Energieeffizienzgesetz - Mit EMAS oder ISO 50001 erfüllen?

The Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) requires companies and public bodies with a certain level of final energy consumption, as well as data centres with a specific nominal connected load, to implement an environmental management system in accordance with EMAS or an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001. The new information sheet from the German EMAS Advisory Board (Umweltgutachterausschuss, UGA) assists in deciding between these two options.

The information sheet outlines the conditions under which organisations must comply with the law and provides basic definitions of key terms. It also addresses additional requirements of the Energy Efficiency Act for companies, data centres, and public bodies, such as waste heat utilisation, the identification and presentation of technically feasible final energy-saving measures, and their profitability assessment.

A brief comparison of EMAS and ISO 50001 highlights the main differences to facilitate the selection of the appropriate management system. It covers the scope of the management system, effort and cost factors, audit and compliance aspects, as well as benefit factors. The choice of management system depends on various factors. A checklist at the end of the information sheet summarises the decision-making process with five key questions. A list of links provides easy access to up-to-date additional information.