What is Energy Management?

Energy management is a culture for continual improvement of energy performance and efficiency that’s integrated within an organization’s everyday business practices. Organizations with an energy management system achieve energy and cost savings through informed decision making and the implementation of energy saving practices for sites, processes, equipment and operations. ISO 50001 is the international standard for establishing and maintaining energy management systems.

Why is Energy Management important?

Energy is a critical component to your organization’s operations. It’s important to realize that energy can be managed and controlled; it’s not a fixed overhead cost. Energy management helps to reduce your organization’s energy costs through improved energy performance and optimized use of energy sources and energy-related assets. No matter how large or small your organization, implementing some form of energy management can be a key step to save energy, cut costs, and stay competitive—just ask the 23,000+ ISO 50001-certified sites!

Why should I use the 50001 Ready Navigator?

The 50001 Ready Navigator has been developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to align with the energy management system best practices outlined in ISO 50001:2018. Use of the Navigator ensures that your organization shares a consistent definition of energy management systems, and sites a team-based approach to its implementation. The Navigator is designed to help your organization build towards all parts of ISO 50001, so that you can self-attest to being “50001 Ready,” pursue ISO 50001, or Superior Energy Performance (SEP) certification.

What is 50001 Ready?

50001 Ready is a U.S. Department of Energy designation for sites and organizations that have implemented an ISO 50001-based energy management system using the guidance in the 50001 Ready Navigator, and that have demonstrated energy performance improvement. To attain 50001 Ready recognition from DOE, organizations are responsible for completing the 50001 Ready Navigator tasks, self-attesting to their completion, and measuring and improving energy performance over time. Users of the Navigator can submit their sites for 50001 Ready recognition directly through Navigator’s online tool. For more information, inquire through the Contact Us page.

How do I use the 50001 Ready Navigator?

50001 Ready Navigator is comprised of 25 tasks, with each task corresponding directly with establishing the energy management system requirements specified in ISO 50001:2018. Each task includes three tabs that describe the high level (“Getting It Done”), general synopsis (“Task Overview”), and technical requirements (“Full Description”) to help you complete the task.

Once you are logged in, you can use the Navigator to track your progress on the completion of each task, and of the project as a whole. You can set up multiple projects in Navigator, with each project being a site as defined in Task 3: Scope and Boundaries. You can also assign tasks to members of your energy team, and use the 50001 Ready Navigator to coordinate and streamline your team’s efforts.

Find out more about how to use Navigator by exploring the tool (no login required) or reading our Frequently Asked Questions.

Who Developed the 50001 Ready Navigator?

The 50001 Ready NavigatorTM online software tool and its contents have been developed by the United States Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a free, on-line, easy to use tool for the purposes of supporting users in establishing an energy management system to plan, identify, prioritize, and implement projects to improve energy performance based upon ISO 50001. Development support was provided by the Georgia Institute of Technology, Energetics, Analytical Energy Solutions, and ICF Olsen.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy National Laboratory managed and operated by The Regents of the University of California. On behalf of the United States Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory administers the 50001 Ready recognition program within the United States.