Energy Management in Accordance with ISO 50001: Thermarium Completes Certification

(eap) Since November 2023, companies in Germany with an annual total energy consumption of more than 7.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) have been required, in accordance with the Energy Efficiency Act, to establish an energy or environmental management system. After attaining the relevant status, companies have a maximum of 20 months to do so. The international standard ISO 50001 serves as a recognized framework for the establishment, implementation, and continuous improvement of an energy management system and can demonstrate operation in compliance with the standard through certification.

Across Germany, several thousand companies are currently said to be waiting for such certification – including thermal baths, which daily must manage the balancing act between energy-efficient operation and the requirement to provide a high-quality atmosphere of well-being for their guests. One of these is the Thermarium in Bad Schönborn (Baden-Württemberg), which has an annual energy consumption of around 10 GWh and was able to successfully complete the ISO 50001 certification process after 13 months.

The path to this point is said to have been a challenge, particularly for smaller businesses – above all because the process had to be handled alongside ongoing operations. “Our energy team really did a great job,” emphasizes Thermarium Managing Director Markus Hoppe, referring to the six-member project team. As part of the certification, all energy consumers had to be systematically recorded, their consumption analyzed, and operational processes relating to resource use reviewed and scrutinized. In addition, employees, suppliers, and customers had to be sensitized to a more conscious use of energy, and individual departments and applications evaluated and optimized.

“We had to introduce a kind of energy controlling system for the company,” explains Franz Keller, Technical Manager of the Thermarium. “Over the course of the certification, we reduced our operational blindness in terms of energy.” Additional measuring points were also installed, the data from which now flows into the energy management system. While this did lead to a reduction in energy consumption, hoped-for financial success failed to materialize. The increased CO₂ pricing alone is said to be causing additional costs of more than 100,000 euros compared to the previous year, despite the lower energy consumption, according to Hoppe.

“Even if we save energy, operate efficiently, and can demonstrate rising figures in terms of guests and applications, energy costs are getting away from us,” the managing director explains. During the certification, the largest energy consumers were identified and measures to reduce them formulated. Around 90 percent of the energy requirement is attributable to the thermal baths and sauna areas, Keller reports. “We are now testing individual measures to gauge what impact they have on the energy balance, but also what they mean for the well-being of our guests,” adds Cindy Reinhold, Assistant to the Management. “Some visitors show understanding for the measures, such as the closure of the most energy-intensive outdoor pool in winter, while others complain immediately.”

At the same time, the quality manager emphasizes that the certification is not a self-contained process: “The certificate is valid for three years, but data must be continuously collected and documented, audits passed, and ongoing evaluations carried out.” The insights gained are also intended to feed into upcoming modernization measures in the future. Despite the challenges of recent years, the wellness and health facility considers itself overall to be on a very good path. ■