NSAI

Topic:

Energy Management Standards – An Irish Success Story – Part 1

Takeaways:

• Collaboration works
• Share successes/best practices
• Build on successes

Submission

2004             After initially considering the introduction of a carbon tax the Government announces its intention to intensify action on the non-tax measures of the National Climate Change Strategy. In response to this, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEI as it was known then) announces a new sustainable energy initiative for industry. The intention of this programme is to promote an effective response to the competitiveness, security of supply and energy/environmental challenges facing industry.

Having looked at the experience of a number of countries where such measures were previously introduced, SEAI is particularly impressed with the Danish approach. Central to the implementation of their approach is the use of a Danish standard for energy management.

To provide the same structured framework for organisations to maximise the opportunities associated with effective energy management, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is requested to establish a task force with a mandate to develop an Irish energy management systems standard.

2005            NSAI task force complete its mandate with the publication of I.S. 393 “Energy Management Systems – Requirements with guidance for use”.

2006            SEAI having established an Energy Agreements Programme for large industry energy users, member organizations begin implementing I.S. 393. With the critical supports provided by SEAI many members quickly realise significant savings.

2009            Having identified a need to establish a standard at European level to support industry efforts toward a more efficient energy use, CEN (Committee European Normalization) publishes EN 16001 “Energy Management Systems –Requirements with guidance for use”. During its 3 year development cycle Ireland plays a key role in shaping the European standard. As the Irish standard is the only national standard published in one of the three official languages of CEN, 399 becomes the de facto working draft for EN 16001. The experience gleaned from the implementation of I.S.393 sees Ireland take a central role during all development stages where the Irish experience informs many debates in establishing system requirements and in identifying best practice.

2011            The International Standards Organization (ISO) having long seen the global relevance of having an energy management systems standard publishes ISO 50001 “Energy Management Systems –Requirements with guidance for use” thus making this standard the first globally recognised standard for energy management. Again having had a sound grounding in implementing both 393 and 16001 standards Ireland brings its considerable experience to the fore during the development of this International standard.

2014            Having established an internationally recognised experience in implementing energy management system standards an SEAI lead international working group produces ISO 50004 ”Energy management systems- Guidance for the implementation, maintenance and improvement of an energy management system” .

Energy Management Standards – Building on Success – Part 2

2014            NSAI publishes I.S.399 “Energy efficient design management – Requirements with guidance for use”. Having previously published its own methodology on energy efficient design, SEAI proposed the development of this standard as an effective approach in building on the lessons learned through previous energy efficient design (EED) pilot studies and as a means to promote the integration of EED practices within organizations energy management systems.

Features of this standard include requirements for new projects including the establishment of key design organization roles (EED expert and EED owner) together with processes for design for energy performance (DfEP) and design for energy management (DfEM).

Since the standards publication a number of case studies have been produced which clearly demonstrate;

• Reduced baseline demand of all utilities,
• Energy knowledge harnessed for future investments,
• Maximum value from capital investment,
• Savings identified with little or no capital investment,
• Projects have achieved between 20 and 50% from design baseline.

2016            SEAI launches the EXEED Certified Program (Excellence in Energy Efficient Design).During 2015 NSAI collaborated with SEAI in the development of this new and innovative certification scheme. EXEED provides a framework for energy efficient design management for both new investments and upgrades to existing assets which aims to optimise energy performance and energy management capability. The EXEED process puts energy management firmly on the design agenda, integrating the energy management discipline at the earliest stages of design.

EXEED offers three distinctions of certification which include;

• EXEED Designed,
• EXEED Verified,
• EXEED Managed.

NSAI will be the first third party body to provide certification to the EXEED scheme.

About Barry Smith:

With NSAI since 1993, Barry first worked in certification services as an ISO 9001and ISO 14001auditor. Since moving to the standards division in 2004 he has had a number of  responsibilities including the development of energy management standards and the national application documents for the  implementation of the European standards for structural design (Eurocodes). Barry is currently Technical Secretary to the NSAI ICT Standards Consultative Committee.

About NSAI:

NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) is Ireland’s official standards body.

Operating under the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act (1996) NSAI is accountable to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Activities include ; operation of the Legal Metrology Service, National Metrology Laboratories, Standards and Certification services.