Sandia is committed to managing energy consumption through efficient operations in a manner that protects environmental health, conserves natural resources, improves resilience, and seeks net-zero status, while supporting our overarching mission of national security.
Sandia uses an Energy Management System (EnMS) that involves energy data collection processes, standards, goals and associated action plans, and metrics reporting. Energy goals are created for buildings, building systems, and for the overall campus. This management system uses the “plan-do-check-act” cycle for solving problems by monitoring ongoing changes to our building systems and energy usage.
Sandia has received recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy for achieving the 50001 Ready designation and instituting global best practices in continuous energy improvement across its campuses in Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA. Achieving the 50001 Ready designation requires sites to self-attest to the structure of the ISO 50001 energy management standard and to measure and report energy performance improvement.
The 50001 Ready program helps us identify ways to fill gaps in the way we manage our energy so that we may eliminate inefficiencies. It also assists integration of energy management into our Sandia culture more robustly. For example, the Energy Team works to incorporate Significant Energy Uses — buildings and systems — into the Energy Management System to better monitor energy performance and to develop criteria for other buildings/systems. Additionally, the program prepares Sandia to become ISO 50001 Certified.
Formalizing Sandia’s Energy Management System also supports existing ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certifications. ISO 14001 specifies the requirements for an Environmental Management System to enhance environmental performance and ISO 9001 is an international standard that sets out the criteria for a quality management system. Combined, these efforts will support net-zero emissions goals.
By implementing the 50001 Ready program, Sandia will be able to:
- Advance collaboration with other departments to promote best energy practices
- Increase energy efficiency
- Contribute to cost reduction
- Reduce emissions and pollution
- Contribute to Sandia’s continuous improvement
- Support net-zero emissions goals
This work is a collaborative effort between members of Sandia’s facilities partnership and planning department, IT infrastructure services, DOE/NNSA physical security system engineering department, and facilities area manager.