Implementing 50001 CP

The Challenge of ISO 50001

A group of energy management experts developed the energy management standard ISO 50001 as a set of requirements that an organization seeks to claim that they are managing their energy following the ISO 50001 Standard, and they can demonstrate evidence of alignment with these rules.

Unfortunately, while it might not seem obvious, pure alignment with ISO 50001 does not necessarily mean that energy is being managed properly within an organization. I refer to this as an organization having an energy accounting system instead of an energy management system.

Energy accounting systems tend to arise where an individual or individuals set out to “gain certification” for the organization or to “get the badge on the wall,” as opposed to setting out to manage energy properly within the organization and deliver energy performance improvement.

You Can only Manage Something that You Understand!

There is a common saying in energy that states, “You cannot manage what you don’t measure.” I will always stop and correct people and say, “You cannot manage what you don’t understand, and measurement is only one part of the understanding process.”

The 50001 CP training delivered by AEE isn’t just about teaching the standard’s requirements; it focuses on the many different approaches that can be taken to apply the standard’s requirements to a particular entity or organization and the importance of building the energy management system requirements into how the organization does its business. This helps focus the delivery of performance improvement rather than bureaucracy.

Implementing ISO 50001 for Energy Performance Improvement

For an individual to become an ISO 50001 CP with AEE, they not only need to demonstrate their understanding of the requirements in the ISO standard but also demonstrate that they properly understand energy. 

The 50001 CP training program is for people seeking to demonstrate to the marketplace that they understand energy and the various energy-using systems that most organizations use. On top of this, it indicates that an AEE 50001 CP knows the ISO 50001 standard and its interactions with the main body of other ISO standards that must be complied with for successful ISO 50001 certification. More importantly, the AEE ISO 50001 CP demonstrates that the individual fully understands how the requirements of the ISO 50001 standard are applied to ensure that the organization is actively proactively managing energy and delivering energy performance improvement for the organization.

ISO 50001 is not Going Away

In the world of changing weather patterns, Net Zero Energy, Sustainability, Net Zero Carbon, ESG, etc., it is difficult to predict what the future requirements of a business are going to be. Still, energy efficiency and improved energy performance are central to delivering any of the above requirements. For any companies with a component in the European Union, it is worth noting that on the 13th September 2023, the European Commission announced the requirement that any enterprise with a total annual energy consumption of above 23.61GWh (85TJ) is required to have an energy management system in place and certified by an independent body by 11th October 2027.