Energy management is fast emerging as the most important of the top three operating expenses of any industry, with the potential to help organizations meet the Sustainable Development Goal of access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Organizations that waste energy through lax processes and insufficient management are not only losing money but are also causing avoidable pollution through increased carbon emissions. In addition, energy security and fossil-fuel depletion have become global concerns.

While there have been some clear successes in many parts of the world, a lot needs to be done in both the public and private sectors to facilitate energy-efficient practices and procedures. That requires experts with the necessary knowledge and skills to review energy management systems (EnMS ISO 50001) and then plan, conduct, report on, and follow up EnMS audits.

To enable member countries meet the demand for certified energy auditors, the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) will launch a self-learning Energy Management System Auditors’ Course through its digital-learning platform eAPO on 1 May 2018. The free online course is a follow-up to the APO self-learning course on Energy Efficiency and the Energy Management System (ISO 50001) to develop more professionals who can plan and conduct energy management audits.

The APO has been promoting the concept of Green Productivity (GP) since 1994, where the focus is to enhance productivity and simultaneously reduce negative impacts on the environment. GP leverages various productivity tools and techniques to help organizations improve their quality, occupational safety, and environmental management, in which energy management plays a major role.

Six modules are included in the APO online Energy Management System Auditors’ Course, covering an introduction to the EnMS, the energy auditing concept, preparing for audits, framework for conducting onsite audits, nonconformity reporting, and follow-up initiatives. The methodology consists of module-based study, additional study and reference materials, intermittent quizzes for self-assessment, and a final examination. Participants from APO member countries who complete the course with a minimum 70% score in the final examination will be eligible to receive APO e-certificates.