THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN SHORT

What is an Energy Management System (EnMS)?

• It is how an organisation manages its people, energy information and technology to improve its energy performance.
• It is applying good management practice to day to day operations to reduce energy consumption
• It is having a set of business processes to ensure optimum use of available resources and that all personnel involved have clear roles and responsibilities.
• It involves change management of how energy is managed
• It is based on a cycle of developing real commitment to accepting the need for change and support from top management
• It requires the development of a set of plans of how performance will be improved.
• It needs a coherent approach to implementing the changes, projects and other initiatives to improve performance.
• It requires verification of improvement and checking that the system is functioning properly.
• It is based on a cycle of continuous improvement of performance and continuous improvement of the management system itself.

Additional Information About Energy Management System
The drive towards implementing an Energy Management System, which most importantly, meets the requirements of ISO 50001, comes from the 2015 Paris Agreement (hyperlink, https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement), binding 195 countries to the global action plan of limiting the increase of global average temperature to well below 2˚C.

The implementation of an Energy Management System is based on a continual improvement cycle of Plan – Do – Check – Act, with the simple goal of energy and cost-savings, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint, and reducing exposure to energy price volatility.

An integrated Energy Management System enables government institutions, organizations, businesses, public and private sector to effectively monitor and check their energy consumption, detect possible areas for energy savings and cost reduction. An implemented EnMS represents a set of policies, procedures and business processes conducted under a methodological and organized approach in order to improve energy efficiency and ease the transition towards a low-carbon alternative in general. It represents a set of organizational and technical measures conducted in order to improve energy performance, based on continuous monitoring and dedication towards change in order to achieve long-term results.