DIN EN ISO 50001 was created in 2011 as an international standard for an energy management system. The standard sets the necessary framework for individual commitment from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large companies or authorities. It is their job to tailor and implement the requirements formulated in ISO 50001 appropriately to their own needs.
In the area of the DIN ISO 50000 standards, new guidelines are constantly being added that further specify the topic of energy management. In 2018, DIN ISO 50001 was adopted with the new addition ISO 50001:2018. This amendment brings important changes for all companies certified according to the ISO 50001:2011 standard from 2021. The three-year transition period for the changeover to the new requirements incl. HLS expires on August 20, 2021. With the High Level Structure (HLS), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) aims to standardize the structure and requirements of the individual standards such as ISO 9001:2015 (quality management systems) or ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management systems).
Implementation of an energy management system according to ISO 50001
Energy management 50001 is possible in all companies, regardless of size and industry. The companies decide for themselves whether they introduce the energy management system as an independent management system or integrate it into an existing system. The standard does not prescribe what should be done and how, but rather describes a procedure or process that is introduced in the company and thus inevitably leads to energy savings. This process, which follows the so-called PDCA cycle, is usually coordinated and monitored by energy management officers (EnB) in the company. PDCA stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act and therefore represents a control loop in which energy saving measures are to be implemented, monitored and, if necessary, readjusted after planning.
An energy management system in conjunction with an energy monitoring system like Efficio helps to identify and leverage energy saving potential. First, energy flows and the associated energy sources are recorded using appropriate measurement technology and then analyzed. This approach allows energy saving measures to be identified and evaluated economically.
The amended ISO standard from 2018 places greater emphasis on the responsibility of an organization’s top management for effective energy management and provides for better integration of energy issues into strategic management processes. If the DIN EN 50001 standard is systematically implemented, a company consequently improves its energy-related performance, increases its energy efficiency and at the same time optimizes its energy use.
