Schneider Electric gains ISO 50001 for 20 UK sites, saving large amounts of energy - and money too

When ISO 50001 was introduced in 2011, Schneider Electric knew it needed to get ahead of the curve in terms of compliance. Signing up to the framework wasn’t compulsory, but as a global specialist in energy management, it was crucial that the company walked-the-talk when it came to its in-house energy efficiency.

 

Since then, Schneider Electric has had twenty of its sites across the UK ISO 50001 certified, making energy savings of 16.5% over two years. Furthermore, all improvements have come through the use of the company’s own products and services. 

 

 

But what exactly is ISO 50001, and what does it mean for businesses in the UK?

 

Designed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), ISO 50001 is a blueprint for improving the management of energy and resources. It is a specification that defines requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an Energy Management System (EnMS). Using a structured methodology, it allows organisations to systematically assess and continually improve energy efficiency performance. 

 

Since its introduction three years ago, over 7,000 sites around the world have been ISO 50001 certified. One of the key components of the framework is that there are no quantitative targets to reach. Each site seeking certification will be unique, so imposing absolute values is of little use. Rather, it is about the processes that are put in place to ensure that energy efficiency is constantly being improved upon. The ultimate goal is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, along with the corresponding savings on energy costs. 

 

“It’s absolutely vital to practice what you preach,” says Mark Jones, Sustainability Manager at Schneider Electric. “Energy management solutions are what we do, so for us it was essential that we were able to manage our own operations as efficiently as possible.”

 

When the ISO 50001 requirements were published in June 2011, Jones was tasked with making sure that the company got up to speed as quickly as possible. Having someone to spearhead the implementation is essential, and support needs to be in place throughout the organisation, from top executives down to operations staff. 

 

 

“First and foremost, you need to have an energy plan, and that plan needs to be bought into by everyone,” says Jones. “A few lone voices, no matter how loud, won’t impact on energy efficiency across an organisation unless there is widespread buy-in. It’s helpful to have an Energy Champion for each site, but you need to have all levels on board.” 

 

The planning stage consists of conducting an energy review and establishing a baseline. From there, energy performance indicators (EnPIs), objectives and targets can be drawn up. Once these metrics have been agreed, an action plan for improving performance can then be formulated. 

 

Covering about 17,000m2 and home to around 450 staff, Schneider Electric’s Leeds site is its largest manufacturing site in the UK. The company’s Medium Voltage Switchgear and MV/LV distribution transformers are made there, so the site consumes a lot of energy. The combined annual consumption of electricity and gas is around 5,900,000 kWh, or the equivalent of almost 300 typical homes. 

 

 

When the Leeds site started to implement the Schneider Electric Energy Management System in 2011, production area lighting was one of the first things addressed. Approximately 330 old metal halide lighting fittings were replaced with energy efficient T5 fluorescent fittings. 

 

In addition, to maximise the energy efficiency of the new lighting set up, one of the company’s C-Bus intelligent lighting control systems was also installed. 

 

This control system provides time scheduling to ensure lights are only in use when required, and occupancy sensing to switch lights off in certain areas when there is no activity. When sufficient external daylight is available, the system is intelligent enough to know that lights inside can be dimmed. 

 

 

The lighting project has been a huge success, resulting in energy savings of around 235,000 kWh per year. It has been accompanied by several other projects at Leeds, including the addition of a Schneider variable speed drive (VSD) to the existing compressor arrangement, a change that resulted in savings of approximately 134,000 kWh per year. 

 

“The savings we’ve made at Leeds are typical of what we’ve been able to achieve at our manufacturing sites,” says Jones. “Obviously we’ve had big infrastructural changes such as the lighting system, but equally important is the methodology we’ve put in place to encourage energy-efficient behavior, reduce waste, and continually improve practices.”  

 

Looking ahead, a proposed solar photovoltaic (solar PV) scheme is also currently being evaluated for the Leeds site.  With advances in technology, renewable sources of energy such as solar are becoming increasingly practical, even in countries like the UK, and the installation of solar PV units at Leeds would help significantly reduce the site’s carbon footprint. 

 

 

PV technologies are nothing new for the company. Schneider Electric’s head office in Rueil-Malmaison, on the outskirts of Paris, was the first building in the world to achieve ISO 50001 certification. Known as the Hive (Hall of Innovation and Energy Showcase), the 35,000m2 building accommodates more than 1,800 employees. Several electric vehicles (EVs) sit just outside the main building entrance, sheltered from the rain by a roof made up of solar PV panels, which connect to a charging station underneath. 

 

Acting as a customer showroom, as well as Schneider Electric’s global HQ, the Hive building exhibits cutting-edge, energy-efficient technology, and as part of the ISO 50001 certification, this technology must also be constantly assessed and improved upon. 

 

Data analysis, daily monitoring and staff behavioural education have resulted in a massive reduction in energy consumption, from 150 kWh/m2 to 78 kWh/m2. But reduction in energy use is only one part of the puzzle. Through effective water and waste management, 100% of the waste at the Hive is now recycled or energy recovered. 

 

Comments Jones: “The Hive is a fantastic demonstration of what buildings can achieve with the right concept, planning and technology. 

 

“Being able to design that site from scratch with our own technology and needs in mind, we were able to create something truly special, but many of the systems and practices in place at the Hive can be applied to other buildings. ISO 50001 certification is the perfect place to start that journey.”