Energy management standards: which ISO standards go with ISO 50001?
The core of energy management is ISO 50001 : the standard for an energy management system (EnMS) that you can get certified against. Around it sits a group of supporting ISO standards from the same 50000 series. They give direction on energy audits, certification, implementation and measuring energy performance. They do not replace ISO 50001. You use them when you run into a specific problem, such as a baseline that does not add up. For the requirements that ISO 50001 sets itself, see the page on the requirements of the standard.
You do not need to buy every standard to comply with ISO 50001. ISO 50001 is the standard you certify against. The other standards are tools. Use them when you have a specific problem, such as an energy audit you want to carry out yourself or a baseline you cannot measure properly.
The 50000 series in brief
| Standard | Subject | When relevant |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 50001:2018 | Energy management system: the requirements you certify against | Always, if you implement ISO 50001 or have it certified |
| ISO 50002-1:2025 | Energy audits: general requirements with explanation. Replaces ISO 50002:2014 | If you carry out or commission an energy audit |
| ISO 50003:2021 | Requirements for bodies that audit and certify energy management systems | To know what a certification body must meet, including when calculating audit duration |
| ISO 50004:2020 | Guidance on implementing, maintaining and improving the system | If you want practical guidance alongside the requirements of ISO 50001 |
| ISO 50006:2023 | Assessing energy performance using EnPIs and energy baselines | If you want to substantiate your EnPIs and energy baseline |
| ISO 50015:2014 | Measurement and verification (M&V) of energy performance of organisations | If you want to demonstrate the saving from a measure |
The publication years come from the ISO catalogue and national standards shops. Check the current edition with ISO or NEN before you name a standard in a quote, report or contract. ISO 50001:2018 has also had an amendment on climate action since 2024 (Amd 1:2024). For more on this, see the page on changes in ISO 50001:2018.
Which standard do you use for what?
An energy manager usually asks three questions. The answer determines which standard you use.
I want to analyse my energy use. Then the energy audit is the starting point. ISO 50002 describes how an audit is carried out. EN 16247 is the European series for energy audits; part 1 from 2022 sets out the general requirements. Auditors use EN 16247 or ISO 50002 as a method. The RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) sets out what the report must contain for the EED (Energy Efficiency Directive). The energy review within ISO 50001 is the internal analysis step.
I want to have an energy management system certified. Then it is about ISO 50001 itself. ISO 50003 helps if you want to know what the certification body and the auditor must meet. The audit process and the requirements of the standard describe what you must arrange yourself.
I want to measure and substantiate savings. Then look at ISO 50006 for the baseline and energy performance indicators (EnPIs), and at ISO 50015 for demonstrating the saving from a specific measure.
Example: which standards for a manufacturing company
The table below is a fictional example for a metal company with two production lines and a gas-fired oven. It shows how to use the standards without buying everything at once.
| Question from management | Standard or tool | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the energy use? | Energy review (ISO 50001, clause 6.3) | Use per line and per energy carrier |
| Is the measurement good enough? | ISO 50006 as guidance for the baseline | Baseline with defined variables |
| What does a new oven deliver? | ISO 50015 as guidance for measurement and verification | Demonstrable saving after one year |
| Will we pass certification? | ISO 50001 and the accredited auditor | Certificate with scope and validity |
Common mistakes
Buying everything before you know what you need. Start with ISO 50001 and the energy review. Add the other standards when you have a specific problem.
Confusing an audit with certification. ISO 50002 is about an energy audit. ISO 50001 is about a management system. An energy audit is not a certificate.
Treating a standard as a legal requirement. ISO 50004, 50006 and 50015 are guidance documents. What you must do is set out in ISO 50001 and in law.
Using old editions without checking. Standards are revised. Check which edition your assessor or certification body uses.
Checklist: which standards do you need?
Go through these questions before you buy a standard or hire a consultant. Each question points to the standard you then need.
- Do you need an energy management system that you want certified? Then you need ISO 50001.
- Do you need to carry out an energy audit, for example for the EED audit obligation (Energy Efficiency Directive)? Then look at ISO 50002 or EN 16247.
- Do you want to know whether your certification body meets the requirements for certification? Then ISO 50003 is the right source.
- Are you stuck implementing the requirements? Then ISO 50004 can help as guidance.
- Are you unsure about your EnPIs or your baseline? Then ISO 50006 is the standard to read.
- Do you want to show that a measure has saved energy? Then ISO 50015 is relevant.
Finish the energy review first. Then you know which question you have before you buy an extra standard.
How does this fit with the EED?
The EED obligation can be met in two ways: with a valid ISO 50001 system or with an energy audit. Which standards you need depends on your choice. If you choose ISO 50001, you need ISO 50001 itself and, at most, the supporting measurement standards. If you choose an energy audit, you work with ISO 50002 or EN 16247. See EED obligation 2027 for the choice and the deadline, and ISO 50001 or energy audit for the comparison.
This page is not a legal overview. The legal requirements for the EED are published by the RVO. Check standard numbers and editions with NEN or ISO before you include them in a contract.
Frequently asked questions
Is ISO 50002 mandatory for an energy audit? The content of the EED audit report is set out in the Energy Audit Decree (Besluit energie-audit), explained by the RVO. ISO 50002 and EN 16247 are references for the method, not legal requirements. Read the EED audit obligation for the precise requirements.
Do I have to buy ISO 50006 to use EnPIs? No. ISO 50001 requires EnPIs and a baseline. ISO 50006 helps you set them up properly. See the EnPI page for the requirements of ISO 50001.
Which standard is the starting point? ISO 50001. Start there, and add the others when you have a specific question that they answer.
More information
- ISO 50001 terms: EnMS, EnPI, SEU and baseline explained
- Requirements of ISO 50001: all clauses per chapter
- Step-by-step plan to certification: the order of implementation
Sources
- ISO 50001:2018 : the main standard
- NEN: energy management : Dutch standards, certification and training on energy
- RVO: revised EED directive : legal requirements for the audit and the energy management system