The kilojoule (kJ) equals 1,000 joules and is the standard unit for expressing food energy content and chemical reaction energies in countries using the metric system. Food labels in Australia, Europe, and many other regions display energy values in kilojoules alongside or instead of calories. One kilojoule equals approximately 238.8 calories or about 0.239 kilocalories.

The BTU (British Thermal Unit) equals approximately 1,055.06 joules, defined as the heat needed to raise one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. It is the primary unit for rating heating and cooling equipment in the United States, appearing on air conditioner specifications, furnace ratings, and energy efficiency labels. One BTU equals about 0.2931 watt-hours or roughly 0.252 kilocalories.