An appropriate household energy assessment for developing countries, which use substantial biomass, requires a coordinated effort between surveyors, experimentalists and analysts. This paper describes the role of each and also the additional factors which need to be considered, recorded, measured and analysed to account for variations in energy consumption across countries, income classes, etc. These range from seasonal and regional differences, fuel scarcities and coping strategies, dietary and cooking practices, food and fuel processing, to the role of women.