Building the Foundations for Energy Management in Public Facilities

A regional roadmap to scale ISO 50001 across public sector facilities in Latin America

  • Client

    Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

  • Year

    2021

  • Region
    • Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
  • Service
    • Strategies and Action Plans
  • Countries

    Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador

  • Sector
    • Governments and Public Services
Econoler

Public buildings are at the heart of government operations — and among the largest consumers of energy. Across Latin America, improving the energy performance of public facilities represents a powerful opportunity to reduce costs, lower emissions, and lead by example. But doing so at scale requires more than isolated technical upgrades: it calls for structured systems, institutional alignment, and long-term planning. Yet achieving lasting impact requires more than isolated technical upgrades. It calls for systems, institutional coordination, and a clear path forward. This is where Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001) play a critical role.

To support this transformation, Econoler worked alongside national governments in Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador to develop roadmaps and promotion plans that enable the structured, scalable adoption of Energy Management Systems across public sector facilities.

Setting the stage for scalable energy management

This project was financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under its Regional Technical Cooperation for the Promotion of Energy Efficiency and implemented between July and October 2021. The initiative aimed to strengthen institutional capacity within national governments by providing strategic guidance and practical tools to promote Energy Management Systems (EMS) in public sector facilities. By doing so, the project supports a structured approach to energy efficiency that can be embedded into public asset management, policy frameworks, and operational practices. The primary beneficiaries are public sector institutions and government-owned facilities, which gain the capacity to reduce energy consumption, lower operating costs, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the sustainability and performance of public services.

One regional vision, three national realities

The project was implemented in Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador, three countries with shared energy efficiency objectives but distinct institutional frameworks, public asset profiles, and energy use patterns.

These differences shaped the project approach. While consistency was essential to ensure comparable results across countries, flexibility was equally critical to reflect national priorities, data availability, and governance structures. The result was a methodology capable of addressing regional goals while delivering country-specific, policy-relevant outcomes.

Mandate

Econoler led the project, in partnership with Coenergía (Mexico) and Enya (Ecuador). The mandate focused on supporting national governments in designing a structured and actionable framework to promote the adoption of Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001) in public sector facilities. This included identifying priority assets, analyzing institutional and market barriers, and defining practical mechanisms to enable sustained implementation. Strengthening institutional capacity and supporting evidence-based decision-making were central to the mandate.

Turning public buildings into drivers of energy efficiency

Designing a clear path to ISO 50001 adoption

Econoler implemented a comprehensive, step-by-step approach in each country, combining diagnostics, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning.

From diagnosis to roadmap: a structured, multi-country approach

Key activities of the mandate included:

  • Assessment of the current situation of Energy Management Systems in governmental public facilities, including:
    • Analysis of energy consumption levels, types of activities, and energy sources in public buildings
    • Classification of subsectors to prioritize for the Roadmap and Promotion Plan
    • Review of the current state of Energy Management Systems in Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador
  • Stakeholder mapping, identifying key actors, their roles, responsibilities, and interactions
  • Regulatory and institutional analysis, covering national and subnational rules, procedures, and governance frameworks
  • Review of existing promotion instruments and incentives supporting EMS adoption
  • Identification of barriers hindering the development and implementation of Energy Management Systems, differentiated by subsector where applicable
  • Selection of priority public-sector facilities in each country, based on:
    • Energy savings, economic, and CO₂ emission reduction potential
    • Types of activities performed
    • Energy consumption patterns and sources
    • Definition of target populations (Public lighting in Ecuador, schools in Mexico, and office buildings in Honduras were selected)
  • Identification, analysis, and proposal of financial and non-financial incentives to facilitate EMS implementation
  • Identification of key elements for EMS promotion at national and subnational levels

Building on these analyses, Econoler developed a Roadmap and Promotion & Implementation Plan for each country. These plans define stakeholder engagement strategies, implementation stages and milestones, key institutions involved, and an integrated use of all outputs produced under the consultancy.

To support early uptake, online workshops were delivered jointly with the IDB in Mexico and Ecuador, presenting the roadmaps to stakeholders and fostering interest in Energy Management Systems within the public sector.

Equipping governments with the tools to move forward

Through this consultancy, the IDB and participating governments obtained the necessary elements to engage stakeholders in a coordinated and strategic manner.

The project transformed fragmented data and complex institutional realities into clear, actionable strategies, enabling governments to advance toward structured energy management practices and long-term energy efficiency improvements in the public sector.

Practical gains, long-term value

Public sector institutions and government-owned facilities in Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador benefit from:

  • A structured framework to systematically improve energy performance through ISO 50001
  • Reduced energy consumption and lower operating costs
  • Decreased greenhouse gas emissions
  • Improved planning and decision-making for energy investments in public assets
  • Strengthened institutional capacity and coordination
  • The ability to prioritize high-impact facilities and scale energy efficiency programs over time

What’s next? From roadmap to real-world implementation

Following project completion, the Roadmaps and Promotion Plans serve as strategic reference tools for the IDB and national governments as they assess next steps for implementing Energy Management Systems in public sector facilities.

In the longer term, these outputs provide a strong foundation for future investment programs, policy measures, and technical assistance initiatives aimed at scaling up energy efficiency across public infrastructure. The approach developed under this project can also be adapted or replicated in other countries, supporting broader regional efforts to improve the energy performance and sustainability of public assets.

Sustainable energy strategies and action plans