The first step in completing this task is to identify and document your organization’s current energy sources. Energy sources (called “energy types” in ISO 50001:2018) are the forms of energy that are consumed by your organization.

To help identify all energy sources consumed within the defined boundaries you will want to identify associated sites, equipment, systems, and processes. Use one or more of the following to help identify energy-using sites, equipment, systems, and processes, and to account for all energy sources:

• Floor plans
• Process flow charts
• Site plan with equipment locations
• Building schematics
• Wiring diagrams
• Utility diagrams
• Equipment lists

In ISO 50001 terminology, energy use is not the same as energy consumption. Energy use is defined as an “application of energy.” Examples include ventilation, heating, cooling, lighting, and transportation. Energy uses are associated with the sites, equipment, systems, and processes that consume energy.

Energy uses can be identified in any way that suits your organization. Earlier in this task you associated energy sources with their appropriate sites, equipment, systems, and processes to ensure all relevant sources were identified. Organize equipment, systems, and processes into logical groupings or categories (i.e., uses) that would best allow you to evaluate and improve energy performance.

It is recommended that you make a list of energy uses identified in this task. This list can be used to review energy uses and ensure you are monitoring them appropriately. Additionally, as part of Task 9 Significant Energy Uses (SEUs) you will select individual energy uses to focus your energy performance improvement activities. Making a list now of identified energy uses will aid in the SEU selection process later.

Relevant variables are quantifiable factors that routinely change and have a major impact on energy performance, including the operational performance. As part of ISO 50001:2018, energy consumption values for EnPIs, EnBs, and SEUs may need to be “normalized” for relevant variables. Consider potential EnPIs and SEUs and what factors might be relevant variables if the organization determines that the relevant variables significantly affect energy consumption. For commercial or institutional sites, occupancy and weather can often be variables affecting consumption. For industrial sites, production level is generally an additional variable that affects energy consumption. In addition to weather, occupancy, and production, consider the following: operating schedule, product mix, input materials, and season. Understanding the relationship between relevant variables and energy consumption is important in formulating how energy can be controlled and energy performance maximized.

An easy way to verify the impact of specific variables is to collect relevant energy data and compare it to appropriate variable data to determine the relationship, if any, of the change in energy consumption coinciding with the change in the variable. One way to define the relationship is to graph the energy data over a defined time period and compare it to a graph of the variable data, such as average daily temperature, over the same period and determine if there are coincidental variations. Consistent variations between the two could indicate a valid relevant variable. Anomalies between the two may indicate other relevant variables that are also a factor. Statistical techniques or more sophisticated engineering calculations may be required for analysis of multiple variables.

The EnPI Lite software can help you determine if variables significantly affect energy consumption per the 50001 Ready Measurement and Verification Protocol. This free online tool can also be used to determine energy performance improvement. Additional tools are available for non-US tool users and Ready Recognition participants. Please contact your local Ready program administrators for more information.

Records of relevant variable data must be retained.

In addition to the data needed to measure and monitor energy consumption and relevant variables, you should identify data needs to satisfy the process of conducting an energy review, the “key characteristics” of operations affecting energy performance, and other needs of your organization.

It is important to know where to locate and how to acquire energy data. Requirements will vary depending on the data to be collected. Energy bills are generally readily available and easy to collect, but other data may require more effort. Metering may not exist for some energy management data, and it may be necessary to evaluate your metering availability and data collection process to determine the most advantageous method(s) to collect the required data. For energy sources that can be metered, there are generally four sources for energy data collection, and you can employ some combination of these:

• Utility revenue meters and records
• Purchase orders
• Nameplate data
• Portable meters
• Submeters

Once you have determined the data you need and want to collect and the potential collection mechanism, determine if a collection process is already in place and how you collect the information. If these data are not already collected, evaluate how they are being generated. Then determine if your organization has the means to collect the data. If not, consider acquiring additional metering equipment or devising an alternative form of performance analysis.

Develop a consistent and reliable process for acquiring and recording data. Define the steps to be followed to ensure timely acquisition of accurate energy management related data. The complete collection process includes:

• Energy management data required
• Data location
• How the data are to be collected
• Person (by position) or source keeping the data
• Frequency of data collection
• Data storage method and location
• Method of analysis

The process may include additional steps, but the above steps, at a minimum, are best practice. Your energy team typically oversees this process. The Playbook worksheet or a similar document can be helpful in establishing your data collection process.

How often the data are collected depends on your organization’s needs and requirements. The benefit of having a formal data collection process is that it will ensure you collect the appropriate data and record it at the necessary frequency.

ISO 50001 requires a plan for collection of energy data. The energy data collection plan is developed to define, organize, and document monitoring and measurement activities. Each of the key characteristics of operations that affect energy performance listed above is evaluated to determine the appropriate attributes that should be measured or monitored so appropriate data can be collected for analysis.

The optional Playbook worksheet provides a guide to the details required to ensure adequate collection of data for determining energy performance. This form encompasses the relevant key characteristics.

Periodically reviewing your organization’s measurement needs ensures that as the key characteristics that affect energy performance change over time, any needed adjustments are made to the energy data collection plan. If there are adjustments, inform relevant personnel of the changes. A practical approach to periodic review of measurement needs and updating the data collection plan involves two elements:

• Defining a minimum frequency (e.g., monthly, quarterly, semi-annually) for the review
• Integrating the review as part of your organization’s “real-time” change management processes (mainly communication)

A calibration program provides the means to ensure monitoring and measuring equipment is properly maintained to provide accurate data. Basic components of a calibration program involve the following:

• Identifying the equipment to be calibrated – key characteristics
• Specifying the method of calibration to be used – reference
• Establishing calibration tolerance and frequency – deviation
• Defining and assigning calibration responsibilities – multiple elements
• Maintaining appropriate documentation – plan and records

Smaller organizations can use simpler plans to assure measurements, monitoring, and metering are accurate and repeatable. Some available resources are located in the optional Playbook worksheet.

Your organization can analyze and track energy in many different ways, from simple in‑house spreadsheets to very sophisticated software and web-enabled applications. As an example, the DOE’s Energy Footprint Tool provides basic energy data analysis for your building or site. Please consult your regional program guide for additional information regarding energy data analysis tools available in your region or utilized for the Ready Recognition program offered by your local administrator.

Finding an effective data analysis method is important for identifying energy uses with major energy consumption, as well as energy opportunities that lead to cost savings. It will show areas that are significant and deserve the most attention. It will also show trends and anomalies that help direct your energy management efforts. It can also help you identify billing errors and hidden costs within utility rate structures. It will help your energy team communicate the value of energy management to top management and get the resources needed to make the EnMS successful. One of the most important outcomes of this analysis is to find the largest energy consuming systems and equipment, which helps you determine your organization’s significant energy uses Task 9 Significant Energy Uses (SEUs).

The data analysis method(s) appropriate to your organization may depend on several factors:

• Data availability
• Desired output
• Level of available competency for data analysis
• Audience

Your organization is responsible for selecting one or more data analysis methods for the purpose of EnMS and energy performance improvement. Examples of common methods include trend analysis, benchmarking, graphing, Pareto analysis, energy balance, heat balance, utility analysis, financial analysis, and regression analysis. Choose the method or combination of methods that meets the specific goals of your organization. Consider learning from other organization’s experience with data analysis to determine what will be most effective for you. Common forms of data analysis include the following:

• Trend analysis
• Benchmarking
• Graphs
• Ranking
• Pareto analysis
• Energy balance
• Heat balance
• Utility analysis
• Financial analysis
• Regression analysis

You will continue to regularly collect and update the data to monitor conditions in the EnMS so you can make changes as required. Organizational changes related to processes, equipment, occupancy, improvement projects, etc. may require adjustments to your EnPIs, baselines, SEUs, objectives and energy targets, or other parts of the EnMS. Continue to collect data to evaluate any required adjustments to energy metrics or energy performance.

Continue to update the energy review at the intervals you have defined.  Compare prior estimates of future energy uses and consumption to actual for the same time periods and adjust your methodologies for making the estimates if necessary.  Be sure to document the results of your energy reviews.  If your organization has begun to monitor and report GHG emissions, be sure a plan is in place to properly calculate and analyze emissions, and that the plan aligns with any corporate or governmental reporting requirements.

Continue to update the energy data collection plan at the intervals you have defined.  When reviewing and updating the plan, be sure to consider any new facilities, energy uses, or accounts, as well as any facilities, energy uses, or accounts that are no longer in service or within the scope and boundaries.

Review the EnMS to confirm that it is still effective and be sure that documentation of energy performance and the EnMS is consistent.

Review any significant deviations that were identified earlier to confirm that they have been sufficiently addressed and responses have been documented.

Keeping up with Task 8 is critical since this task involves collecting, monitoring, measuring, analyzing, evaluating, reviewing, and updating energy data.  The energy review is critical and the resulting information feeds many of the downstream processes of the EnMS. Knowing the types of energy coming into the site and where each type goes is critical information.

If pursuing ISO certification, you should be able to readily show an auditor its methods for the energy review and the results. For example, two key pie charts showing energy types into the site and energy uses (i.e., where the energy goes) are good tools for showing energy review results.

Energy data collection does not "just happen." It is an intentional and planned out process with details of who, what, where, when and how?  You must be able to show an auditor this process with associated procedures, actions, and records.

Remember that throughout the ISO 50001 standard, data, monitoring, measuring, analysis, evaluation, and improvement always apply to BOTH the operation of the EnMS and the energy performance.

If you do not have an existing 50001 Ready-based EnMS and want to build one that helps your organization manage energy-related GHG emissions, in this task you should follow the guidance in the “Full Description” tab keeping the following in mind:

1. Identify current energy sources and energy uses. For each of the energy-related GHG emissions categories (Scope 1, 2, and 3) included in your EnMS scope and boundaries, identify and document the energy-related GHG emissions sources alongside the energy sources.  For each of your emission sources select an approach for calculating GHG emissions.
2. Identify relevant variables.  Relevant variables are quantifiable factors that routinely change and have a major impact on energy consumption and energy-related GHG emissions.
3. Identify data needs and data sources.  For energy-related GHG emission sources, identify the data needs, data sources and data collection period as well as preferred methods for data collection.  If collecting site-specific emissions factors from energy suppliers, include this in your data needs and sources. Make sure the quality of any data collected meets your organization’s needs and meets the legal and other requirements of the organization.  Consider reviewing the GHG Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard to ensure your data quality and processes meet the organization’s needs now and in the future.
4. Define and implement a data collection plan. Develop a data collection plan to include any new data sources, processes, monitoring equipment or techniques necessary for the collection of energy-related GHG emissions data. For each data source, review existing data collection mechanisms to determine if a collection process is already in place and can be used or updated to collect the necessary data.  If one is not in place, devise the means to collect the necessary data.
5. Update data analysis methods and responsibilities.  Make sure that energy-related GHG emissions are analyzed in a manner that meets your organization’s needs.  Assign responsibility for analyzing and tracking energy-related GHG emissions data.  Make sure the organization is able to quantify its energy-related GHG emissions using techniques appropriate to the type of emission (Scope 1, 2, or 3), that meet the organization’s needs and any legal or other requirements, and that meet the needs of the EnMS. You may need to revisit this task once you complete subsequent tasks, especially as you identify and fine tune your SEUs, EnPIs, and energy objectives and targets.

If you have an existing 50001 Ready-based EnMS and want to adapt it to also manage energy-related GHG emissions, in this task you should:

1. Review current energy sources and energy uses. For each of the energy-related emissions categories (Scope 1, 2, and 3) included in your EnMS scope and boundaries, identify and document the energy-related GHG emissions sources alongside the energy sources.  For each of your emission sources select an approach for calculating energy-related GHG emissions.
2. Review relevant variables.  Relevant variables are quantifiable factors that routinely change and have a major impact on energy consumption and energy-related GHG emissions.  Review your current list of relevant variables to see if any that affect energy-related GHG emissions need to be included.
3. Review data needs and data sources.  For energy-related GHG emission sources not previously included in your data collection process, identify the data needs, data sources and data collection period as well as preferred methods for data collection.  If collecting site-specific emissions factors from energy suppliers, include this in your data needs and sources. Make sure the quality of any data collected meets your organization’s needs and meets the legal and other requirements of the organization.  Consider reviewing the GHG Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard to ensure your data quality and processes meet the organization’s needs now and in the future.
4. Review the current data collection plan. Update the data collection plan to include any new data sources, processes, monitoring equipment, or techniques necessary for the collection of energy-related GHG emissions data. 
5. Update data analysis methods and responsibilities.  Make sure that energy-related GHG emissions are analyzed in a manner that meets your organization’s needs.  Assign responsibility for analyzing and tracking energy-related GHG emissions data.  Make sure the organization is able to quantify its energy-related GHG emissions using techniques appropriate to the type of emission (Scope 1, 2, or 3), that meet the organization’s needs and any legal or other requirements, and that meet the needs of the EnMS. You may need to revisit this task once you complete subsequent tasks, especially if your SEUs, EnPIs, or energy objectives and targets change.

The guidance for this task is from the following sections from the ERP Framework: ERP Framework Milestone 1.

After identifying stakeholders, the next step is to develop a GHG Inventory Management Plan (IMP) that leads to a GHG inventory in conformance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The IMP ensures standardization and repeatability in methods of calculating and reporting GHG emissions year over year by documenting the organization’s process for data management, methods to quantify emissions, and methods for auditing and verification. The GHG inventory is calculated based on methodologies detailed in the IMP. (Milestone 1)

Collecting robust data and conducting proper analyses are as critical for GHG emissions as they are for energy, especially with growing interest in organizational emissions reporting and disclosure.

The guidance for Task 8 is found within the following sections of the ERP Industrial Framework:

Milestone 1:

Establish a greenhouse gas inventory management plan – Develop and document standardized data management processes and methods to collect, quantify, verify, and roll up emissions data from the facility level to the portfolio level to create a GHG inventory.

At a minimum, inventories must include all direct emissions from sources owned or operated by the organization, such as boilers, furnaces, and vehicles (Scope 1) as well as indirect emissions associated with purchased energy such as electricity (Scope 2). In addition to energy-related

emissions, Scope 1 emissions may also include non-energy emissions, such as direct process emissions from certain industrial processes or leaks of fluorinated gases or other GHGs. Indirect emissions that occur in the value chain, both upstream and downstream, may also be included

(Scope 3).

Milestone 3:

From the inventory completed in Milestone 1, gather relevant data on facility energy consumption and individual production processes needed to calculate emissions.

Milestone 4:

Review Emission Reduction Measures: Review the opportunities identified in facility- and portfolio-level assessments. Collect data on technology/equipment availability, deployment year, cost, implementation effort, etc.

This task outlines the steps for determining, collecting, and analyzing the data needed to evaluate your water use. When developing this process, it is important to have defined the scope of your water management, an activity covered under Task 3: Scope and Boundaries. It is also critical to understand the quality of the data needed to satisfy the needs of the organization and of the legal and other requirements relative to your water management, an activity covered under Task 2: People and Legal Requirements Affecting the EnMS.

According to the EPA’s WaterSense at Work, conducting a water assessment (for example, a tour or walk-through) of your commercial and institutional (CI) facility is an important first step to understanding water use and identifying savings opportunities. FEMP’s Water Manual sections 3.1.1 (Identify All Water Sources) and 3.1.2 (Collect Facility and Utility Data) and EPA’s WaterSense at Work step 2 (Assessing Facility Water Use) provide guidance that can help with this task in several steps. Summary of those steps is provided below.

Understanding the current water uses and costs is essential to a comprehensive plan. This step involves collecting water and cost data and determining a baseline that will be used to calculate cost savings and determine the overall water reduction potential associated with water-efficiency opportunities. At the agency level, this step involves collecting detailed water use and cost data and real property inventory from all sites. In addition, determine the marginal per unit cost of water and sewer services.

The first steps in conducting an in-depth water assessment include: collecting any readily available information that can provide a basic understanding of building operational characteristics and general water use patterns; determining major uses of water within the facility; and estimating the costs of water use and sewer discharges. This information can be used to facilitate a more detailed investigation of facility water use and return on investment for any water-efficiency-related projects. To thoroughly understand your facility’s water use, collect data such as building types, building square footage, and occupancy, and evaluate its quality for decision making.

Determining water use at the equipment or application level can be challenging. Most federal facilities have metered data for total water supply but may have limited or no submetering data about component uses. Create an inventory of all water-using activities. Use the Federal Energy Management Program’s BMPs list as a starting place to identify major equipment types. Tap the expertise of others at the facility who have direct knowledge of building mechanical systems and process equipment to generate a complete inventory. For unmetered water end uses, create engineering estimates of water use. You also can use FEMP’s Water Evaluation Data Tool to collect the necessary data on water end uses. This tool provides a method for collecting comprehensive water data during a building and campus walk-through survey to conduct a comprehensive water evaluation.

Create an inventory of all water-using activities. When collecting information on water-using equipment, consider that you need to separately gather data about water supply sources and end uses. Water supply can include: municipally supplied potable water, municipally supplied reclaimed water, wells or other freshwater sources, and onsite alternative water. Water end uses could include potable water use and industrial, landscaping, and agricultural water use (primarily nonpotable water) that is associated with reduction targets. For purposes of establishing a baseline, water sources can be more broadly grouped as potable, nonpotable, onsite alternative, or purchased reclaimed water.

Develop a thorough understanding of water costs related to potable and nonpotable uses. This information, as well as cost information regarding potable water and wastewater can help in water management project prioritization (this information will be helpful for Task 10: Improvement Opportunities).

Tools and Resources:

• U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Online Water Balance Tool (https://water-balance.labworks.org/accounts/sign_in)
• FEMP Water Evaluation Data Tools (https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/articles/water-evaluation-tools)
• Handbook: Water Evaluation Tools (https://water-balance.labworks.org/femp-water-balance-help-2020.pdf)
• Estimating Methods for Determining End-Use Water Consumption (https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/estimating-methods-determining-end-use-water-consumption)
• Walk-Through Data Collection Forms (https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/11/f80/walk-through-data-collection-forms.pdf)
• EPA’s Tools for Commercial and Institutional Facilities (https://www.epa.gov/watersense/tools-ci-facilities)
• Potential data sources:
  1. Property data inventories (Age, Location, Ownership, Facility Status, Size, Use)
  2. Equipment inventory lists
  3. Water utility invoices
  4. Facility management
  5. Maintenance staff
  6. HR offices/Occupancy data
  7. Building walk-downs
• Examples for determining unmetered water use:
  1. Water use from plumbing fixtures (toilets, urinals, faucets, and showerheads) based on the number of occupants and daily use per occupant
  2. Cooling tower use, based on cooling capacity and load factor (see BMP 10, Cooling Tower Management)
  3. Irrigation water use, based on irrigated area and inches of water applied
  4. Operating equipment water use, based on water use per cycle and frequency of cycles

This task should be used to ensure your EnMS includes a detailed process for collecting relevant energy data in a format that is ready to be reported. Data collection may include utility invoices and sub-metering data. You should use a consistent methodology for quantitatively analyzing energy data.  If you do not have a process currently, the Department of Energy offers several tools that can help you establish one.  Contact the 50001 Ready Help Desk at 50001ready@lbl.gov for assistance in identifying the tools best for you

Identify your relevant variables (e.g. occupancy; weather) and as with energy data, understand where and how to find this data (e.g. occupancy rates for occupancy; heating and cooling degree days for weather).

Data collection and analysis is also critical for determining your site significant energy uses (SEUs)

In an ISO 50001:2018 EnMS, all energy sources and energy uses within the defined EnMS scope and boundaries must be included and recorded in the energy review. Organizations with ISO 14001:2015 environmental management systems (EMS) may be able to identify their energy sources and energy uses from their environmental aspects information. However, even if you start with the environmental aspects information, your team should reality-check the comprehensiveness of that information to ensure that all energy sources and energy uses have been identified for the EnMS. Since ISO 50001:2018 requires more extensive measurement and analysis of data than ISO 14001, it is recommended that the energy review be maintained separately from the environmental aspects information.

Step 2.1 and Appendix 3 of the ENERGY STAR^® Guidelines for Energy Management each provide guidance on gathering and tracking data. The guidance in this part of the 50001 Ready Navigator provides information on the energy data and information required by ISO 50001, along with additional suggestions, tools, and details on how to best gather and track your data.

As an ENERGY STAR user, you may likely already be analyzing your organization’s past and present energy consumption, using tools like Portfolio Manager. Data analysis tips are discussed in steps 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 of the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management. The 50001 Ready Navigator guidance in this step provides additional analysis tools and tips for your consideration.

The ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management does not provide guidance on keeping a list of energy-using systems. Instead, it’s left up to each organization to determine the appropriate level of detail when collecting data. ISO 50001 requires that the organization evaluate past and present energy uses and determine its SEUs. Note that SEUs may be different from the areas, sites, and equipment identified in the ENERGY STAR program.

This guidance is relevant to steps 4.1, 4.2, and 5.5 of the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management. To define and implement an energy measurement plan, expand on the technical steps contained in Step 4.1 of the ENERGY STAR guidelines by identifying key characteristics of your operations that determine energy performance and the associated monitoring and measurement requirements. This task contains guidance and several resources to help.

Measurement needs may have been included when resources were identified in Step 4.2 of the ENERGY STAR guidelines. When implementing the EnMS, it will be necessary to ensure measurement needs are periodically reviewed. These reviews of measurement needs can be incorporated into the periodic reviews your organization already has in place according to the guidance in Step 5.5 of the ENERGY STAR guidelines.

Monitoring and measurement systems for your EnMS will include calibration of the monitoring and measurement equipment to ensure data are accurate and repeatable, as well as maintaining associated records documentation and records.