One of the first activities to be undertaken when implementing an energy management system within an organization is to check the existing level of energy management in the company. The purpose of such self-assessment is to identify the main priorities for the organization regarding the implementation process.

2.1 SECURING TOP MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT

It is crucial that any effective energy management system has the full commitment of top management of the organization. The commitment can be demonstrated by signing the energy policy.

A decision to implement an energy management system will only be made if top management is convinced that it has the benefit of improving the energy situation.

It is necessary to define what will be covered by the EnMS.

4.1 APPOINT THE MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVE

The management representative is responsible for the establishment, implementation and improvement of the energy management system and he/she is appointed and given the required authority and necessary resources to accomplish the task of implementation.

The successful implementation of an energy management system will require the commitment and effort of all staff at every level of the organization. In the planning phase you will identify the people who have both direct and indirect effect on energy use within the organization and the training needs for those staff.

Depending on the size of the organization, the establishment of an energy management team might be considered. The team has a role in helping the management representative through the process of implementing the energy management system and is often the first concrete step in changing the culture of the organization with respect to energy.

The Energy Policy Statement is an official document with which top management demonstrates its commitment and support for the energy management system for  achieving  continual  energy performance improvement.

7.1 ESTABLISH THE STRUCTURE FOR ENMS IMPLEMENTATION

A level of planning and project management will be required for the implementation of a successful EnMS.

It is important that all staff and contracted employees of the organization are aware of the organization`s commitment to improving energy performance.

8.1 UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION, DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS

It is necessary for the effective management and operation of the EnMS that many items are documented. The following is a list of typical documents:

It is common for organizations to have difficulty in finding important documents such as technical drawings and operating manuals. This is a poor situation to be in and the following notes should help to put in place a simple systematic method of managing your documents. It doesn’t matter if the documents are paper or electronic, the same principles apply.

The purpose of records is to have a document to refer to when you need to check back on what has happened previously. Examples of records are training plans, operator logs, action plans, reports, meeting minutes, and more.