The Danish Agriculture & Food Council (Landbrug & Fødevarer) owns and develops 110,000 m² of properties for commercial rental in primarily Aarhus and Copenhagen. In their pursuit of sustainability and responsible practices, they enlisted the support of 4B Consulting as external consultants and leveraged Ento's AI assistant to adapt a more structured and data-driven approach to sustainability in building operations – and now got rewarded with the ISO 50001 certification.

Landbrug & Fødevarer recognised the need for ISO 50001 certification but struggled with the complexity of energy data management. Manual efforts proved inefficient and lacked the depth needed for comprehensive analysis. The organisation required a solution that not only automated data processing but also provided strategic insights to enhance energy efficiency.

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“We weren’t on top of our data – it was a bit chaotic. Now everything is in one place and we don’t need to bother with manually analysing Excel sheets anymore. The Ento platform became the foundation for taking strategic decisions about our investments and actions for our portfolio.”

– Maiken Nicolaisen, Strategy Consultant, Landbrug & Fødevarer

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7 measures that got Landbrug & Fødevarer ISO 50001-certified

To achieve certification to ISO 50001, an organisation must demonstrate that it has effectively implemented all the requirements of the standard, and that it has established a systematic approach to energy management that is effective in achieving its energy objectives and targets.

With Ento, Landbrug & Fødevarer was able to kick-off the process without purchasing or installing new hardware as the data that was already available was sufficient.

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1. Automating Data Management

Landbrug & Fødevarer integrated Ento's AI assistant into their energy management system. This solution proved instrumental in handling vast amounts of data stemming from various energy sources efficiently. By this, a consolidated view of energy consumption across their facilities, both in the past and present, could be provided

2. Strategic Planning with 4B Consulting

The collaboration with 4B Consulting facilitated the alignment of ISO 50001 requirements with the capabilities of Ento's platform. This strategic approach ensured that Landbrug & Fødevarer could seamlessly integrate AI-driven processes into their existing framework.

3. Virtual Energy Audits

Ento’s AI enabled Landbrug & Fødevarer to carry out virtual energy audits. With the chosen method, EnPIs/indicators were automatically and continuously determined by algorithms. By analysing historical data, identifying significant energy utilisation points (SEU), and prioritising variables, the platform streamlined the energy performance evaluation process outlined in ISO 50001.

4. Continuous Monitoring and Alerts

Ento's platform continuously monitored energy consumption, promptly identifying anomalies through AI algorithms. Automated alerts provided quick notifications to building managers, allowing them to investigate and address deviations from expected energy performance.

5. Dynamic Energy Baselines

As quantitative references, energy baselines (ENB) provide a basis for comparison of energy performance. Ento’s platform introduced dynamic energy baselines, adapting to changes in external variables and ensuring accurate assessments of energy efficiency. This feature empowered Landbrug & Fødevarer to set realistic energy goals, create action plans, and evaluate performance with precision.

6. IPMVP Method for Verification

Ento's platform employed the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) method to seamlessly analyse and document energy savings. This robust methodology provided a standardised and accurate approach, ensuring Landbrug & Fødevarer could confidently verify the impact of their energy-saving initiatives.

7. Empowering Decision-Making

Landbrug & Fødevarer gained valuable insights into the cost implications of various energy-consuming activities. This information empowered strategic decision-making, prompting discussions with tenants on responsible resource usage and influencing the organisation's overall business models.

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“AI alone can’t get you ISO certified – but it will make the process a lot easier as it plays a pivotal role in performance evaluation, daily operations monitoring and management, energy audits as well as defining empirical indicators and baselines.”

– Jakob Nørby, 4B Consulting

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ISO certification will be mandatory thanks to new EU directive

In 2024, the European Union will implement a new directive, compelling companies with an annual energy consumption surpassing 24 GWh to establish an ISO 50001-certified energy management system. Companies can alternatively seek certification according to the ISO 14001 standard/EMAS, supplemented with energy audits. Those who proactively seek certification, reap the benefits of enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings well before the official implementation of the EU directive.

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Exkurs: What is ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 is a voluntary standard that provides a framework to establish, implement, maintain, and improve an energy management system (EMS). Dedicated to energy management, it ensures that companies adopt a forward-looking approach for achieving continual improvement of energy performance in their buildings by setting energy reduction targets.

You can read more about the certification here.

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