Developing an ISO 50001 Energy Management System

An energy management system helps a company plan energy use, assign responsibility and collect data to monitor improvement. ISO 50001 is the international standard for energy management systems and follows a continual improvement approach.

A practical implementation roadmap

1. Define the scope: identify the facilities, areas and activities covered by the system.
2. Organise resources: assign responsibility and agree how departments will coordinate.
3. Compile data: review consumption and operating conditions to identify priorities.
4. Prepare a plan: select objectives, actions, deadlines and methods for checking results.
5. Monitor and review: check progress, resolve problems and update the improvement plan.

Where should a company start?

Prepare an inventory of energy-consuming equipment, collect invoices and operating logs, and identify missing data. Agree on monitoring templates before expanding to multiple areas so that information can be compared consistently.

Savings targets should reflect actual operating conditions. System development and certification assessment are distinct activities that need to be clearly defined in the implementation plan.

Consulting the standard

Refer to the official information on ISO 50001:2018 to establish the scope and edition of the standard being used.