ISO 50001 provides organizations with an internationally recognized framework for implementing an energy management system (EnMS). The standard addresses the following:
- Energy use and consumption
- Measurement, documentation, and reporting of energy use and consumption
- Design and procurement practices for energy-using equipment, systems, and processes
- All variables affecting energy performance that can be monitored and influenced by the organization.
An EnMS helps an organization internalize the policies, procedures, and tools to systematically track, analyze, and improve energy efficiency. It considers maintenance practices, operational controls, and the design and procurement of renovated, modified, and new equipment, systems, processes, and facilities. With ISO 50001, energy management is integrated into normal business processes involving multiple types of employees across the organization.
ISO 50001 is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act structure to continual improvement held in common with the ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), and other management systems. ISO 50001 is designed to be compatible with these management systems.
The standard does not prescribe minimum performance criteria, energy reductions, or targets, however, requires an organization and facility to demonstrate continual energy performance improvement.
Developing ISO 50001 and Related Standards
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards. ISO prioritized energy management as one of the top five fields for the development of International Standards, and created Project Committee (PC) 242 in 2008 to carry out the development of ISO 50001.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) supported the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) role as Secretariat of PC 242 (serving jointly with Brazil), to lead the international development of ISO 50001. In addition, DOE contributed actively to the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG), the U.S. delegation to ISO PC 242. The U.S. TAG led international negotiations to ensure that ISO 50001 preserves the U.S. emphasis on management support and data-driven energy performance.
Following the publication of ISO 50001, PC 242 transitioned to a Technical Committee (TC) 242, which is responsible for updating ISO 50001 as needed and developing a family of related standards. DOE support will help to ensure that the new standards will be consistent with U.S. energy policy and strategy.
Learn about DOE's efforts to promote ISO 50001 implementation.