#84 ISO 50001 Steps to Success Part 1

Today we’re joined by Paul Robinson, Managing Consultant at Blackmores. Paul is here to introduce the Energy Management Standard, ISO 50001, why it’s important and give you an overview of its basic structure.

What you’ll learn:

• Why energy management is so critical in the current climate crisis
• The main purpose of ISO 50001
• A summary of the clauses within ISO 50001

 

Why have an Energy Management Standard?

There’s a big focus on trying to maintain global warming to that 1.5 degrees increase. Right now, we’re failing on that. In order to get this back on track we need to consider our current energy consumption. During COP26 we heard a lot about phasing out coal power, unfortunately there are some countries who are resistant to that and as a result have had the requirements watered down. Regardless, energy use continues to rise as does the demand.

Energy Management is particularly relevant for organisations who want to measure their impact and put measures in place to reduce their environmental footprint.

 

Why is it so important to restrict Global Warming to 1.5 degrees?

It’s literally the difference between survival. We’re at a tipping point now, failing to stick to this 1.5 degrees will result in rising sea levels and rising temperatures. Paul shares his experience working in Cyprus where it’s not uncommon now for the temperature to reach 45 degrees. This isn’t sustainable and it will get to the point where it’s difficult for humans to survive if we keep going at this rate. 

 

What is the main purpose of ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 includes continually improving energy performance, energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption. Building an energy management system will help you to understand, monitor and measure your use of energy, and like most other ISO’s, continual improvement is at the heart of ISO 50001. Key factors it addresses are energy performance, energy efficiency and energy consumption.

 

What are the main clauses of ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 went through it’s latest revision in 2018, aligning it with the Annex SL format that many other ISO’s use. The clauses are as follows:

• Clauses 1, 2 and 3 – These are all explanatory clauses, starting with the scope, then Normative References and lastly Terms and Definitions.

 

• Clause 4 – Context of the Organisation: Here you would define the scope and boundaries of your energy management system and understanding the processes affected. This includes looking at your energy inputs and outputs. You’ll also address any energy issues that affect you and interested parties involved.

 

 

• Clause 5 – Leadership: This refers to Top Management commitment, which is necessary if you want your energy management system to be successful. They will need to provide resources required to implement an energy policy, and to define roles and responsibilities.

 

• Clause 6 – Planning: This is a central pillar behind every Energy Management System as it talks about strategic and tactical considerations. This includes high-level issues, the needs and expectations of interested parties and the risks and opportunities associated with them in an energy context.

 

 

This clause also includes an Energy Review, which will help you build a picture of your energy sources and current consumption. From that you can start setting your Objectives and Targets and actions going forward using energy baselines and energy performance indicators established from the Energy Review.

 

• Clause 7 – Support: This clause talks about provision of resources, competencies, awareness, communication and documented information required for energy management.

 

• Clause 8 – Operation: This is where operational controls are defined to help you manage your energy effectively. It also covers design and procurement, which means procuring of energy, consuming assets and having effective processes in place to ensure energy is a key consideration when making infrastructure changes.

 

 

• Clause 9 – Performance Evaluation: ISO 50001 is very data driven and clause 9 states the requirements for monitoring and measurement of your energy use, which will be used to demonstrate your improvement in energy efficiency. This clause also covers Internal Audits and Management Review to ensure the Management System is performing effectively.

 

• Clause 10 – Improvement: This clause talks about taking opportunities that drive continual improvement in the Management System, but also recognizing that sometimes things go wrong. It also addresses significant deviations and a structure to investigate and correct those deviations to keep the management system on track.

 

That’s it from Paul this week! For further information on ISO 50001, visit our Standards page Here. We also have an ISO 50001 Handbook available to members of the isologyhub, sign up here to grab a copy.

If you’re just getting started with ISO, we do have a free ISO Blueprint available for download to help you to plan, create, launch and get certified to ISO Standards.

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