IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i11p5131-d1671093.html

The Environmental and Business Benefits of Implementing the ISO 50001 Energy Management System in Government Buildings: A Case Study of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO)

Author

Listed:
  • Saleh Alotaibi

    (Research and Studies Center, Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, Riyadh 11471, Saudi Arabia)

  • Hani Alogaili

    (Energy Efficiency Initiatives Department, Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, Riyadh 11471, Saudi Arabia)

  • Khaled Alawwad

    (Energy Efficiency Initiatives Department, Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, Riyadh 11471, Saudi Arabia)

  • Sulaiman Aljarallah

    (Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Riyadh 12613, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

This study examines the implementation of an ISO 50001-compliant energy management system (EnMS) at the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization (SASO), a governmental organization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the resulting environmental and business benefits. The methodologies used across three SASO sites (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam), including energy audits, implementation procedures, and performance dashboards, are examined, supported by comprehensive data analysis and statistical regression, and the benefits in terms of energy reductions and cost savings are quantified. The obstacles to and drivers of implementation are also considered. The results show that, through strict adherence to ISO 50001 guidelines and the deployment of a range of energy efficiency measures, SASO has achieved a 39% reduction in electricity consumption since 2019, resulting in cost savings of approximately USD 3.6 million. The organization has also achieved a 38% reduction in CO 2 emissions over the same period. This study demonstrates the pivotal role ISO 50001 plays in enhancing organizational sustainability and provides actionable insights into how it can be operationalized within the government sector to achieve significant environmental and economic benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Saleh Alotaibi & Hani Alogaili & Khaled Alawwad & Sulaiman Aljarallah, 2025. "The Environmental and Business Benefits of Implementing the ISO 50001 Energy Management System in Government Buildings: A Case Study of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-26, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:5131-:d:1671093
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/5131/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/5131/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:wbk:wboper:42094 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. McKane, Aimee & Therkelsen, Peter & Scodel, Anna & Rao, Prakash & Aghajanzadeh, Arian & Hirzel, Simon & Zhang, Ruiqin & Prem, Richard & Fossa, Alberto & Lazarevska, Ana M. & Matteini, Marco & Schreck,, 2017. "Predicting the quantifiable impacts of ISO 50001 on climate change mitigation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 278-288.
    3. Carmen De la Cruz-Lovera & Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno & José-Luis De la Cruz-Fernández & José Antonio Alvarez-Bermejo & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2017. "Worldwide Research on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Public Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Fuchs, Heidi & Aghajanzadeh, Arian & Therkelsen, Peter, 2020. "Identification of drivers, benefits, and challenges of ISO 50001 through case study content analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    5. Luís Pacheco & Carla Lobo & Isabel Maldonado, 2022. "Do ISO Certifications Enhance Internationalization? The Case of Portuguese Industrial SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-14, January.
    6. repec:wbk:wboper:41544 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. P. Pablo Poveda-Orjuela & J. Carlos García-Díaz & Alexander Pulido-Rojano & Germán Cañón-Zabala, 2019. "ISO 50001: 2018 and Its Application in a Comprehensive Management System with an Energy-Performance Focus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-33, December.
    8. Jan Kaselofsky & Marika Rošā & Anda Jekabsone & Solenne Favre & Gabriel Loustalot & Michaël Toma & Jose Pablo Delgado Marín & Manuel Moreno Nicolás & Emanuele Cosenza, 2021. "Getting Municipal Energy Management Systems ISO 50001 Certified: A Study with 28 European Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-17, March.
    9. Mirza, Faisal Mehmood & Sinha, Avik & Khan, Javeria Rehman & Kalugina, Olga A. & Zafar, Muhammad Wasif, 2022. "Impact of Energy Efficiency on CO2 Emissions: Empirical Evidence from Developing Countries," MPRA Paper 111923, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2022.
    10. Noor Shakir Mahmood & Ahmed Ali Ajmi & Shamsul Bin Sarip & Hazilah Mad Kaidi & Khairur Rijal Jamaludin & Hayati Habibah Abdul Talib, 2022. "Modeling the Sustainable Integration of Quality and Energy Management in Power Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, February.
    11. Waqas Nawaz & Muammer Koç, 2019. "Exploring Organizational Sustainability: Themes, Functional Areas, and Best Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-36, August.
    12. A S M Monjurul Hasan & Andrea Trianni, 2020. "A Review of Energy Management Assessment Models for Industrial Energy Efficiency," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, November.
    13. van der WESTHUIZEN, Erika, 2024. "Enhancing Energy Policy Adoption Within The South African Financial Services Sector," Studii Financiare (Financial Studies), Centre of Financial and Monetary Research "Victor Slavescu", vol. 28(2), pages 35-56, June.
    14. Jahangir Hossain & Aida. F. A. Kadir & Ainain. N. Hanafi & Hussain Shareef & Tamer Khatib & Kyairul. A. Baharin & Mohamad. F. Sulaima, 2023. "A Review on Optimal Energy Management in Commercial Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-40, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Milena Nebojsa Rajić & Rado M. Maksimović & Pedja Milosavljević, 2022. "Energy Management Model for Sustainable Development in Hotels within WB6," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Wang, En-Ze & Pan, Tong, 2025. "Does ISO 50001 adoption reduce manufacturing energy intensity? Micro-evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 653-672.
    3. Carlos Herce & Enrico Biele & Chiara Martini & Marcello Salvio & Claudia Toro, 2021. "Impact of Energy Monitoring and Management Systems on the Implementation and Planning of Energy Performance Improved Actions: An Empirical Analysis Based on Energy Audits in Italy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-21, August.
    4. Fredrik von Malmborg & Peter A. Strachan, 2023. "Advocacy Coalitions and Paths to Policy Change for Promoting Energy Efficiency in European Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-21, April.
    5. Liudmyla Davydenko & Nina Davydenko & Andrii Bosak & Alla Bosak & Agnieszka Deja & Tygran Dzhuguryan, 2022. "Smart Sustainable Freight Transport for a City Multi-Floor Manufacturing Cluster: A Framework of the Energy Efficiency Monitoring of Electric Vehicle Fleet Charging," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-27, May.
    6. Jan Kaselofsky & Marika Rošā & Anda Jekabsone & Solenne Favre & Gabriel Loustalot & Michaël Toma & Jose Pablo Delgado Marín & Manuel Moreno Nicolás & Emanuele Cosenza, 2021. "Getting Municipal Energy Management Systems ISO 50001 Certified: A Study with 28 European Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Heidi Fuchs & Peter Therkelsen & William C. Miller & Graziella Siciliano & Paul Sheaffer, 2023. "ISO 50001-Based Energy Management Systems as a Practical Path for Decarbonization: Initial Findings from a Survey of Technical Assistance Cohort Participants," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Luis Angel Iturralde Carrera & Andrés Lorenzo Álvarez González & Juvenal Rodríguez-Reséndiz & José Manuel Álvarez-Alvarado, 2023. "Selection of the Energy Performance Indicator for Hotels Based on ISO 50001: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    9. Miguel-Angel Perea-Moreno & Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo & Fernando Rueda-Martinez & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2020. "Zapote Seed ( Pouteria mammosa L. ) Valorization for Thermal Energy Generation in Tropical Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-21, May.
    10. Carmen de la Cruz-Lovera & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro & Esther Salmerón-Manzano & José-Luis de la Cruz-Fernández & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2019. "Date Seeds ( Phoenix dactylifera L. ) Valorization for Boilers in the Mediterranean Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, January.
    11. Erdem, Azad & Okoth, Erick & Demirtas, Nazli & Sogut, Yasin & Erdogan, Selim, 2026. "Do fiscal policies, energy productivity, and renewable energy generation contribute to environmental sustainability in EU countries? Evidence from new panel data estimators," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    12. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Jose Antonio Garrido-Cardenas & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2020. "Worldwide Research Trends on Medicinal Plants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-20, May.
    13. Jalo, Noor & Johansson, Ida & Kanchiralla, Fayas Malik & Thollander, Patrik, 2021. "Do energy efficiency networks help reduce barriers to energy efficiency? -A case study of a regional Swedish policy program for industrial SMEs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    14. Esther Salmerón-Manzano & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2018. "The Higher Education Sustainability through Virtual Laboratories: The Spanish University as Case of Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-22, November.
    15. Ming Tang & Huchang Liao & Zhengjun Wan & Enrique Herrera-Viedma & Marc A. Rosen, 2018. "Ten Years of Sustainability (2009 to 2018): A Bibliometric Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, May.
    16. Fábio de Oliveira Neves & Henrique Ewbank & José Arnaldo Frutuoso Roveda & Andrea Trianni & Fernando Pinhabel Marafão & Sandra Regina Monteiro Masalskiene Roveda, 2022. "Economic and Production-Related Implications for Industrial Energy Efficiency: A Logistic Regression Analysis on Cross-Cutting Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    17. Özkan, Oktay & Destek, Mehmet Akif & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel & Esmaeili, Parisa, 2024. "Unlocking the impact of international financial support to infrastructure, energy efficiency, and ICT on CO2 emissions in India," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    18. Zheng, Li & Yuan, Ling & Khan, Zeeshan & Badeeb, Ramez Abubakr & Zhang, Leilei, 2023. "How G-7 countries are paving the way for net-zero emissions through energy efficient ecosystem?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    19. Carmen de la Cruz-Lovera & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno & José Luis de la Cruz-Fernández & Francisco G. Montoya & Alfredo Alcayde & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2019. "Analysis of Research Topics and Scientific Collaborations in Energy Saving Using Bibliometric Techniques and Community Detection," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, May.
    20. Vincent Leow Chee Ho & Lim Jian Yi & Noorsidi Aizuddin Bin Mat Noor & Rohaya Binti Abdul Jalil, 2024. "Assessing the Listed Property Companies Readiness Towards Environmental Social Governance Implementation in Malaysia," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(7), pages 2514-2524, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:5131-:d:1671093. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.