The UK’s Environment Agency (EA) has announced an extension to the December 5th ESOS (Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme) deadline for organisations falling under the scheme. This may be welcome news for many of the 10,000 plus organisations who have yet to meet the deadline for compliance.
Although the legal deadline for compliance remains 5 December 2015, companies will not face enforcement action if they notify the EA with intention to comply before 29 January 2016. Organisations which cannot comply by 5 December 2015 must inform the EA via an online portal, detailing why they have been unable to comply and when they will respond.
There is also a silver lining for companies who wish to achieve certification in ISO 50001. ESOS have pushed the December deadline to 26 June 2016 for those wishing to achieve certification in the ISO standard. If companies choose to implement an energy management system (EnMS), certified to ISO 50001 standards by 30 June 2016, then not only will they be compliant this year but will also be complaint for the next ESOS deadline in 4 years’ time. The EA may waive the penalty once an organisation can show they have appointed a certification body by 5 December 2015. This extension will give organisations the vital time needed to meet the UK’s chosen response to the EU Energy Efficiency Directive.
Why choose ISO 15001?
ISO 50001 not only achieves ESOS compliance but also has many other benefits to an organisation. The certification is integrated into your businesses systems, strategies and processes and acts on identified energy savings to save not only money but time. ISO 50001 follows a process of continuous improvement and international organisations may look at the certification as a way of standardising energy management across global operations. Many aspects of the ISO 50001 process overlaps with ESOS requirements therefore it is important for companies to take time and decide which option is most suitable for them.
ESOS is a mandatory energy audit compliance scheme set up by the UK government requiring qualifying organisations to measure and audit the total energy usage across all buildings, transport and industrial activities. ESOS is not only a mandatory legislation but the audit gives companies an insight into their energy use and provides recommendations on how to improve which in the long run reduces emissions, consumption and costs.
Unsure of where to start with ESOS?
Talk to us. Greenstone’s Enterprise software includes ESOS reporting functionality, helping to ensure our clients can easily report under the scheme and monitor progress overtime. We have also partnered with sustainability consultant, and approved ESOS Lead Assessor, Carbon Smart who carry out the practical energy audits and compile the required energy audit report and associated evidence pack, registering compliance on behalf of organisations with the Environment Agency. This joint ESOS proposition ensures consistent end-to-end ESOS compliance for both organisations’ clients.
