Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)
Manage your energy, comply with regulation and cut your costs
In October 2012 the EU produced the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), which stated that all member countries must create an energy audit scheme to ensure achievement of the European Union’s 2020 target on energy efficiency and to pave the way for further energy efficiency improvements.
What is an energy audit?
An energy audit is a survey of energy use within a business, looking at all aspects of energy use. The audit can be a stand-alone activity or part of an energy management system such as ISO 50001 and is aimed at identifying where energy (and costs) can be saved.
Who does ESOS apply to?
ESOS currently applies to all organisations in the UK defined as a ‘large undertaking’ - that is: those that employ 250 or more staff, or have an annual turnover in excess of £42m and an annual balance sheet total of around £36.5m, or are part of a corporate group containing a large enterprise. The government has predicted that 9,000 UK organisations will be affected by ESOS.
When do I need to comply by?
Organisations falling into the scheme must have completed their first energy audit by 5 December 2015. Thereafter audits must be done as a minimum, every four years from the date of the previous audit.
How can I comply with ESOS?
Organisations are required to review the total energy use and energy efficiency of the organisation and identify cost-effective energy savings opportunities by undertaking an energy audit. The main route to compliance is to perform an energy audit which must be either; performed by, overseen by, or signed off by a registered Lead ESOS Assessor.
Another route is to achieve ISO certification: the ISO 50001 (Energy Management System) certification is a direct route to ESOS compliance. If you have ISO 50001 certification you will be considered to have met the obligations of the ESOS scheme.
ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification cannot be used as a direct route to compliance. However evaluating energy use as an environmental impact provides a good starting point for organisations. It is also a great base to work from to gain ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification.
If you are part of the Green Deal scheme or have a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) you will be considered to have met the requirements of the ESOS scheme.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) cannot be used as a route for compliance with ESOS. However an EPC may provide valuable information that can be utilised in one of the other compliance routes.