Energy management refers to all the steps performed by a company to control energy consumption. Managing energy consists in making decisions, implementing methods, and modifying its uses in the direction of the same energy policy.
The energy performance of companies is an increasingly important criterion of their overall performance. It is anchored in a strategic action of the company director in favor of a sustainable development approach. Opting for the SMEn, Energy Management System guarantees you to follow a continuous process to improve your energy efficiency.
What is the Energy Management System?
Un système de management de l’énergie est le cadre méthodique que choisit une entreprise pour piloter sa politique énergétique. It is therefore totally specific to each company, whether in the private or public sector.
The aim of energy management is to continuously improve energy performance by sustainably reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the overall impact of the company’s activities on the environment.
Any energy management system is framed by the ISO 50001 standard. This serves as a benchmark for assessing the scope of energy performance actions. As an international standard, it is adapted to the specific situations and objectives of each company.
The ISO 50001 standard provides a framework for the deployment of a company’s energy management system to enable it to sustainably increase its energy performance while taking into account environmental and economic requirements.
The 3 steps of the Energy Management System
The state of play of your company’s energy management
First, an expert performs an energy audit to determine the energy profile of your buildings. The audit consists of a technical diagnosis that enables it to evaluate your consumption, your facilities, your energy use and various potential points for improvement.
To this technical inventory of fixtures is added an organizational inventory of fixtures. It is intended to help you ask yourself: “What procedures and guidelines are in place?”, “What is the level of awareness and competence of employees?”, “What are the legal requirements in terms of energy performance?”.
This first step may be an opportunity to redefine certain roles and responsibilities and, why not, to provide training. In any case, you have identified energy saving potentials at this stage. You can start to define the means to be mobilized to improve your energy efficiency.
The action plan, the starting point of your new energy policy
The action plan frames all the steps you will perform to set up your energy management system and implement the overall process of improving your energy performance.
It includes the definition of the company’s energy policy. It must be unique and reflect the company’s overall strategy. To do so, describe the nature of your commitment, your motivations, your short and long term goals and the means to achieve them.
The action plan is also a real roadmap. It defines the practical role of the energy team in the company.
Finally, it includes a program of energy-saving actions, with a description for each of the means put in place.
The implementation of the improvement of your energy performance
The last step in energy management: taking action! It includes a series of awareness-raising, training and communication initiatives for employees. The head of the company must therefore define and carry the company’s energy policy so that it materializes in daily use.
On the technical side, it is also essential to set up a counting plan, including measurements and data collection and analysis. The implementation of the energy plan must also be framed from an economic point of view.
Finally, to be sustainable, the company’s energy performance policy must be subject to regular internal assessments and audits.
Finally, to be sustainable, the company’s energy performance policy will need to be subject to regular internal reviews and audits.a If you plan to obtain certification to ISO 50001, you will need to have your energy management system validated by a certified organization. This will ensure that your sme follows a continuous improvement process.