Energy Audit according to EN 16247

An Energy Audit according to EN 16247 is a systematic analysis of a company's energy consumption aimed at identifying and evaluating potential savings. The EN 16247 standard is the European foundation for energy audits, defining requirements for the process, content, and qualification of auditors. In Germany, energy audits are legally mandatory for non-SMEs every four years under the Energy Services Act (EDL-G).

For manufacturing companies, an energy audit is more than a bureaucratic hurdle. It is the most structured method to understand where, why, and how energy is consumed on the shop floor. The quality of the audit—and the resulting savings—depends directly on the granularity of the production data provided to the auditor.

Who is Required to Conduct an Audit?

The obligation applies to all companies that do not qualify as an SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) under the EU definition. A company is a non-SME if it has:

• 250 or more employees, OR
• An annual turnover exceeding €50 million and a balance sheet total exceeding €43 million.

Companies meeting these criteria must conduct an audit every four years. Exemption: Companies operating a certified Energy Management System according to ISO 50001 or an environmental system according to EMAS are exempt, as these systems already include continuous energy monitoring.

The EN 16247 Standard Family

The standard consists of several parts tailored to different sectors:

• EN 16247-1 (General Requirements): Defines the overarching process: kickoff, data collection, site visit, analysis, and reporting.
• EN 16247-2 (Buildings): Focuses on HVAC, lighting, and building envelopes.
• EN 16247-3 (Processes): The most critical part for manufacturers. It covers production lines, machinery, compressed air, steam, and industrial auxiliary systems.
• EN 16247-4 (Transport): Addresses fleet management and logistics.

The 5 Phases of an Industrial Energy Audit

1. Kick-off Meeting: Defines the scope, goals, and available data.
2. Data Collection: Gathering energy consumption by source (electricity, gas, oil). Ideally, this is broken down to the machine level.
3. Field Visit: The auditor inspects production assets, compressed air systems, and utility services to identify visible waste and optimization potential.
4. Analysis: Calculation of Energy Intensity per production unit, load profiles, and peak demand times. Granular data allows for more concrete quantification of savings.
5. Reporting: Documentation of the status quo and prioritized recommendations for measures. This report must be submitted to authorities (e.g., BAFA in Germany) to prove compliance.

Why Production Data Defines Audit Quality

A typical audit in a non-digitalized plant only knows the total plant consumption. This leads to generic recommendations like "switch to LED lighting" or "fix compressed air leaks."

However, if you can provide machine-level consumption data from an MES (Manufacturing Execution System), the audit reaches a new level of depth:

• Which machine has the highest idle consumption?
• Which line has the worst energy intensity per "good part"?
• During which shifts do peak loads occur and why? These questions can only be answered by correlating energy data with order-related production data.

Energy Audit vs. ISO 50001

• Energy Audit: A periodic "snapshot" taken every four years. It is a project with a start and an end.
• ISO 50001: A continuous management system. Energy is monitored permanently, targets are set, and the impact of measures is measured in real-time.

For companies already using an MES for energy monitoring, the step from a high-quality audit to full ISO 50001 certification is significantly smaller.

FAQ

Who is authorized to conduct the audit? Auditors must be external, independent, and possess the necessary technical qualifications and practical experience. Internal employees are generally not permitted to lead the audit due to the independence requirement.

What does it cost? For a mid-sized manufacturer (300–500 employees), external audit fees typically range from €5,000 to €15,000, depending on complexity and data availability. Providing structured data upfront can significantly reduce these costs.

Are the recommendations mandatory? No. You are legally required to conduct the audit and create the report, but you are not forced to implement the findings. However, most companies find that the identified savings amortize the audit costs within a very short time.

What are the penalties for non-compliance? In Germany, failing to conduct a mandatory audit or missing the deadline is a regulatory offense that can result in fines of up to €50,000.