Tom's of Maine
At a Glance
Industry
Consumer Packaged Goods
Project Type
Industrial Energy Efficiency
Year
2013
Location
Kennebunk, ME
Summary
Emily Greenlee helps Tom's with bright ideas in building control systems, air compression and shutdown procedures.
Goals
Emily Greenlee was brought on board to help Tom’s of Maine’s make progress on the goals in its 2012 Goodness Report. She worked to reduce energy use at the Tom’s of Maine toothpaste, deodorant and mouthwash factory in Sanford, Maine.
Solutions
Greenlee identified a variety of possible energy efficiency upgrades including LED lighting, a new air compressor and air conditioning upgrades. Greenlee also recommended the implementation of a building control system to monitor heating and air conditioning use and to track electricity, compressed air, steam and water use in real time. Greenlee also worked to institute process and maintenance changes including new shutdown procedures to minimize energy use when the factory is not running. Finally, she worked to establish new methods of tracking and reducing energy use by contract manufacturing facilities, which produce Tom’s of Maine products including soap and dental floss.
Potential Impact
Greenlee’s recommendations could reduce Tom’s of Maine’s electricity use by more than 20 percent and total building energy use by more than ten percent, eliminating over 100 metric tons of carbon per year. Her controls system could allow Tom’s of Maine to continue identifying energy efficiency opportunities in the future.