New energy management standard: ISO 50001

Today, more than ever, reducing energy use is a crucial issue for the success of any business. Managing energy consumption can help a business beat rising energy costs, comply with greenhouse gas legislation and improve its reputation.

ISO 50001 is an international standard that equips businesses with the latest best practice in energy management. It was developed by energy management experts from more than 60 countries across the world.

ISO 50001 will help businesses to:

• Understand their energy usage.
• Create action plans, targets and energy performance indicators.
• Identify, prioritise and record opportunities for improving energy performance.
• Save money on energy costs.

According to BSI Group, ISO 50001 can help organisations of all types - public sector, governmental, corporations, small or medium-sized businesses across all sectors and countries - save money by reducing their energy costs.

Features and benefits of ISO 50001 include:

• Reduce costs: reduce energy costs via a structured approach to identifying, measuring and managing energy consumption.
• Reduce GHG emissions: meet current or future voluntary and/or mandatory energy efficiency targets or greenhouse gas emission reduction legislation and stakeholder expectations now and in the future.
• Secure energy supply: understand the business’s energy risk exposure and identify areas of the organisation at greatest risk.
• Improve business performance: drive greater productivity by systematically identifying and prioritising the most cost-effective technical solutions and effecting behavioural change to reduce energy consumption.
• Engage top management: position energy management in the boardroom as a key issue for investment.
• Formalise energy policy and objectives: promote an energy management policy and embed energy efficient thinking in the business.
• Integrate your management system: align an energy management system (EnMS) with existing management systems for incremental benefit.
• Drive innovation: develop opportunities for new products and services in the carbon-constrained world of the future.

An effective EnMS provides a business with confidence that it is in control of its significant energy impacts. It demonstrates an innovative and forward-thinking approach to customers and prospective employees.

Like other ISO management system standards, certification to ISO 50001 is possible but not obligatory. According to ISO (International Organization for Standardization), some organisations decide to implement the standard solely for the benefits it provides, while others seek certification to show external parties they have implemented an EnMS.

Some sections of ISO 50001 are available to view on www.iso.org.