When planning to achieve objectives, both ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015 require that the organization develop information that is virtually identical to the information that must be included in action plans under ISO 50001:2018, though only ISO 50001 uses the phrase action plans. The term action plans is used to describe the information to be developed when planning to achieve objectives. All three standards are concerned with determining what will be done, who will be responsible, time frames for completion, and how the results will be evaluated. In this regard, there is considerable potential to integrate these planning activities across the three standards. A key difference between the three standards with regard to this planning is that ISO 50001 uses the construct of planning to meet both objectives and energy targets, while ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 do not use the construct of “targets.”

Step 3.2 of the ENERGY STAR^® Guidelines for Energy Management provides some tips on estimating potential for improvement, which includes reviewing opportunities to reduce energy consumption.

Steps 4 and 5 in the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management address creating and implementing action plans. The guidance in this 50001 Ready Navigator task contains similar guidance, including helpful resources like an action plan template.

Using the compilation of prioritized energy opportunities you developed as part of the energy review (Task 10 Improvement Opportunities), your organization will need to select projects to achieve the specific objectives and targets established in Task 12 Objectives and Targets. However, it is unlikely that management can provide resources for all of the potential projects on your list of energy opportunities.

Review the list of prioritized energy opportunities. When selecting a project for implementation, consider the specific objectives and energy targets you have established. Determine which projects are feasible and that will enable you to achieve the improvement(s) in the stated objectives and energy targets. The following considerations can be useful in this process:

• The estimated energy savings associated with implementation of the project
• Organizational constraints, such as
  • funding requirements or constraints,
  • availability of personnel expertise and time (both internal and external, as applicable), and
  • effect on other organizational priorities.
• Any applicable capital justification or other criteria required for project approval by your organization (e.g., return on investment, payback, etc.)

Action plans must be established and maintained when planning how to achieve your objectives and energy targets. Start by designating a leader for each energy project. The project leader should be a member of the energy team. Recall that the energy team is responsible for implementing action plans and this responsibility cannot be delegated away from the team (See Task 6 Energy Team and Resources).

The project leader assembles a project team with representatives from the appropriate functions or areas. Not all representatives on the project team have to be members of the energy team. The project team then develops an action plan that defines the specific actions needed to implement the project (i.e., what will be done), the resources that will be required, and who will be responsible.

The optional Playbook worksheet can be a useful starting point. There is no requirement that action plan information be retained in a single document. In some organizations, the information may be retained across different databases or spreadsheets, linked by a common identifier.

When defining actions necessary for project implementation, be sure also to address the following:

• The method(s) to be used to verify the results of the action plan and the energy performance improvement(s) achieved.
• Consideration of how the actions to implement the project and achieve the objectives and energy targets can be integrated into your business processes; for example, consider:
  • any changes in processes or procedures (e.g., operational controls) that are required due to the project,
  • any needed training of employees or contractors on the changes implemented due to the project,
  • continued monitoring and measurement of project parameters to ensure that energy performance improvements are sustained over time.

A comprehensive list of actions helps to ensure the team understands what is necessary to implement the project, and they can communicate required resources effectively to management.

After the team has defined what will be done and the required resources necessary for implementation, the team determines the time frame for completing the action plan, considering resource availability and any time frames established for achieving the objectives and energy targets. A recommended practice is that responsible positions and due dates for specific actions are included in the action plan, and that action plans are regularly reviewed and updated. This helps to ensure progress of project activities can be tracked.

Note: Objectives and associated action plans also can be used to plan and implement projects related to improving the energy management system (EnMS). Such objectives and action plans tend to be qualitative. There is no explicit requirement that the organization establish objectives and action plans related to the EnMS; however, ISO 50001:2018 does require continual improvement of the suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of the EnMS. For some EnMS improvements, use of objectives and action plans can be useful.

To effectively evaluate project results, the project leader or team will need to identify who is going to be responsible for project verification. The person or team assigned should have a working knowledge of the systems involved and be competent in performing the necessary data gathering and analysis.

To clearly define the method of verification, the following questions will need to be answered:

• What will be measured or evaluated to identify project impacts?
• How will it be measured or evaluated?

The answers to these questions will establish the measurement or evaluation activities necessary for verification. Consider any instrumentation or metering that could be included in the project scope to enhance the ability to measure and evaluate system energy performance and project results.

Once these activities are determined, the verification process will need to establish a baseline or measurement of pre-project operations. When the project is complete, the verification process will need to evaluate or measure the post-project results. The estimated or expected project results can then be compared with actual data from the project verification to determine the action plan’s effectiveness.

The project is not complete until the verification of results is complete and both the project team and energy team have reviewed them. The verification methods and the verification results should be recorded on the action plan.

The first step to communicating expectations for the energy project(s) is to have them fully defined and documented. The optional Playbook worksheet may be of use.

Everyone involved in energy project(s) needs to know their role and responsibilities. As previously indicated, action plans can involve personnel who are not on the energy team; communicating to them the responsibilities and expectations for their involvement is critical. This should be done using the internal communication processes of the EnMS (see Task 15 Awareness and Communication). A “project kick-off” meeting that brings together all the personnel involved can be an effective approach for communicating the expectations for the project. It can help them understand how their assigned tasks or actions fit into the overall effort.

The project team, with participation from members of the energy team, should hold regular meetings to review the action plan(s) and determine progress against schedule. During these meetings, use the action plan to determine if implementation is progressing as expected. Also, use team meetings to determine if any additional resources are required or if any additional activities need to be included in the action plan. Review and update the action plan in accordance with the schedule and use it to communicate regularly with management.

The optional Playbook worksheet illustrates a completed action plan, including the verification of the energy performance improvement achieved.

Good project management can ensure that the action plans are properly implemented. Ongoing communication such as status reporting and project and energy team meetings, when appropriate, will contribute to this success.

If you do not have an existing 50001 Ready-based EnMS and want to build one that also helps your organization manage energy-related GHG emissions, in addition to the guidance for the energy management system you should:

1. Review your selected improvement opportunities.  Gather and review the prioritized improvements opportunities developed as part of Task 10 Improvement Opportunities. Consider the GHG emissions targets and objectives established when you updated Task 12 Objectives and Targets.
2. Develop action plans.  Establish action plans for any GHG emissions-related projects selected.  Include the items listed in the “Full Description” tab for this task. 
3. Define verification methods. Develop verification methods for any selected GHG emissions-related projects using the guidance in the “Full Description” tab to verify project results and performance improvement.  If the project reduces a significant amount of GHG emissions, make sure the quality of data meets any stakeholder needs. 
4. Communicate expectations and review progress.  Make sure any selected GHG emissions-related projects are well defined and documented and that anyone involved in the projects knows their roles and responsibilities.  Where appropriate, hold regular meetings to review progress and communicate this progress regularly with management.

If you have an existing 50001 Ready-based EnMS and want to adapt it to manage energy-related GHG emissions, you should:

1. Review your selected improvement opportunities.  Gather and review the prioritized improvements opportunities developed as part of updating Task 10 Improvement Opportunities for energy-related GHG emissions. Keep in mind that if you added GHG emissions as part of the criteria for prioritizing opportunities, the relative priority for each opportunity may have changed. Consider the GHG emissions targets and objectives established when you updated Task 12 Objectives and Targets.
2. Develop action plans.  Establish action plans for any GHG emissions-related projects selected.  Follow your organization’s approach for documenting actions plans and include the items listed in the “Full Description” tab for this task. 
3. Define verification methods. Develop verification methods for any selected GHG emissions-related projects using the guidance in the “Full Description” tab to verify project results and performance improvement.  If the project reduces a significant amount of GHG emissions, make sure the quality of data meets any stakeholder needs. 
4. Communicate expectations and review progress.  Make sure any selected GHG emissions-related projects are well defined and documented and that anyone involved in the projects knows their roles and responsibilities.  Where  appropriate, hold regular meetings to review progress and communicate this progress regularly with management.

Developing an action plan with a prioritized list of identified solutions should be the next step after completing your water evaluation (Task 8). An action plan outlines the details of implementing a performance improvement project. When developing your action plan, tie your criteria to your overall policy (Task 5) and Objectives and Targets (Task 12). According to FEMP’s Water Manual section 4, an action plan should:

• Prioritize Solutions (FEMP Manual section 4.1)
• Develop a Schedule (FEMP Manual section 4.2)
• Identify Financing Sources (FEMP Manual section 4.3)
• Design Solutions and Procure Equipment (FEMP Manual section 4.4)

Prioritizing identified water solutions enables you to assess the potential benefits and costs, and to rank them in order of priority to obtain the biggest impact to your facility. When prioritizing solutions, consider the following criteria:

• Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) results
• Sustainability
• Resilience
• Level of effort

Developing a schedule should be the next step after choosing and prioritizing solutions. Make sure that your schedule has a clear path of action, team members are assigned tasks and are held accountable, and that the schedule includes regular progress checks.

Information provided by EPA’s WaterSense at Work steps 4 (Creating an Action Plan) and 5 (Implementing the Action Plan) can guide you in further developing your action plans. A summary of those steps is provided below.

Using the water balance as a guide and considering any major areas for improvement noted during the water assessment, the water management team can create a detailed action plan. This includes solidifying water savings opportunities into specific projects or operation and maintenance changes and prioritizing that project list. The action plan should determine which projects and practices can be implemented at the facility to achieve established water management goals. Creating an action plan consists of the following steps:

• Establish a date for installing efficiency measures.
• Project annual water use based on implemented efficiency projects.
• Identify projects and calculate cost and potential savings.
• Identify financing sources.
• Calculate a simple payback.
• Document project priorities in a detailed action plan.

Based on the current 50001 Ready Navigator, identify the following requirements as part of the action plan:

• The activities to be completed to implement the project and achieve water performance improvement
• The resources needed to complete the activities
• The time frame for completing the activities
• The person or persons responsible for completing the activities
• A description of the method for verifying project results
• A description of the method for verifying the water performance improvement

The water management team should develop a targeted implementation strategy for the action plan. Such a strategy can increase project success significantly and help to achieve water management goals. This might include gathering support for specific projects and practices. To maximize the opportunities for success, consider the following:

• Ensure that the necessary resources (i.e., time, money, personnel) are available to complete the projects and practices included in the action plan.
• Complete the identified projects and practices in order of priority.
• Promote key components of the action plan to employees and other relevant stakeholders to gain support for specific projects.
• Create incentives to encourage staff or those responsible for specific projects and practices to take action and do their part to help achieve the water management goals.
• Be creative and consider other resources that may be available to assist in implementation, such as other employees, utility and government programs, interns, or engineering students.
• In the event of a drought or other water emergency, implement measures as specified in the emergency contingency plan.

Tools and Resources:

• As an example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Marshall Space Flight Center implemented a product specification for water-efficient plumbing products. (https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/downloads/nasas-marshall-space-flight-center-saves-water-high-efficiency-toilet-and-urinal)

Actions plans are used to turn the improvement opportunities identified in task 10 into projects for implementation.  This is where objectives and targets are turned into projects.

If you have existing processes or documentation of energy improvement ideas sources at your site, leverage these resources to form your action plans.  Action plans are the grass roots level or boots on the ground actions for the actual implementation of energy improvement projects. These action plans outline the who (responsible persons), what (objectives, action items), when (timelines), and how (detailed descriptions, resources) of energy projects. There is a data collection aspect to action plans to help determine if the project implementation did indeed improve energy performance. 

Methods of verification should be defined as a part of the action plans to ensure the proper data are collected and resources for verification are available.

When planning to achieve objectives, both ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015 require that the organization develop information that is virtually identical to the information that must be included in action plans under ISO 50001:2018, though only ISO 50001 uses the phrase action plans. The term action plans is used to describe the information to be developed when planning to achieve objectives. All three standards are concerned with determining what will be done, who will be responsible, time frames for completion, and how the results will be evaluated. In this regard, there is considerable potential to integrate these planning activities across the three standards. A key difference between the three standards with regard to this planning is that ISO 50001 uses the construct of planning to meet both objectives and energy targets, while ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 do not use the construct of “targets.”

Step 3.2 of the ENERGY STAR^® Guidelines for Energy Management provides some tips on estimating potential for improvement, which includes reviewing opportunities to reduce energy consumption.

Steps 4 and 5 in the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management address creating and implementing action plans. The guidance in this 50001 Ready Navigator task contains similar guidance, including helpful resources like an action plan template.