ISO 50001 "Energy management systems" published
The long-awaited International Standard ISO 50001 "Energy management systems — Requirements" has finally been published as of 15 June 2011. To emphasize the importance of this management standard, ISO is holding a launch event on 17 June at the Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG).
The core aim of ISO 50001 is the continual improvement of an organization's energy performance. The standard specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system, the purpose of which is to enable an organization to follow a systematic approach for improving its energy performance, increasing energy efficiency and optimizing energy use.
ISO 50001 was developed by the new project committee ISO/PC 242 "Energy management" set up within ISO/TC 242 under US and Brazilian leadership. Thanks to close cooperation among the European countries – driven especially through the efforts of the German mirror committee NA 172 00 09 AA "Energy efficiency and energy management" – much of the content of EN 16001 on the same subject has been included in the new ISO 50001, improving on the quality of the international standard.
By applying ISO 50001 organizations will be able to reduce costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions and other types of emissions. Because of the great international interest in ISO 50001, it is expected that it could be as successful as DIN EN 16001.