7 Tips for Achieving ISO 50001 Compliance

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You have likely heard of ISO 50001 already, but may have dismissed it as yet another standard that can be ignored until it fades away. Well, this one seems to be gaining momentum, and you should know the basics so when your boss asks you, “What about ISO 50001 certification?” you have a good answer prepared. Check out these stats:

– By May 2012, less than a year after ISO 50001 was launched, global demand was already in the top 10 of some 19,023 standards.
– It is estimated it could influence up to 60 % of the world’s energy use

What is ISO 50001? Here is an introduction:

ISO 50001 is a specification for an energy management system that defines requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving such a system.  It is based on the Plan – Do – Check – Act continual improvement framework and integrates energy management into daily organizational practices.  This enables an organization to follow a systematic approach to achieving continual improvement of its energy performance, including efficiency, usage and consumption.  This is beneficial for organizations with reporting and transparency pressures from shareholders and other entities requesting measurement data.  Plus it generates energy savings that come from implementing an energy management system and provides a solid foundation for enterprise carbon and energy management.

7 tips to achieve compliance:      

1. Establish clear objectives, “What are we trying to achieve?”. Plan ahead, it may be better to implement tools now that can help you achieve your goals in the coming years, rather than do the bare minimum to achieve compliance.
2. Make energy data visible. This is crucial at all stages of an energy plan; before, during, after. This involves metering and data collection for analysis.
3. Ensure consistency of energy data at different levels of organization
4. The Strategic Energy Plan must be part of an organization’s culture and supported from top executives down to operations staff. Educate your organization, promote it, get buy in.
5. Look for government grants available for compliance in your region. For example, in Canada there is financial aid for industrial business in Canada who adopt ISO 50001.
6. Seek out internal resources and processes currently in place. If you do not have all the required competencies internally, seek help. A reputable consultant with industry experience can share industry best practices, and help you comply faster.
7. Revisit past decisions regularly, strive for continuous improvement;  practice both passive and active energy efficiency.

If you are looking for more details, you can read a white paper on recommendations for ISO 50001 compliance.

Is ISO 50001 on your radar this year?

Any other tips on achieving compliance?

Further Reading

• Digitized Power Management and ISO 50001: The Two Keys to Achieving Industrial Energy Efficiency Goals
• ISO 50001, Edition 2 Delivers More Clarity for Effective Energy Management
• Smart Circuit Breakers and ISO 50001: A Perfect Match for Efficiency