.
Round 2: The Smart Scheduler
Teams introduce load sequencing and scheduling to reduce peak demand costs and avoid demand penalties.
Key takeaway: Managing when energy is used can significantly reduce costs and improve margin.
Round 3: The Predictive Plant
Teams implement predictive maintenance and basic tracking to reduce downtime, failures, and energy waste.
Key takeaway: Predictive maintenance reduces avoidable losses and drives major profit improvement.
Each round ends with a short debrief connecting the simulation outcomes to real plant conditions and decisions.
Who Should Attend
This workshop is designed for manufacturers who want practical cost reduction strategies tied directly to profitability. Recommended for:
- Plant Managers and Operations Leaders
- Maintenance and Reliability Leaders
- Continuous Improvement and Lean Leaders
- Production Supervisors
- Controllers and Finance Leaders who want clearer cost drivers
- Anyone responsible for operating cost reduction initiatives
Expected Outcomes
Participants will leave with:
- A clear understanding of how energy management impacts profitability
- Practical techniques to reduce operating costs through sequencing and scheduling
- A framework for integrating predictive maintenance into continuous improvement efforts
- A measurable connection between energy strategy and financial results
Deliverables
- Facilitated half-day Energy 101 workshop
- Interactive Excel simulation model and participant workbook
- Summary handout: 5 Energy Efficiency Opportunities for Manufacturers
- Post-session reflection guide to support implementation planning
Duration
Half Day
Cost
$275 per participant
or
$2,500 per private session (on-site or hosted for your team)
Registration
Coming soon. This session is currently in development and will be posted once the location and dates are finalized.