ISO 50001 Strikes An Early Chord With Strategic Energy Managers
When the International Organization for Standards (ISO) launched its energy management framework, ISO 50001, in June 2011, Verdantix identified several barriers to adoption that needed to be overcome if it was to succeed. But even within the first three months there are signs that certification under ISO 50001 is resonating. Firms such as Dahanu Power Station, Porsche and Samsung Electronics have already achieved certification of some manufacturing sites and commercial buildings. In the case of Schneider Electric, it announced certification of its 35,000m2 headquarters in Paris on the day the standard was launched. As well as lauding the benefits of effective energy management, such as cost reduction, carbon reduction and brand enhancement, these firms also show the ability of ISO 50001 to find its place within the other existing standards such as ISO 14001, EN 16001 and ISO 9001. Furthermore, certification firms, such as BSI and CSA and energy service firms, such as EnerNOC, are actively and vociferously offering services to support the standard’s adoption.
But what is really drawing firms to implement the ISO 50001 energy management framework? The answer is the governance deficit. As energy management programs transform from tactical to strategic with increasing scale and ambition, inappropriate governance structures is a major blocker as Verdantix pointed out in our work on Best Practices Carbon Management. Time will tell whether ISO 50001 can overcome the barriers to long term success by creating proven financial and brand benefits for firms, but the evidence points to the fact that the market demand for an energy management framework is high amongst the more strategically minded energy managers.
