The Energy Department (DOE) announced this week the launching of three new Better Buildings Accelerators. These Better Buildings Accelerators are part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan to engage leaders in state and local governments, utilities, and industry to demonstrate innovative policies and programs that will transform the energy efficiency market and cut building energy waste. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) have joined with DOE in the implementation of one of the Accelerators: the Industrial Superior Energy Performance (SEP) Accelerator. As part of the Industrial SEP Accelerator, six manufacturing companies are working together to demonstrate a new approach to implementing SEP on an enterprise-wide level and three utilities are partnering with DOE to demonstrate SEP as an effective energy efficiency utility program offering for industrial customers. SEP is a certification program that provides industrial facilities with a transparent, globally recognized system for verifying energy performance improvements and management practices.
Through the Accelerator, manufacturing partners are implementing SEP as an effective energy management system enterprise-wide, creating opportunities for companies to benefit from economies of scale. It also accelerates deployment of SEP tools and training throughout each company. SEP 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, ISO 50001, Energy management systems - Requirements with guidance for use. Third-party conformity assessment bodies who conduct SEP audits are accredited by ANSI and ANAB.
"Through President Obama's Better Buildings Initiative, our partners are committing to real change - breaking through barriers and solving common challenges across the U.S. building energy industry," said Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman. "We applaud these partners for joining in this leadership initiative and we look forward to working with them as they help drive greater energy efficiency for industrial, commercial and public buildings - cutting harmful pollution and saving on energy bills."
"ANSI is proud to partner with our ANAB affiliate to serve the national need to improve energy efficiency," said Lane Hallenbeck, ANSI vice president, accreditation services. "Our internationally recognized accreditation programs provide market confidence that ISO 50001 certifications and SEP verifications are performed by competent bodies."