--- title: "Energy Management Systems – Site Surveys" id: "2990" type: "post" slug: "energy-management-systems-site-surveys" published_at: "2024-01-02T15:31:31+00:00" modified_at: "2023-12-19T20:38:45+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2024/01/energy-management-systems-site-surveys-002990/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2024/01/energy-management-systems-site-surveys-002990.md" excerpt: "Carrying out a full site survey is a specialist task but a mini-survey or walk-around will quickly and easily identify many actions to reduce energy use. Naturally, the focus will be on using that essential tool called the ’OFF switch’..." taxonomy_category: - "Business" - "Industry 4.0" - "Sustainability" - "Trending" taxonomy_post_tag: - "energy management" - "Robin Kent" - "Site Survey" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Trending](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/trending/) » [Sustainability](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/trending/sustainability/) » Energy Management Systems – Site Surveys # Energy Management Systems – Site Surveys Carrying out a full site survey is a specialist task but a mini-survey or walk-around will quickly and easily identify many actions to reduce energy use. Naturally, the focus will be on using that essential tool called the ’OFF switch’ but this can have remarkable rewards very quickly. ## Look for: - Equipment that is not in production but has motors, heaters or downstream equipment running, e.g., conveyors. - ‘Accepted’ practices that are wasting energy and that can be modified at no cost. - Simple maintenance measures that can be introduced to reduce energy use, e.g., sealing compressed air leaks. - Simple methods to stop machinery operating when it is not being productive, e.g., stopping granulators when there is no material present. - Simple methods to change the way the site works. A site survey is useless unless action is taken as a result of the findings. A clear and concise report must give the findings, possible projects and, above all else, drive action. This is not about finding projects but about completing them. ## **Action:** - Carry out a mini-survey NOW. - Make notes, take photographs and gather evidence. - Produce ‘Non-Conformance Reports’ (as for your Quality system) that must be actioned. *Dr. Robin Kent is the author of ‘[Energy Management in Plastics Processing](https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Management-Plastics-Processing-Strategies/dp/0081025076/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1699448773&sr=1-1) ’, published by Elsevier and Managing Director of Tangram Technology Ltd. ([www.tangram.co.uk](http://www.tangram.co.uk/) ), consulting engineers for energy and sustainability management in plastics processing.* *Also read [Energy Management Systems – Getting Started](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/11/energy-management-systems-getting-started-002677/) .* By **[Plastics Engineering](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/pe-anonymous/)** | January 2, 2024 ##### [Plastics Engineering](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/pe-anonymous/) [+ postsBio ⮌](#) ### Other posts you could read [April 22, 2026Beyond Flaps: How Composite Skins Enable Morphing Wing Design](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/beyond-flaps-how-composite-skins-enable-morphing-wing-design-010950/) [April 15, 2026ANTEC 2026: Rheology Understanding Leads to Competitiveness](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/antec-2026-rheology-understanding-leads-to-competitiveness-010797/) [March 24, 2026Next-Generation EV Battery Solution Wins SPE Award](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/03/next-generation-ev-battery-solution-wins-spe-award-010958/) [April 6, 2026Thermotropic LCEs Power Soft Robotics](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/thermotropic-lces-power-soft-robotics-010984/) [April 3, 2026Digitalization and Simulation: Redefining What is Possible](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/digitalization-and-simulation-redefining-what-is-possible-010981/) [April 1, 2026Using AI for Transparent Policymaking](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/using-ai-for-transparent-policymaking-010926/) [April 16, 2026Artificial Rattan: Furniture from PolyAl](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/artificial-rattan-furniture-from-polyal-011037/) [April 9, 2026RecyQMeter: Quantifying Recycled Plastic Quality](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/recyqmeter-quantifying-recycled-plastic-quality-010917/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2024/01/energy-management-systems-site-surveys-002990/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&text=Energy+Management+Systems+%E2%80%93+Site+Surveys&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&text=Energy+Management+Systems+%E2%80%93+Site+Surveys&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&t=Energy+Management+Systems+%E2%80%93+Site+Surveys](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&t=Energy+Management+Systems+%E2%80%93+Site+Surveys) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&title=Energy%20Management%20Systems%20%E2%80%93%20Site%20Surveys&summary=Carrying+out+a+full+site+survey+is+a+specialist+task+but+a+mini-survey+or+walk-around+will+quickly+and+easily+identify+many+actions+to+reduce+energy+use.+Naturally%2C+the+focus+will+be+on+using+that+essential+tool+called+the+%E2%80%99OFF+switch%E2%80%99+but+this+can+have+remarkable+rewards+very+quickly.%C2%A0&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&title=Energy%20Management%20Systems%20%E2%80%93%20Site%20Surveys&summary=Carrying+out+a+full+site+survey+is+a+specialist+task+but+a+mini-survey+or+walk-around+will+quickly+and+easily+identify+many+actions+to+reduce+energy+use.+Naturally%2C+the+focus+will+be+on+using+that+essential+tool+called+the+%E2%80%99OFF+switch%E2%80%99+but+this+can+have+remarkable+rewards+very+quickly.%C2%A0&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&title=Energy+Management+Systems+%E2%80%93+Site+Surveys](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2990&title=Energy+Management+Systems+%E2%80%93+Site+Surveys) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dee1adabbcb4bbbdaae38eb2bfadaab7bdadfe9bb0b9b7b0bbbbacb7b0b9fef3fe9bb0bbacb9a7fe93bfb0bfb9bbb3bbb0aafe8da7adaabbb3adfe3c5e4dfe8db7aabbfe8dabaca8bba7adf8bcb1baa7e3b6aaaaaeade4f1f1a9a9a9f0aeb2bfadaab7bdadbbb0b9b7b0bbbbacb7b0b9f0b1acb9f1e1aee3ece7e7ee](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dee1adabbcb4bbbdaae38eb2bfadaab7bdadfe9bb0b9b7b0bbbbacb7b0b9fef3fe9bb0bbacb9a7fe93bfb0bfb9bbb3bbb0aafe8da7adaabbb3adfe3c5e4dfe8db7aabbfe8dabaca8bba7adf8bcb1baa7e3b6aaaaaeade4f1f1a9a9a9f0aeb2bfadaab7bdadbbb0b9b7b0bbbbacb7b0b9f0b1acb9f1e1aee3ece7e7ee) - [#comments](#comments)