DIN EN ISO 50001 – What you should know about the international standard for energy management systems

DIN EN ISO 50001 is an international standard for energy management systems that has been published since 2011. The standard can be applied by any organization, no matter how large or which industry or service sector the company belongs to. Standards such as these make a decisive contribution to improving energy management as a whole.

The primary objective of an energy management system that uses the DIN 50001 standard is to continuously drive forward the improvement of energy-related performance in terms of energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption. It also aims to tap unused energy efficiency potential, cut energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

DIN EN ISO 50001 – mandatory or nice to have?

Application of the standard is not mandatory. Nevertheless, it is only sensible and advantageous for companies to make use of this standard. Some of the advantages are:

• Relief from electricity and energy tax for companies in the manufacturing industry (peak equalization)
• Partial exemption from the EEG levy
• Lower costs due to improved energy efficiency
• An internal awareness of sustainability

What are the requirements for an energy management system in accordance with DIN 50001?

The requirements for ISO 50001 certification include the systematic recording of energy flows and the use of detailed and suitable monitoring mechanisms. In addition, energy targets and action plans must be drawn up and legal requirements must be met. The procedure takes place step by step and conceptually as a continuous improvement process, also known as the PDCA cycle. PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check and Act.

• Plan – Plan: This includes setting energy saving targets and implementing the energy policy. The definition of measures as part of an action plan and the provision of resources required for implementation also fall within this area.
• Do – Implement: This includes establishing and maintaining structures in the management system so that the continuous improvement process can be maintained.
• Check – Check: This relates to the self-assessment of the functionality of the EnMS, the progress towards targets and the collection of new ideas for improvement.
• Act – Act: This includes summarizing all current energy data, the audit results and all new findings such as methods and systems. Evaluating progress, making any necessary adjustments to the energy strategy and deriving and setting new targets are all part of this final part of the cycle.

How to obtain ISO 50001 certification

In order for your energy management system to be certified, it needs to be audited by an external provider. The German Accreditation Body provides a complete overview of the various certification bodies, including:

• Cert, CertEuropa GmbH
• DQS, DQS Holding GmbH: Certification of management systems
• DEKRA German Motor Vehicle Inspection Association
• TÜV Rheinland Industrie Service GmbH
• TÜV Süd Product Service GmbH

Before the assessment or audit can be carried out, an internal audit is required. You should ask yourself the following questions:

• Has your company identified the key energy aspects based on energy consumption and are these regularly updated?
• Has your top-level management adopted an appropriate energy policy, documented it and communicated it throughout the company?
• Have the tasks, areas of responsibility and powers been defined for all employees involved in energy management?
• Are the central energy consumers (energy aspects) regularly measured, listed, analyzed and reported on?
• Has a plan been drawn up with possible approaches for improving energy consumption in line with the energy policy?
• Has the functioning of energy management been documented and are there links to relevant instructions and procedures?
• If the targets are not achieved: Are the reasons identified and are corrective or preventive measures taken to prevent recurrence?
• Is the energy management system evaluated at least once a year by the management?

After commissioning, the auditor checks in two steps whether your energy management system meets the requirements of ISO 50001. First, the focus is placed on the documentation of the system and the location. Then the effectiveness of the energy management system and its conformity with the standard requirements are checked. Based on these results, conformity with the requirements of the standard is determined.

Efficient energy management thanks to certification

Only transparent and reproducible consumption measurements can ultimately be correctly analyzed and optimized – ideally with standardized standards. Only a holistic and efficient handling of consumption data enables significant cost savings. Especially in today’s world, which is characterized by considerable price fluctuations and crisis situations, you as a company need sustainable and efficient energy management that not only takes care of the analysis of existing data, but also enables optimization strategies.

KENEXOS® makes it easy to get started with digital energy management and provides you with all the tools you need for process optimization in construction and building technology, industry and the public sector. Test the centralized, device-independent software solution for documentation, order entry and awarding, process planning and optimization as well as complete team communication now for 14 days free of charge. You can find all the information you need at www.kenexos.com.