Through Lexington’s Green Check certification program, businesses, nonprofits and places of worship are taking meaningful steps to reduce their environmental impact while lowering operating costs. One resource helping support these efforts is the energy audit kit, which contains a variety of tools designed to help identify energy inefficiencies.
Energy audit kits offer a simple but effective way to better understand how energy is being used within buildings. By detecting areas where energy is being lost, these kits help users make informed decisions that can improve comfort, reduce utility bills, and support broader sustainability goals. The energy audit kits available to Green Check participants contain an infrared thermometer, foot candle meter, electricity usage monitor, refrigerator thermometer, instant-read thermometer, and a thermal imaging camera. Together, these devices provide valuable information about building performance and equipment efficiency.
Thermal imaging cameras and infrared thermometers can reveal heat loss, air leaks, insulation gaps, and temperature inconsistencies that may otherwise go unnoticed. Heat naturally moves from warmer to cooler areas. In winter, the attic and roof are the first to lose heat because of convection and poor insulation. Even small inefficiencies can significantly increase heating and cooling costs over time making energy assessments an important first step toward cost savings. Electricity usage monitors show how much appliances and equipment consume and help identify devices that use excessive energy and prioritize upgrades or changes in operating practices. By understanding where energy is being consumed, organizations can be intentional about leading sustainability.
For Good Foods Co-op, a Gold level Green Check business, utilizing the energy audit kit provided valuable insight into how limited resources could be used most effectively. Greg Huber, Front End Manager at Good Foods Co-op, wanted to better understand where energy losses were occurring. “One of our top goals is to have environmental stewardship. It’s something we take very seriously,” Huber said.
Among the tools included in the kit, the infrared thermometer proved to be the most beneficial. Huber explained that the information gathered, “gave an idea of little, small fixes, made sense where energy was lost, but opened [our] eyes to where it’s going.” This information will allow the Co-op to prioritize improvements while operating within a smaller budget.
Lex Center for Creative Reuse also found the energy audit kit to be a valuable resource. The nonprofit diverts arts and craft materials from the landfill, making sustainability central to its mission. Since opening in 2022, the organization has diverted approximately 131,000 pounds of materials while providing affordable supplies and educational workshops that encourage creative upcycling. When they opened, they were the only creative reuse center in the state. LCCR recently recertified at the Silver Green Check level.
For the LCCR team, one of the biggest benefits of the energy audit kit was its accessibility. The kit format – all the devices packaged together with instructions – made it easy to approach the audit and understand how each tool should be used. The guidance helped staff feel confident using the equipment while identifying opportunities to improve energy efficiency throughout their facility.
The organization has already implemented numerous sustainable practices through Green Check, including installing programmable thermostats, reducing paper use, and incorporating sustainability into employee training and community outreach. The energy audit kit complemented these efforts by helping staff better understand how their building performs and where additional improvements could be made.
Energy assessments provide a foundation for reducing energy loss and advancing environmental stewardship. Energy audit kits provide an accessible starting point for understanding and optimizing energy use. These tools empower users to make informed decisions that lower costs, improve comfort, and reduce environmental impacts.
Energy audit kits are available for Green Check businesses to check out for one week at a time. Email greencheck@lexingtonky.gov for more information.
