annual energy consumption rate
The annual energy usage in kilowatt-hours per square unit of gross floor space.
The energy consumption rate of a building or structure is the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed per year for each square meter (m²) or square foot (ft²) of floor area, taken across the total area of the structure. Energy usage includes energy derived from electricity, fuels, and district steam, whether generated on-site or drawn in from remote generating sources. Passive natural energy sources (such as ambient environmental heat) are not counted.
The area basis is the structure's total gross floor space. This rate can therefore compare energy use per unit of floor area between buildings of different sizes.
Electricity is only one included energy source. Fuel and supplied steam also contribute, while passive environmental heat remains excluded even when it reduces purchased energy needs.
Related definitions
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annual electricity consumption
The total number of kilowatt-hours consumed by a structure or other object within a year. -
annual electricity production
The total number of kilowatt-hours produced within a structure or other object within a year. -
lighting power density
The electrical power used to illuminate a space, expressed in watts per unit of area. -
peak electric demand
The highest simultaneous electrical power demand actually recorded within an object or space. -
plug load power density
The electrical power used by plugged-in equipment, expressed in watts per unit of floor area. -
power consumption
The number of kilowatts (kW) normally used by an object when fully operating. -
power output
The number of kilowatts (kW) normally generated by an object when fully operating.