Frequently Asked Questions - Energy Management Systems (EnMs)

An Energy Management System is a tool used by organisations to establish policies, objectives, and processes relating to energy, to achieve goals and improve energy performance.

Implementing a systematic approach to energy management is the most effective way to ensure there is a constant focus on energy performance, and it is considered as part of all business decisions. An EnMS also establishes a process for repeat target setting and drives continual improvement over an extended period, rather than the performance drop off that is seen after one off or short term pushes for improvements in energy efficiency.

No, the value an EnMS will provide to your business will vary greatly depending on how well it is customised for your specific needs. At GECM we pride ourselves on doing the leg work up front to understand your business, and will only implement a system that delivers value to you.

No, it is very common to see an EnMS implemented without a platform solution, but in our opinion ongoing visualisation of data will maximise the benefit of an EnMS. Our service is underpinned by a focus on developing and implementing a metering solution and online portal, to provide ongoing monitoring and analysis of your sites. This focus on high value data will give you the information you need, to identify all available energy conservation measures and be fully informed when making critical investment decisions.

Yes, however implementing a best practice EnMS efficiently, requires knowledge and experience as well as significant resources and dedicated personnel. In our experience, most companies do not already have resources with the capabilities required, as energy is not part of their core business.

At GECM, our team has proven experience implementing Energy Management Systems across a number of different industries and are best suited to work with you, to develop an effective EnMS which will add the most value to your business without consuming as much of your time and resources.

Implementing the policies and procedures which are part of an EnMS, usually only results in a small financial outlay. The more significant cost of an EnMS is in the number of resources required to implement and maintain the system. When managed in house, the implementation and running of an EnMS can require more than 3 full time employees. However, by leveraging the knowledge of a consultant like GECM, the internal resource requirements are significantly reduced, requiring only minor input and signoff, while also realising results more quickly.

The time taken to implement an EnMS varies depending on the size of your site(s) and the coverage you want from your EnMS. It also depends on whether or not you want to certify your system to a standard, and your readiness to act. As a best case scenario, for a single site which is prepared to make decisions and invest in the required hardware, an EnMS can be developed and operational in under 3 months.

In our opinion, you do not need ISO 50001 certification to implement an effective EnMS. While having a standard to certify your EnMS can be great for some clients, by working with an experienced consultant, you can implement a system of equal performance without having to pay a certified ISO 50001 auditor. However, if you do want to achieve ISO 50001, GECM can work with you to develop your compliant system and provide support to gain certification through an ISO 50001 auditor.