Electrical consumption
Electrical energy supplied to or generated within a building is used to serve a number of purposes within the building, where it is usually converted into another form of energy.
These may include:
- Lighting.
- Heating.
- Motion, usually to drive applications such as mechanical ventilation, fluid movement, cooling as well as other modalities such as lifts and escalators.
- Power conversion, to drive electronic devices such as computers, audio visual equipment, etc.
The rate at which energy is used is termed electrical power, usually measured in watts.
The accumulation of electrical energy that has been used in any given time, is termed the electrical consumption, or electrical use and is very often metered for billing purposes.
Electrical consumption is most often measured and compared by reference to the term Kilowatt hour. In its most basic form, this is the amount of energy used by a resistive load of 1000 watts (1kW) running for 1 hour. This quantity of energy can be equated to, say, running a 1kW electric heater continuously for 1 hour, and the amount of energy used by this would be 1kWh or ‘1 unit’ of electricity.
Equally, a 100W filament lamp (0.1kW) running for 10 hours would consume 1kWh of electrical energy.
Many smaller electrical installations are billed for their consumption based on the number of kWh used over a given time period, plus a ‘standing charge’ which covers supplier and distributor costs.
Larger consumers of electrical energy will be billed based on a more complex sets of conditions – taking into account the power factor of the connected load, maximum demand at any given time, time of day, season, as well as system use charges and other overheads borne by the supplier and distributor.
Details of billing arrangements are set out in energy companies’ terms and conditions and are known as tariffs.
--ECA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Articles about electricity.
- BEAMA.
- Changing lives with the Practical Participation Programme
- Consumer electronics.
- Consumer units.
- ECA articles.
- ECA.
- Electric lock.
- Electric motor.
- Electrical appliance.
- Electrical component.
- Electrical energy.
- Electrical equipment.
- Electrical installation.
- Electrical power.
- Electrical safety.
- Electrician.
- Electricity bill.
- Electricity supply.
- Glossary of electrical terms.
- The Future of Electricity in Domestic Buildings.
- The future of UK power generation
Featured articles and news
ECA Industry Awards 2024 shortlist revealed
22 leading businesses from across the electrotechnical and engineering services sector.
Government unveils Skills England strategy
Skills England to transform opportunities and drive growth.
New Government Hub for York Given Planning Green Light
For up to 2,600 civil servants, due for completion by 2028.
Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards
July update on Professionally Qualified and Academically Qualified Person Cards.
BSRIA Briefing 2024, November 22
Sustainable Futures: Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living.
The CLC on driving competency in the retrofit sector
Previously published roadmap on skills for net zero.
The first labour government King's speech in fifteen years
Construction industry reactions, support and some concern.
CIOB Retrofit of Buildings Technical Information Sheet
What retrofit is, the approach to be taken and processes to be followed.
Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency
Historic England advice note 18, free download published.
10 retrofit projects revisited 10 years after completion.
Information orders, building liability orders and SPVs
Key BSA terms and how they impact special purpose vehicles.
Listed despite problems with its design.
Zen and the art of cycling exploration.
Design Council Homes Taskforce launched
To support government 1.5 million homes target within UK climate commitments.