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Frequently Asked Questions on ANSI ANAB Accreditation Program for Superior Energy Performance (SEP) Conformity Assessment Bodies.
Superior Energy Performance is a certification program that provides facilities with a roadmap for achieving continual improvement in energy performance while maintaining competitiveness. The program provides a transparent system for verifying energy performance improvement and energy management practices through the application of an internationally accepted standard. Third-party conformity assessment bodies or conformity assessment bodies who conduct SEP audits are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
What is ISO 50001?
ISO 50001: Energy management systems - Requirements with guidance for use. This internationally accepted standard specifies the requirements for an organization to demonstrate that it has a sustainable energy management system in place, has completed the energy planning process, and has a commitment to continual improvement of its energy performance.
What is Superior Energy Performance?
Superior Energy Performance (SEP) is a certification program that builds upon the foundation of ISO 50001 by providing facilities with a roadmap for achieving continual improvement in energy performance while maintaining competiveness. The program provides a transparent system for verifying energy performance improvement and energy management practices through the application ISO 50001: Energy management systems - Requirements with guidance for use. Certification involves the audit of an organization's energy management system whereas verification involves the audit of measured improvements in energy performance.
Application and certification to the ISO 50001 standard is required as a prerequisite for SEP verification. SEP requirements to achieve documented and verified energy performance improvements are defined in ANSI/MSE 50021 and are additional to ISO 50001. All facilities pursuing certification must demonstrate a specified improvement in energy performance. The program offers two paths to conformance. One path is to self-declare by submitting internal audit results conducted by the facility's team members or by offsite representatives. Another path is to achieve SEP accredited certification of the facility. To achieve this a ANAB ANSI accredited verifier must conduct an audit of the facility to ensure that energy improvements are accurate.
Minimum program requirements include:
- Conformance to ISO 50001 - Energy management systems - Requirements with guidance for use.
- Achievement of measured and audited energy performance improvement over the 3 to 10 years following the baseline (business as usual) period. Requirements will vary based on the applicant's desired level of verification, performance level, and the maturity of the energy management system in place. Details can be found in the SEP Measurement and Verification Protocol for Industry*.
*Facilities fall into different categories or sectors and therefore, the SEP program has defined sector requirements since energy measurement and verification practices will differ from one sector to the next. Each SEP sector will have a sector-specific energy performance measurement and verification protocol for use. Not all measurement and verification protocols are currently available.
For more information on the SEP program visit: http://www.superiorenergyperformance.net/.
How does my Organization Apply to become ANAB ANSI Accredited?
Certification bodies seeking to carry out accredited certification of facilities to ISO 50001 must attain accreditation to ISO/IEC 17021 - Conformity Assessment - Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems. Currently ANAB has an existing program for accreditation of certification bodies to ISO 17021 for ISO 50001. Therefore, certification bodies currently seeking accreditation solely for the purpose of issuing accredited ISO 50001 certificates should apply with ANAB. conformity assessment bodies seeking to carry out third-party verification of facilities seeking SEP certification must attain accreditation to ANSI/MSE 50028 - Superior Energy Performance - Requirements for conformity assessment bodies for use in accreditation and other forms of recognition.
As noted above, a facility's conformance to ISO 50001 is required for SEP facility verification and certification. The requirements of ISO 17021 are incorporated into ANSI/MSE 50028. Just as ANSI/MSE 50021 contains requirements additional to ISO 50001, ANSI/MSE 50028 contains requirements that are additional to ISO 17021 for the purposes of assessing and accrediting the competence of SEP conformity assessment bodies. Therefore bodies seeking to carry out both ISO 50001 certification as well as SEP verification can achieve accreditation for both activities by applying for the joint ANSI ANAB ANSI/MSE 50028 accreditation program. Certification bodies seeking accreditation solely for ISO 50001 should apply directly with ANAB for the current time.
Applicants interested in the joint ANSI ANAB program can start the process now by completing the first step - completing the preliminary application or SEP-FR-203 - Preliminary application for accreditation and send this along with all supporting documentation to Ann Bowles at [email protected].
Additional Information
Ann Bowles
Director, Environmental Accreditation Programs
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
1899 L Street NW, 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202.331.3620
E-mail: [email protected]
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