EMA Registered Energy and Carbon Director
Professional Recognition of Energy Management Practitioners
Professionals at this level are accountable for all energy, sustainability, and decarbonisation matters within their remit. They serve as subject matter experts and implementation leads across areas such as statutory compliance, Net Zero roadmaps, utility procurement, energy monitoring and reduction programmes, project delivery, governance, and stakeholder engagement.
Key responsibilities include managing energy and carbon reduction projects, overseeing utility contracts, and leading procurement or re-negotiation where appropriate. They often supervise other energy and sustainability staff and drive improvements through engineering advice, equipment upgrades, operational optimisation, behavioural change, and transport or waste initiatives.
They typically develop and implement Energy and Environmental Management Systems (e.g. ISO 50001, ISO 14001), manage utility budgets, and provide reporting for internal stakeholders, including board-level audiences.
These professionals take a strategic lead in reviewing designs, proposals, and plans, offering expert advice to align with sustainability goals. They also manage projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely, insightful reporting and measurable impact.
The EMA has introduced the Registered Energy and Carbon Director status for those professionals who can demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and skills acquired from practising energy management, leading projects and teams and continuous professional development. The professional’s level of energy management knowledge and skillset can be assessed through the Knowledge and Skills Gap Analysis interview – an informal conversation based on the professional’s experience achieved to date. A satisfactory completion of the interview results in the EMA Registered Energy and Carbon Director status being awarded to the professional.
Energy Management Competencies required to become an EMA Registered Energy and Carbon Director
Core Competencies:
- Technical and Operational
- Energy Auditing /Assessments,
- Energy Monitoring, Targeting and Validation
- Regulation, Compliance and Voluntary Schemes
- Carbon Management
- Behavioural Change, Motivation and Communication
- Energy Management Strategy and Plan
- Energy Procurement
- Onsite Electricity Generation
- Water Management
- Project Management
- Financial Management / Budgeting
- Fuel Efficient Transport
- Waste Management
- Information & Communications Technology
- Leadership
The route to achieving the professional status of an EMA Registered Energy and Carbon Director:
The recognition of a Registered Energy and Carbon Director is based on demonstrating a sufficient level of knowledge and skills across energy management competencies through:
- Application Pack - The application pack will consist of the following:
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- Application Form with the Knowledge and Skills Self-Assessment Report - The application and self-assessment form are based on the competencies listed in the Energy Management Competency Mapping (6+ years of experience) and will be shared with the applicant when the Knowledge and Skills Gap Analysis Interview has been booked.
- In Company Energy Management Project - To help us understand the extent of the applicant's understanding and experience in core energy management competencies, the applicant will be required to complete a project, write up a thesis on the project and present it to a panel of energy management professionals. The project will be an in-company energy and carbon management project that represents a recent challenge faced by their company or a client, which the applicant prepared, led and implemented. A shortlist of possible projects will be provided with the self-assessment form.
- Up-to-date CV.
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- The Knowledge and Skills Gap Analysis Interview - The EMA conducts the online interview to assess the applicant's level of knowledge and skillset through an informal professional conversation based on the experience achieved to date.
Become an EMA Registered Energy and Carbon Director
