On 2-6 October 2017 in Tokyo, Japan, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and the Energy Conservation Center Japan (ECCJ) organised the 12^th ECAP Workshop to discuss the challenges on the development of energy manager training system in the ASEAN Member States (AMS). The Workshop was supported by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan.

The 5-day workshop took stock of the current  and future policy development on energy manager training system in ASEAN and Japan. Participants  exchanged views and experiences on energy management guidelines, roadmap and technology, as well as the progress and plans of on-going energy manager training programme under the ASEAN-Japan Energy Efficiency Partnership (AJEEP).

The ECAP Workshop continues to serve as an important  platform in identifying and discussing the necessary and appropriate frameworks to bring together qualified professionals and energy managers from the AMS, as they are expected to lead in the dissemination and promotion of energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) best practices at the users’ level, such as in buildings and industries.  ECAP is providing the needed support towards regional market integration through the development of an effective certification and training system that are expected to narrow the gaps of EE&C development among the AMS.

The ASEAN energy manager training system is expected to bring some advantages economically and technically to the regional efforts in achieving the target of reducing energy intensity by 20% by 2020 based on 2005 level reduction. Additionally, the training system will promote a standardised requirement in terms of knowledge building and skills enhancement. To this end, the Workshop identified the necessities to create a common standard on the training structure and certification system in ASEAN. The standardisation aims to enable the certified trainers to be recognised at national and regional levels. (RJPS.  Featured photo credit:  ACE)