ISO 50001 Energy management system

Courtesy: ISO 50001 Energy management system

The overall responsibility for the installed energy management system must be located with the top management. An energy officer and an energy team should be appointed. Furthermore, the organization has to formulate the energy policy in form of a written statement which contains the intent and direction of energy policy. Energy policy must be communicated within the organization. The energy team is the connection between management and employees. In this phase the organization has to identify the significant energy uses and prioritize the opportunities for energy performance improvement.

• Do:

The stated objectives and processes are now introduced and implemented. Resources are made available and responsibilities determined. Make sure that employees and other participants are aware of and capable of carrying out their energy management responsibilities. The realization of the energy management system starts.

An energy management system requires a process for compliance and valuation of energy-related regulations. Internal audit can help to verify that the energy management system is functioning properly and generating the planned results. The processes are monitored with regard to legal and other requirements (customer requirements, internal policies) as well as to the objectives of the energy management of the organization. The results are documented and reported to top management.

• Act:

The top management prepares a written valuation based on the internal audit. This document is called the management review. The results will be evaluated on their performance level. If necessary, corrective or preventive actions can be initiated. Energy-relevant processes are optimized and new strategic goals are derived.

Certification proves that the energy management system meets the requirements of ISO 50001. This gives customers, stakeholders, employees and management more confidence that the organization is saving energy. It also helps to ensure that the energy management system is working throughout the organization.

Another advantage of a certification is its emphasis on continual improvement. The organization will continue to get better at managing its energy. Additional cost savings can be generated over several years. Furthermore, certifying an organization shows your public commitment to energy management.

UKAS, the certification bodies’ accreditation scheme in UK, accredits certification bodies to carry out certification of business energy management systems to ISO 50001. In July 2018, there were 15 UK bodies with the necessary accreditation to carry out independent audits and issue Energy Management Systems Certification to ISO 50001