ISO 50001 Awareness Training Requirements

[Richard W]

Hello there

I can find anything on this, but we are going for ISO 50001 certification by the end of June.

I am trying to sort out awareness training. The issue is we are simply an office environment, so whilst I have to meet this requirement I do not want a boring session about telling people to turn off the lights and don't have windows open at the same time as heating on etc (although I will need to mention this!)

Does anyone have any experience on this, meeting the requirement but making it as interesting as possible???>

 

[RoxaneB]

Hi, Richard.

While I don't have a presentation for you, what I would suggest is that you keep the references to ISO 50001 to a minimum. In my experience, covering the "rules" that are now in place because of a standard tends to make people lose interest really quickly.

Instead, I would recommend you discuss the real WHY behind energy management, such as:

• Conservation for the future of the planet
• Ensuring there are resources for future generations
• Money saved...but you might need to indicate how the money gets back to the employees (if it does...if it doesn't, I wouldn't mention this)

Do the members of your organization have kids? Why not encourage them to draw pictures of why energy management is important...contest, calendar development, "theme of the month", etc. are ways to involve the families while helping you promote smart energy management (but we won't call it ISO 50001).

 

[Richard W]

Perfect

that's the angle I have been taking while preparing this morning. Whys its important is the main thing, and a little about how they can help.

Thanks

Richard

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

I am trying to sort out awareness training. The issue is we are simply an office environment, so whilst I have to meet this requirement I do not want a boring session about telling people to turn off the lights and don't have windows open at the same time as heating on etc (although I will need to mention this!)

Does anyone have any experience on this, meeting the requirement but making it as interesting as possible???>

I applaud your intention to make the awareness training as interesting as possible, rather than just going through the motions. As usual, I agree with Roxane: keep references to the standard to a minimum. It is not interesting to the majority of your audience anyway. They just want to know what they are supposed to do, and above all why.

As for the standard, 4.5.2 a - d points out what people are supposed to be aware of: You will need to discuss the policy and what everyone will be required to do personally in order to fulfill its requirements. Then comes the fun stuff. The benefits of improved energy performance (and don't just keep it to flipping light switches...). The output from your office may very well affect the way others manage their energy performance. This also brings you to impacts, along with objectives and targets. What will happen if you do or do not do this and that, and the potential consequences.

It is also a good time for a discussion about what energy actually is on a grander scale, how we use it, and what the results of using it are. Give them the big picture.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Does anyone have any experience on this, meeting the requirement but making it as interesting as possible???>

In addition to seconding comments from Roxane and Claes, I would also suggest you peruse the material made available by ISO on the ISO 50001 standard. There is, actually, some interesting bits you can use, internally.

The link to the page is here.

 

[Richard W]

It is also a good time for a discussion about what energy actually is on a grander scale, how we use it, and what the results of using it are. Give them the big picture.[/QUOTE]


regarding the above comment............

my background is not energy and if I was being given the awareness module(as opposed to giving it) I agree this would be a good idea.

Would you have any references for any high level information in this area?

Thanks

 

[RoxaneB]

my background is not energy and if I was being given the awareness module(as opposed to giving it) I agree this would be a good idea.

Would you have any references for any high level information in this area?

Thanks

There are times when seeing how "one action can impact the bigger picture" can be your most powerful message.

Like you, Richard, my background is not energy. However, when I worked for a steel mill here in Ontario, Canada, a group of us went to visit the power generating station that fed us.

Simply put, the steel making process for us involved a big bowl, adding in scrap metal, sprinkling in some magic dust and then turning the switch on that would melt the contents of the bowl.

Standing in the power generating station, we knew that our plant was about to turn on that switch and we started the count down. As soon as that process fired up, the impact on the grid was significant! We knew how much power our process took, we knew the number, but we never had a context for it...to see how much of a drain we were on the southern Ontario region resonated with us.

So, for your organization, while an office environment, the idea that even one water droplet can help form a tidal is similar to what I experienced at the power generating station.

Consider what feeds your power generating station...its transference of power to the grid...the grid to your city...your city to your block...your block to your building...your building to your meeting room where your doing the training...your meeting room to that one light switch....and then reverse that sequence. It's a message that energy is not simply something that exists and that we all play a part in its usage and conservation and management.

This reminds me that "joke" about people who think that eggs come the refrigeration section of the grocery story. They have no concept of chickens or farms or the agricultural management that goes into the "production" of one egg.

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

I have been audited all day. I'll see if I can come up with something tomorrow.

 

[Richard W]

Thanks All.

I've done about 100 people and it was a success (have another 150 to do in different sites)

really focused on why it is important and started off with how it was made, and that made it really obvious why it was important.......

made a few references to , "this is not about saving money or making us look good in front of clients, this is about protecting our future "

and then the "how do you get ISO 50001 , was really covered by saying what we have done so far and where it was going. Used the training room as an example (60 lights all burning 36watts etc and showed how it all added up to almost bang on 1Million Kwh/year for the 3 sites)

we have the 50001 audit on Thursday (stage 1) so fingers crossed I have most things covered.........

 

[Marc]

Good to hear. Interesting training content such as the lights in the training room. Of course, heating/AC, etc., but lights are easy to calculate and for people to understand.