US DOE 50001 Ready Recognition
50001 Ready recognizes projects at the individual facility, or site level, as well as at the multi-site level for organizations with multiple sites that share a common energy management system (EnMS). 50001 Ready-recognized site level and organizational multi-site projects, receive a recognition certificate with their organization and site location (city, state) listed on the 50001 Ready recognition web page. Energy performance data reported to the 50001 Ready program will only be disclosed by DOE at a program-wide, aggregate level. Organizations will be given the opportunity to share more information about their 50001 Ready experience through DOE-developed case studies and other materials if they would like.
DOE 50001 Ready recognition does not indicate that your 50001 Ready project is conformant to ISO 50001 or will pass an ISO 50001 audit.
50001 Ready Recognition Requirements
Energy management is a continual improvement journey. When you feel that your site has embraced the guidance of each Navigator task, DOE wants to celebrate your success!
Guidelines for all Projects
- While the 50001 Ready Navigator (“Navigator") is free for anyone to use, DOE 50001 Ready recognition is available only to sites physically located within the United States.
- Only energy sources that constitute 5% or more of total site-wide energy consumption need to be reported.
- DOE 50001 Ready recognition is valid for one year. To maintain recognition status, sites should plan to re-attest on an annual basis.
- DOE requires the Self-attestation Form and Energy Performance Improvement Report be completed via the Navigator.
The Energy Performance Improvement Report (EPIR) may be submitted in one of the following two ways:- Online 50001 Ready Energy Performance Improvement Report submitted directly in the Navigator.
- Alternatively, the EPIR may be downloaded, completed offline, then uploaded into the Navigator.
Complete the initial implementation of the 25 Navigator tasks, then fill out and submit the following two documents when requesting recognition for your project:
- Self-attestation Form: This form, signed by your energy team lead and a senior management representative, asserts that your site has completed the initial implementation of the 25 tasks of the Navigator and is committed to continually improving your energy management system and energy performance.
- Energy Performance Improvement Report (EPIR): Demonstrate you have a site-wide understanding of your energy consumption by completing only the first two sections on the, “Report,” tab:
- Section 1 (Project Information)
- Section 2 (Energy Consumption)
With your newly developed energy management system, this should be simple since you identified this information for your own use as part of Task 8 Energy Data Collection and Analysis and optionally in the Energy Consumption Tracker resource.
Optionally, you may complete Section 3 (Energy Performance Improvement) on the “Report” tab of the EPIR. This additional information will not affect your first-time recognition request but will help us improve the 50001 Ready program.
Submit your EPIR one of the following ways:
Option 1: Download the 50001 Ready Energy Performance Improvement Report then upload a completed copy using the document upload button
OR
Option 2: Fill in the Online 50001 Ready Energy Performance Improvement Report
DOE 50001 Ready recognition is valid for one year. Sites seeking subsequent year recognitions are required to submit the following two documents:
- Self-attestation Form: A new self-attestation form signed by your energy team lead and a senior management representative stating that your site continues to maintain and improve your energy management system.
- Energy Performance Improvement Report (EPIR): Demonstrate you have a site wide understanding of your energy consumption as well as energy performance improvement by using one of the approved methods listed below and completing all three sections on the, “Report,” tab:
- Section 1 (Project Information)
- Section 2 (Energy Consumption)
- Section 3 (Energy Performance Improvement)
Submit your EPIR one of the following ways:
Option 1: Download the 50001 Ready Energy Performance Improvement Report then upload a completed copy using the document upload button
OR
Option 2: Fill in the Online 50001 Ready Energy Performance Improvement Report
Note: You may have a change in energy performance that is negative. Please report your negative energy performance improvement. Two consecutive years of negative energy performance improvement is allowed for recognition, though a positive energy performance improvement value must be shown after those two years.
You may have already established a process for determining energy performance improvement as part of Task 11 Energy Performance Indicators and Energy Baselines. Just make sure this process conforms to one of the approved methods listed in the “Determining Site Wide Energy Performance Improvement” section below if you are seeking 50001 Ready recognition.
Requesting 50001 Ready Recognition
After marking all 25 tasks of the Navigator as complete, use the below buttons to:- Upload your signed Self-attestation Form and
- Upload your Energy Performance Improvement Report or use the online EPIR form*.
*In lieu of downloading the 50001 Ready EPIR file, you may submit your energy data directly via the online EPIR form, which is located on your project’s recognition page.
You must be logged into the Navigator and have selected a project with all 25 tasks marked as “Complete” for the below buttons to be active. For subsequent year recognitions, the buttons will be active two months prior to the current recognition expiration date.
Once you have uploaded the required documentation and submitted your site for recognition through the Navigator, you will receive an email confirmation from the 50001 Ready Help Desk (50001Ready@lbl.gov) confirming receipt. After your submission has been reviewed, you will be contacted by the 50001 Ready Help Desk to set up a brief (5-10 minute) call to discuss your project details.
Please direct any questions about the 50001 Ready recognition process to the 50001 Ready Help Desk (50001Ready@lbl.gov).
Upload Attestation Form | |
Upload Energy Performance Improvement Report | |
Enter Certificate Information |
Program | Comments |
For first-time annual recognition requests: The Current Reporting Period is a consecutive 12-month time span that can be established with a starting date up to 25 months prior to the 50001 Ready recognition request date. Sites are highly encouraged to establish the Current Reporting Period so that it ends as close to the 50001 Ready recognition request date as possible. The below illustration shows the earliest option to establish the Current Reporting Period based upon a first-time 50001 Ready recognition request date of January 1, 2020. With the first-time 50001 Ready recognition request date of January 1 the Current Reporting Period could start anywhere beginning December 1, 2017 to January 1, 2019. ![]() For subsequent annual recognition requests: The Current Reporting Period is the 12-month period that follows immediately after the Prior Reporting Period. If there is a gap greater than 6 months between 50001 Ready Recognitions contact the 50001 Ready Help Desk for guidance on establishing a new Reporting Period. Alternatively, sites may elect to report a first-time reporting period that aligns with any reporting period used for other energy related programs. If choosing this option for subsequent year recognitions, there may be a gap between the Current Reporting Period and the Prior Reporting Period that is greater than 6 months as a result of this initial adjustment period. The 50001 Ready Help Desk can assist you with aligning your reporting period for subsequent year reporting. |
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Prior Reporting Period |
For first-time annual recognition request: No Prior Reporting Period will exist. For subsequent annual recognition requests: The Prior Reporting Period is the same 12-month period as the Current Reporting Period for the previous 50001 Ready recognition. The below illustration continues the example provided above focused on establishing the first Current Reporting Period. ![]() Note: Small gaps between the new Current and Prior Reporting Periods due to new 50001 Ready recognition requests being submitted slightly before or after the 12-month expiration date of the prior recognition period may occur and are acceptable. If a gap of more than 6 months develops, contact the 50001 Ready Help Desk for guidance on establishing a new Current Reporting Period and a Prior Reporting Period to use. |
Energy sources | All entering the site unless the energy source is less than 5% of total site energy consumption |
Data collection frequency | At least monthly |
Determining Site-wide Energy Performance Improvement
Participants of the programs listed below may use the energy performance improvement value determined as part of the program to complete the 50001 Ready Energy Performance Report.
Program | Comments |
Partners in the DOE Better Plants program |
Better Plants Annual Report, with data reported at the site level rather than the corporate level. The Better Plants Annual Report allows for reporting intensity and regression-based energy performance improvement values. Please refer to the Better Plants Energy Intensity Baselining and Tracking Guidance document for details. If you are a Better Plants partner and do not have access to your most recent Better Plants Annual Report at the site level, contact your Technical Account Manager for assistance. |
Participants of the DOE Better Buildings Challenge | Better Buildings Challenge Annual Report, with data reported at the site level rather than the corporate level. See the Better Buildings Challenge website for more information. |
EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager users |
Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager may be used to collect information needed to demonstrate energy performance and energy performance improvement. For project’s seeking 50001 Ready recognition using Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager, follow the steps for getting it done below:
For more information, refer to the guidance documents on Reporting 50001 Ready Energy Performance and Energy Performance Improvement with Portfolio Manager: |
EPA ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry | ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Indicator reports can be used with Portfolio Manager or the EnPI Lite tool. |
Select utility energy efficiency programs associated with a DOE 50001 Ready Partner that have a Measurement and Verification (M&V) process approved by DOE for use with the 50001 Ready program. | Contact your program administrator to see if the utility sponsoring your energy efficiency or customer engagement program is associated with a 50001 Ready Partner and has their M&V process approved by DOE for use with the 50001 Ready program. |