The International Standards Organization (ISO), led by the UK, US and Brazil, is developing a general standard for energy management across all energy-using sectors.
A working draft has already been agreed and the ISO is aiming to publish the new standard, ISO 50001 by the end of 2010.
The standard will define a management system for all energy sources from electricity to solid or liquid fuels to renewables and steam.
“Effective implementation of an energy management system standard often yields resource and cost savings,” says Bill Meffert of Georgia Institute of Technology, which has been supporting US efforts to establish the new standard.
Process and behavioural changes driven by energy management processes can reduce energy and materials use, waste generation and even emissions, he adds.
“Companies that conform to an international energy management system standard will be publicly stating that they have adopted best practices for managing their energy supply and use,” says Meffert. “Many companies will also want to ensure that their suppliers and partners are environmentally responsible.”
Meffert also suggests that countries will be able to use the new standard as a basis for tax and credit incentives to encourage companies to adopt energy efficient and environmentally friendly practices.
“Energy management should be on every boardroom agenda, and our aim is to use the vast experience we have of delivering environmental solutions to develop a standard which leads the way forward in this field,” says Mike Low, director of BSI British Standards.