Schneider Electric Encourages Organisations to Begin Adopting ISO 50001 Standards

Schneider Electric taking a step further to resolve both organisational and environmental concerns in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 27 January 2014 — Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, recently engaged TUV Rheinland, an international certification body to promote energy management and the ISO 50001 Standard to businesses and enterprises in Malaysia. The collaboration enables Schneider Electric and TUV Rheinland to be amongst the first in Malaysia to offer end-to-end integrated ISO certification consultancy services.

Committed to walk the talk, Schneider Electric was the first building in the world to be ISO 50001 certified. Since then, they have certified more than 20 of their sites including the one in Malaysia, generating €15M in energy savings, and plan to certify all sites next year.

The purpose of this International Standard is to enable organisations to establish the systems and processes necessary to improve energy performance, including energy efficiency, use, and consumption. Implementation of this standard is intended to lead to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, energy cost, and other related environmental impacts, through systematic management of energy.

As Malaysia strives towards energy efficiency, ISO 50001 Standard presents an opportunity to assist Malaysia in achieving its Copenhagen promise, to reduce 40% carbon emissions by 2020. Energy efficient standard is essential to control energy demand growth, and use, that will enable businesses to preserve energy resources and carbon emissions in the long run.

Mok Kam Meng, Senior Manager, Energy Efficiency & Solar PV of Schneider Electric, said,“ Many organisations who operate from buildings in Malaysia do not realise how much energy is consumed from one building in many areas within their organisation that leads to higher energy costs monthly. If energy consumption in buildings is not properly managed, this may lead us to utilising more than we should. On a positive note, the partnership between Schneider Electric and TUV Rheinland now provides opportunities for the development of sustainable energy management. In addition to the economic costs of energy consumption to an organisation, energy can impose environmental and societal costs by depleting resources and contributing to problems such as climate change and the increase in carbon emissions. The emphasis of the ISO 50001 standards in Malaysia is also served as a measure in supporting the vision of Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Malaysia (KeTTHA) to be the industry leader in Sustainable Development of Energy and the National Water and Green Technology.”

Like any other management system standard, ISO 50001 follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. It is an interactive four-step management method used in many organisations for the control and continuous improvement of processes and products. The Plan-Do-Check-Act process encourages an organisation to be methodical in their approach to problem solving and implementing solutions to ensure that they get the highest quality solution possible. With these characteristics, organisations are now able to integrate an energy management systems with their overall efforts to improve energy efficiency, and working towards being environmentally friendly.

Certification will be given once the energy management system meets the requirements of ISO 50001. The Standard helps organisations understand where and when energy is being used. It also encourages a step-wise analysis of the data that highlights opportunities for energy saving.  Such certification also gives customers, stakeholders, employees and management more confidence that the organisation is saving energy.

“Individual organisations cannot control energy prices, government policies or the global economy, but they can improve the way they manage energy in the here and now. Improved energy performance can provide rapid benefits for an organisation by maximizing the use of its energy sources and energy-related assets, thus reducing both energy cost and consumption. In tandem, Malaysia’s government increasingly wants to reduce the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of their citizens and industries, and consistent energy management helps organisations in Malaysia to realise its untapped energy efficiency potentials. The organisation will also make positive contributions toward reducing depletion of energy resources and mitigating worldwide effects of energy use, such as global warming”, added Kam Meng.

ISO 50001 is based on the management system model that is understood and implemented by organisations worldwide. It can make a positive difference for organisations of all types in the very near future, while supporting long-term efforts for improved energy technologies.