Describe activity through daylight hours
What happens in the building during the day? Are weekends or seasons different? Which records could help explain that pattern?
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FIELD GUIDE / 02 / ELECTRICITY USE
A day in
the life of
your energy.
An energy total is only part of the story. Build a picture of the everyday routine, the exceptions and the changes ahead.
Explore your routine ↓
Activity.
Possibility.
01Morning
02Working day
03Evening
04Overnight
Which routine is closest to yours?
Describe what happens after the day out
When do people return, and what changes are planned? Keep the daytime and evening parts of the story separate.
Describe the variation
Explain shift changes, irregular occupancy or differing days. Avoid reducing a varied pattern to one assumed average.
Begin with an ordinary day
Before comparing equipment, describe how the property is used. Note when people are present, when activities happen and which parts of the day are different at weekends. This is a routine exercise, not an audit or a calculation of future savings.
A household may be empty through the working day but busy in the evening. A workplace may have regular opening hours but different patterns for production, deliveries or cleaning. Describe the actual situation rather than choosing a pattern because it sounds well suited to a particular technology.
Separate totals from timing
Existing bills can provide a picture of electricity use over a period. Other records may show more detail about when it is used. State which kind of information you have, the period it covers and whether anything unusual happened during that time.
An annual total and a daily routine answer different questions. Keep both available if you have them, but do not turn a rough recollection into measured data. A brief can say “mostly evening activity; detailed records not yet gathered” and still be useful.
Notice the exceptions
School holidays, shift changes, seasonal opening or occasional equipment use can make one week different from the next. Describe exceptions that could matter to the project. There is no need to document every appliance or keep a minute-by-minute diary to send an enquiry.
For a business, ask the people who know the operating pattern. A property manager may hold the bills while someone else understands the daily activity. Bringing those perspectives together can make the information easier to interpret.
Keep future changes separate
A planned electric vehicle, home office or additional business equipment may change the picture. List these as future possibilities with their current status. A confirmed purchase and an idea for a later year should not appear as the same kind of fact.
Mention related building work and whether it affects the order of decisions. A useful energy discussion considers those relationships while remaining clear about which changes are already part of the request and which are simply worth keeping in view.
Turn the pattern into questions
Write a short summary of the routine, the records available and the changes expected. Then ask what further information is needed to discuss solar, charging or electrical work. You do not need to interpret the records or recommend a system yourself.
Try a structure such as: “The property is mainly used at these times. We have records for this period. We are considering this change. We would like to understand which details you need next.” Edit the planner to fit your circumstances, keeping personal account identifiers out of an initial note.
KEEP THIS IN YOUR PROJECT NOTES
Make your energy records useful
Look beyond the total
A bill gives useful context, but the timing of use matters too. Describe a typical weekday and weekend, including periods when the building is empty or busy.
Explain changes ahead
A new vehicle, different working hours or additional equipment may change the picture. Label these as future possibilities so they are not mistaken for current demand.
Share only what is needed
For a first enquiry, explain what records are available rather than sending sensitive account details. Ask what information would help a later assessment and how it should be provided.