For companies that are just starting to think about energy management, or those working with a limited budget, there is a very simple and almost free way to understand their basic energy use – the so-called base load.

All it takes is a walk through your premises outside working hours, when they are not in use.

Energy and water consumption outside working hours often hides inefficient use of systems and equipment, as well as improper system operation. This is precisely the part of consumption that is most often neither understood nor monitored – out of sight, out of mind!

Reviewing consumption outside working hours will help you distinguish necessary use from excessive use of energy and water.

How to carry out an after-hours audit

Here is how to get started:

1️⃣ Gather basic information

Find the floor plan of the building and any available data on the operating schedules of controlled systems – lighting, irrigation, or HVAC systems (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and cooling).

2️⃣ First walk-through – before the end of the working day

Walk through the building and check which systems are running in the boiler rooms, and whether any lighting is switched on unnecessarily – for example, outdoor lights that are on even though it is not yet dark.

3️⃣ Second walk-through – after working hours

Walk through the premises again and note everything that is still operating.
Check the actual status of devices against the status shown in the control systems.
Compare room temperatures with thermostat settings using a room thermometer – any major deviation may indicate an error in the control system.

4️⃣ Check water consumption

Look for dripping taps or leaks in toilets and faucets. A dripping tap can waste up to 90 litres of water per day, while a faulty toilet cistern can lose up to 500 litres per hour.

5️⃣ Record equipment left on unnecessarily

Write down all devices or lights that have been left on and could be switched off without affecting safety or operations.

Low-cost energy management

By analysing consumption outside working hours, you can identify “hidden” energy users and eliminate them without major investment.

According to Carbon Trust experience, many organisations report double-digit savings (20-30%) through simple measures such as switching off unnecessary equipment and optimising control systems.

When you later introduce an automatic meter reading (AMR) system, findings like these can be confirmed and quantified with real data. AMR systems such as those developed by Emasys provide continuous monitoring and automatic detection of inefficiencies – so that nothing remains “out of sight”.

💡 To get started, all you need is a floor plan, a notebook and a careful eye – because every unnecessary use you identify means real savings.

The first step towards savings is seeing what you normally do not see.