GM Turns To Workers To Help Trim Energy Bills

December 17, 2007

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General Motors is trying to get workers to turn off lights and computers, and alert managers to window leaks and other energy inefficiencies, The Detroit News writes. One report has some plants and offices kept at 55 degrees. With more than 60 factories in the U.S. alone, even small changes can lead to millions saved.

Each plant has managers dedicated to the job – and UAW staffers are on hand to help as well. Each plant’s energy bills are transferred automatically into a central data system. GM’s energy use is down 27 percent since 2002 – about half of that savings comes from changing worker behavior.

GM’s Fairfax plant in Kansas was GM’s most energy efficient U.S. plant last year. It’s rolling out an internal Web site that will allow workers to report places where they see energy being wasted.

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