Is the performance of energy audits, in accordance with ISO 50002 or BSEN 16247, as well as environmental and/or energy management system certification for the same client considered to be an unacceptable threat to impartiality?
March 2017
Consensus Position
An energy audit may be used to support the “Energy review”, which is a key process and forms the basis for an energy management system according to ISO 50001. An energy audit according to ISO 50002 (or BS EN 16247) is defined as a “systematic analysis of energy use and energy consumption within a defined energy audit scope, in order to identify, quantify and report on the opportunities for improved energy performance”. Performing a full energy audit according to ISO 50002 or BS EN 16247 contains elements of management system consultancy, including the following examples:
- “establish and evaluate the current energy performance”;
- “The energy auditor shall identify energy performance improvement opportunities based on analysis and the following: a) their own competency and expertise …
- “When reporting the energy audit results, the energy auditor shall: … f) provide a prioritized list of energy performance improvement opportunities; … g) suggest recommendations for the implementation of the opportunities.”
- “The energy audit report shall include the following topics: d) opportunities for improving energy performance: 1) recommendations and the suggested implementation programme; 2) assumptions and methods used in calculating energy savings, and the resulting accuracy of
calculated energy savings and benefits; 3) assumptions used in calculating costs of implementation, and the resulting accuracy; 4) appropriate economic analysis, including known financial incentives and any non-energy gains; 5) potential interactions with other proposed recommendations; 6) measurement and verification methods recommended for use in post-implementation assessment of the recommended opportunities;”.Therefore, the performance of energy audits, in accordance with ISO 50002 or BSEN 16247, as well as environmental and/or energy management system certification for the same client is considered to be an unacceptable threat to impartiality. It is noted that providing EMS or EnMS certification to entities, related to the client where the Certification Body has provided an energy audit, who could use those energy audit results (i.e. through having a similar energy profile) shall also be considered to be an unacceptable threat to impartiality.
When EnMS and EMS Certification Bodies demonstrate through their regular mechanisms awareness and mitigation of the risks to impartiality arising from the consultancy elements as listed above, the performance of energy audits at other clients is not considered to be an unacceptable threat to impartiality.