LEED Gets New Standard for Energy Management Systems
The LEED system has a new standard: ISO 50001:2001, Energy management systems – Requirements with guidance for use. Developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 50001 provides management strategies for public and private organizations around the world that will allow them to boost energy efficiency while simulatenously lowering costs and increasing energy performance. The new voluntary guidelines should be particularly helpful for multinational organizations as ISO 50001 provides “access to a single, harmonized standard” that can be implemented across facilities. According to the organization, ”ISO 50001 will establish a framework for industrial plants; commercial, institutional, and governmental facilities; and entire organizations to manage energy. Targeting broad applicability across national economic sectors, it is estimated that the standard could influence up to 60% of the world’s energy use.”
Energy management company Schneider Electric’s French headquarters is the first in the world to be certified under the new standard for energy management systems (EnMS). The company has been enhancing the 377,000 square-foot building, known as “the Hive,” since late 2010 in order to benefit from the gains of the new standard. Other early adopters in China, India and Austria are also reporting success.
The framework established by the new standard enables organizations to:
- Develop a policy for more efficient use of energy
- Fix targets and objectives to meet the policy
- Use data to better understand and make decisions concerning energy use and consumption
- Measure the results
- Review the effectiveness of the policy
- Continually improve energy management
To learn more, visit the links below:
ISO 50001 Launch Multimedia News Release
