The optimiser

Steinbeis is made up of many employees who not only contribute their expertise and experience, but also their heart for the environment. In our employee portraits, they have their say and tell us what is special about their job. But also what role the topic of sustainability plays in their private lives. This time we are talking to Rieke Thee, Energy and Environmental Manager.

How long have you been at Steinbeis?

I've been working here for almost seven years. After studying process engineering in Aachen, I was drawn straight back to the north - my old home.

What is your job like?

My main task is to continuously improve our energy and environmental performance. To this end, I monitor and analyse our energy and resource consumption and am in close contact with the production managers, production staff and colleagues from the technical department. Together, we collect ideas on how we can improve further. i also make sure that our activities fulfil the strict requirements of the ISO standards to which we are certified.

Do you also take care of energy purchasing?

No, that's done by my colleagues at Steinbeis Energie, with whom I liaise closely. My job is more to optimise energy costs by managing production with my colleagues in such a way that our energy consumption is optimally aligned with the energy market. As a plant, we endeavour to have the most constant load profile possible, i.e. the most even electricity consumption possible. At the same time, consumption should also be as low as possible. As a project engineer, I coordinate the process, which almost always affects all areas of production.

What do you like best about your work?

Every day is different, which is exciting. Although I naturally also have recurring tasks, such as reporting our environmental data to the relevant authorities, my day-to-day work is very colourful and varied. In my role here, I form a central interface and I am on the move in all areas. I report to the management and the head of the production department, but I have just as many points of contact with employees from production, technology and administration. I also represent Steinbeis externally: in energy efficiency networks and as a speaker on the topic of sustainability.

How do you implement the concept of sustainability in your private life? What do you think people should pay attention to?

For years, I've been competing with our Head of Production to see who has the lowest per capita electricity consumption in the private household. We are both well below the national average. One tip: when buying new appliances, always go for the highest energy efficiency class - it makes a big difference.

Apart from that, I'm a big fan of second-hand clothing, of "clothing recycling" so to speak. There are always great flea markets in larger cities in the summer - some of them especially for women. My trick to avoid rummaging in vain at the wrong stall: I look closely at the female sellers until I come across one who is dressed to my taste and is roughly my size. So far, I've not only found lots of bargains this way, but also very special treasures that not everyone has in their wardrobe.