Raw energy data tells only part of the story. Exploring “overlays” will help you understand why your building uses energy the way it does.
Temperature overlay
Temperature correlation reveals whether usage changes are weather-driven or operational. During summer, energy typically rises with temperature. During winter, the opposite. When energy spikes but temperature doesn’t, investigate equipment or scheduling issues.
Expected vs. actual usage
This overlay answers: “Is my building performing normally?” Gridium learns your building’s typical behavior and adjusts for weather and day of week. Orange shading means something changed (e.g., new equipment, modified schedules, or efficiency degradation).
Helpful Hint: Consistent orange shading across multiple days? Check for recent operational changes first before assuming equipment problems.
Schedule analytics: finding hidden waste
This overlay reveals your biggest savings opportunities. Each red shaded area represents energy you’re paying for when the building should be “asleep.”
Common culprits for red shading:
- Lights left on
- HVAC running overnight
- Equipment not properly scheduled
- Computer room units running 24/7 unnecessarily
Understanding key metrics
| Metric | What it shows | Action if high |
|---|---|---|
| Base load | Minimum building usage | Audit always-on equipment |
| Red shading area | Wasted off-hours energy | Check scheduling, investigate equipment |
| Startup time | When building begins ramping | Adjust for actual occupancy needs |
| Shutdown time | When building should be off | Verify controls are working properly |
Helpful hint: Schedule analytics only display when zoomed to 7 days or less. For the clearest view of waste patterns, zoom to a single day.