Schneider Electric’s head office is the first building in the world to earn the new ISO 50001 certification

Rueil-Malmaison, France - In a world first, Schneider Electric’s head office (known has the Hive¹) has been certified as complying with the new ISO 50001 standard for energy management systems.

Schneider Electric is pursuing its commitment to continuously improving the energy efficiency of its buildings, reducing their environmental footprint and enhancing user comfort.

“This latest certification recognizes our commitment to energy efficiency and our expertise in this field,” says Frédéric Abbal, President of Schneider Electric France. “More than ever, we are aiming for the highest standards in energy management for both our customers’ buildings and our own. The Hive provides valuable feedback that we can leverage to develop efficient, operational energy performance solutions that create value for our customers.”

The new ISO 50001 standard defines the requirements for the development, implementation, maintenance and improvement of energy management systems. It is designed to help organizations to continuously improve the energy performance of commercial and industrial buildings, optimize their use and reduce their operating costs.
It was officially released today, 15 June 2011.

To meet the new standard’s requirements, Schneider Electric began adapting its energy management system in late 2010, based on the various drafts.
Its compliance with ISO 50001 has been recognized by AFNOR Certification².

“Last year,” continues Mr. Abbal, “the Hive was the first building in France to be certified to HQE Exploitation, ISO 14001 and NF EN 16001 standards, officially recognizing the assertive efforts we have made since we moved to the site in January 2009. Today, we have reached a new milestone.”

Other Schneider Electric sites are following in the Hive’s footsteps.
The commercial and R&D buildings in the Grenoble area, for example, have already obtained NF EN 16001 certification and are now preparing to meet the new ISO 50001 standard.

¹The Hive, a French acronym for “The Hall of Innovation and Energy Showcase”, is a 35,000 square-meter building that accommodates more than 1,800 employees in Rueil-Malmaison, France.

²AFNOR Certification is France’s leading certification body and one of the top-ranking certification organizations worldwide. It has received accreditation for its certification activities.

About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation and data centres/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable and efficient, the Company’s more than 110,000 employees achieved sales of €19.6 billion in 2010 through an active commitment to helping individuals and organisations “Make the most of their energy™”.
www.schneider-electric.com