ISO 50001: How the New Energy Management Standard Can Drive Efficiency and Emissions Savings

In 2008 the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) announced that the development of a new energy‑management system standard, ISO 50001, would become a top priority. The standard, slated for publication in early‑to‑mid 2011, will give organizations a proven framework for managing energy and improving performance.

What is ISO 50001? ISO is a global network of 157+ member bodies that develop international standards for management systems, product specifications, services, and more. ISO 50001 adopts the Plan‑Do‑Check‑Act cycle found in ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and blends technical tools with management practices to enable continuous energy improvement.

U.S. Leadership in ISO 50001 Development The U.S., through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), submitted the initiative and now chairs key roles on the ISO/PC 242 project committee. The Department of Energy (DOE) funds ANSI’s work and administers the U.S. Technical Advisory Group, with Georgia Institute of Technology’s Energy and Sustainability Services serving as the accredited administrator.

After a working draft emerged from the first Washington, D.C., meeting, a second draft was produced ahead of the March 2009 Brazil session, which moved the project into the committee‑draft stage. The November 2009 London meeting advanced the draft to the Draft International Standard, the penultimate stage before the final International Standard is issued in 2011.

Impact on Your Organization Currently, ANSI/MSE 2000‑2008 governs U.S. energy management. ISO 50001 will replace it in 2011, but adoption remains voluntary. Companies that choose to implement the standard often see tangible energy‑cost savings, a structured framework that sustains those savings, and environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse‑gas emissions.

The DOE’s Superior Energy Performance program is already leveraging ISO 50001 to help manufacturers achieve measurable energy‑performance gains. Similar programs are expected worldwide, positioning ISO 50001 as a cornerstone of global energy‑efficiency and emissions‑reduction efforts.

Read More Energy Matters Articles on These Topics

• Energy Cost Management
• Energy Efficiency

This article was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program and first appeared in an issue of its Energy Matters newsletter. For more information, visit the ITP Web site at https://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/.