Future looks bright for ISO 50001: Recent Trends

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The ISO 50001 standard launched in 2011 to provide organizations with a recognized framework for integrating energy performance into management practices. In 3 years, the number of certified sites has reached more than 7000 around the world.  Here are some of the recent trends we are seeing.

ISO 50001 Trends:

1. Tax incentives for certification work
   At 43% of the world’s certified buildings, Germany is the clear leader for ISO 50001 certification. This is due to tax incentives that businesses receive upon compliance. We expect this trend to continue with other countries applying similar tax incentive programs.
2. Not just for industry anymore
   Industrial firms have been the earliest adopters of ISO 5001, 95% are in energy-intensive sectors such as automotive, chemicals and technology. This is changing with a growing number of commercial buildings adopting the standard.
3. EED: First of a global trend?
   Starting in 2014, the European Union will launch the Directive on Energy Efficiency (EED). This directive covers all sectors and requires mandatory audits or ISO 50001 certification for buildings with more than 250 employees. Affecting approximately 50,000 businesses in Europe, this directive will certainly affect the number of buildings ISO 50001 certified. Other countries could follow suit with similar directives.
4. Beyond compliance: A foundation for improvement
   Businesses are no longer looking at ISO 50001 for compliance reasons only. There has been a shift in perspective and companies are looking for a foundation to help them reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. ISO 50001 is an excellent framework and starting point for a corporate energy management program.
5. Aligned ISO requirements will drive adoption
   ISO is scheduled to revamp ISO 9001, 14001, and 50001 with a new aligned set of requirements so it will be easier to integrate all 3 standards in the future.

At Schneider Electric, we walk the talk. In fact, 79 Schneider Electric sites are ISO 50001 certified, and we have experts that help our customers achieve certification.

Interested in learning more? Read a white paper that discusses recommendations for ISO 50001 compliance, or take a look at this article that discusses adoption rates and how many sites are implementing the standard without certifying.