Increasing costs for the purchase of combustibles and electricity as well as increasing charging of costs due to increasing prices for emission authorizations force industrial enterprises to use energy in more efficient ways.

A systematic energy management is to achieve a reduction regarding the costs as well as the greenhouse gas emissions. Normed energy management systems (e.g. according to DIN EN 16001) support companies regarding the more efficient use of energy and the reduction of tax burdens.

Energy management systems are especially relevant for energy-intensive companies, as the possible savings are big here, and the conformation of energy management systems is a partial requirement for the demand for tax reductions. § 41 of the Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetzes (EEG) controls that exemptions of the EEG-allocation can only be accessed by companies that can provide an energy-related certification. According to the present legal situation, a certified energy management system according to DIN EN 16001 or an EMAS-validation is required until the end of 2012. A combination of further benefits, e.g. according to the "Energiesteuergesetz", to a correspondent energy management system can be expected.

Energy management systems according to DIN EN 16001are designed to be merged and integrated easily into other management systems, especially in the section of quality and environmental management.

A baseline study at the beginning of such a project captures energy consumption, whether it is during the generation of compressed air, the use of electric motors, pumping systems, lighting or ventilation, cooling and cold production. Space heating, hot water, industrial furnace and combined heat and power are treated equally. Based on this survey, the respective energy costs and the possible savings are calculated or estimate, to determine which sectors provide the biggest possible savings.

For the implementation of energy management systems (DIN EN 14001) the following synopsis can help as an overview and as a tool: