ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard

E nergy is critical to organizational operations and can represent a major expenditure, whatever their activities may be; thus improvements in energy efficiency can lead to improvements in the organization profitability.

W hat is it? ISO 50001 is a voluntary international standard developed by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization and it contains requirements for energy management systems (EnMS). ISO 50001 may help organizations, large and small, in managing and improving their energy consumption and efficiency. Many experts believe that behavioral-driven approaches to energy use can, in many cases, lead up to 50% of energy use reduction, without compromising production output. The purpose of ISO 50001 is to enable organizations to establish systems and processes necessary to continually improve its energy performance including energy efficiency, use and consumption. ISO 50001 is intended to foster reductions in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and other related environmental impacts, through systematic management of energy. As in all Management System Standards, successful implementation depends on commitment from all levels and functions of the organization but, and especially, from top management. ISO 50001 specifies requirements of an energy management system (EnMS) for an organization to develop and implement an energy policy, establish objectives, targets, and action plans, which take into account legal requirements and information related to significant energy uses (SEU). An Energy Management System enables an organization to achieve its policy commitments, take action as needed to improve its energy performance and demonstrate the conformity of the system to the requirements of standards such as ISO 50001 and/or the European Norm EN 160001. Implementation of ISO 50001 must be tailored to fit the organization implementing it, including the complexity of the system, degree of documentation, and resources. ShouldIcare? Energy is critical to organizational operations and can represent a major expenditure, whatever their activities may be; thus improvements in energy efficiency can lead to improvements in the organization profitability. In addition to the economic impacts to an organization, energy wastage can impose environmental and societal costs by depleting resources and contributing to problems such as climate change. The development and deployment of technologies for new energy sources and renewable sources can take time. Energy consumers cannot control energy prices, governmental policies or the global economy, but they can improve the way they manage their energy consumption and efficiency. Improved energy performance can provide rapid benefits for an organization by maximizing the use of its energy sources and energy-related assets, thus reducing both energy cost and consumption. ISO 50001 is based on the tried and tested PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT (PDCA) cycle management system model that is already understood and implemented by organizations worldwide, having deployed other ISO Management System Standards, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Why certify? While organizations can certainly implement ISO 50001 without going for an independent certification, engaging with a reputable and properly accredited EnMS Conformity Assessment Body for an independent audit program can prove very valuable. The external friendly pressure exercised by a professional registrar aids the organization in keeping focused and disciplined to the intent of the standard. Attaining certification to ISO 50001 also assists organizations in demonstrating to internal and external stakeholders its commitment to sustainable development. Many experts expect that the costs for implementing and attaining certification to ISO 50001 would have a great Return on Investment (RoI) for the expected savings in reduced energy consumption. Without the path towards attaining and maintaining certification, many organizations lack the internal discipline to pursue its objectives. Why DNV? DNV is uniquely positioned to be your partner towards ISO 50001 certification. Our Training group provides training on ISO 50001 as a starting point. Further, DNV has representatives to the ISO Technical Committee 242, responsible for developing the ISO 50001 document. So, we are fully involved with the technical discussions around the ISO 50001 family of documents. DNV was the first Certification Body to attain full accreditation for ISO 50001 with the Dutch Council for Accreditation, RvA. DNV, with our global presence and impeccable reputation and expertise is fully committed to add value to your EnMS program, by supporting the focus on continual energy performance improvement, rather than wasting time and efforts on non-value added documentation and paperwork.