The Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) collects information on physical characteristics of commercial buildings, building use and occupancy patterns, equipment use, conservation features and practices, and types and uses of energy in buildings. The survey also collects information on the amount of energy consumed and the costs for energy in commercial buildings.

Total Commercial Buildings and Floorspace

• In 1995, there were 4.58 million commercial buildings and 58.78 billion square feet of commercial floorspace in the United States.

• There were no statistically significant changes in the total number of buildings or total amount of floorspace in 1995 when compared with similar buildings and floorspace data from the 1989 or 1992 CBECS. Data from 1989 and 1992 were adjusted to be consistent with the slightly different definition of commercial building population used by the 1995 CBECS.

• The total number of commercial buildings in 1995 was only 6 percent of total residential buildings in 1993 but had 32 percent of total residential floorspace (residential data from the 1993 Residential Energy Consumption Survey).

• The mean size of all commercial buildings in 1995 was 12,840 square feet. In comparison, the mean size of residential buildings in 1993 was 2,370 square feet.

Major Activities

• Four activities dominated commercial floorspace--mercantile and service, office, warehouse and storage, and education.

• Those four activities comprised 67 percent of total floorspace (and 63 percent of commercial buildings).

• The other principal activities, which included public assembly, lodging, health care, and food sales and service, comprised 29 percent of floorspace (and 31 percent of buildings). Vacant buildings accounted for 4 percent of floorspace (and 6 percent of buildings).

Size of Buildings

• Most commercial buildings were found in the smaller size categories. More than half were in the smallest category (1,001 to 5,000 square feet) and three-quarters in the two smallest categories (1,001 to 10,000 square feet).

• Less than 5 percent of buildings were larger than 50,000 square feet, and less than 2 percent were larger than 100,000 square feet.

• The mean size of all commercial buildings was 12,840 square feet.

Age of Buildings

• Less than 8 percent of commercial floorspace and 10 percent of buildings were constructed in the 1990's.

• More than 70 percent of buildings and floorspace were constructed prior to 1980 and more than 50 percent before 1970.

Major Energy Sources Used in Commercial Buildings

• Electricity and natural gas were used widely in commercial buildings. Electricity use was nearly universal (97 percent of floorspace and 95 percent of buildings), while natural gas was used for two-thirds of floorspace and 55 percent of buildings.

• Only fuel oil, of the other major energy sources, was used for as much as a quarter of total floorspace (but in less than 14 percent of buildings). The other sources were used for no more than 11 percent of floorspace (or in 13 percent of buildings).

• The relative use (both percent of floorspace and buildings) of major sources remained unchanged from use in previous CBECS.

Major Uses of Energy in Commercial Buildings

• The four dominant uses of energy in commercial buildings were water heating, lighting, space heating, and cooling. All of these uses occurred in at least 60 percent of total floorspace (and in 70 percent of buildings).

• The percent of total floorspace in commercial buildings that had the capability to generate electricity increased from less than 10 percent in 1989 to more than 20 percent in 1995. No other end use showed a significant change.

Energy Conservation Features and Practices

• Energy conservation was widely practiced in commercial buildings. An overwhelming majority had installed or employed some type of conservation feature or practice (94 percent of floorspace and 89 percent of buildings).

• Most commercial buildings employed some kind of building shell; heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC); or lighting conservation feature.

• Use of conservation features and practices became more common. Several specific types of building shell and lighting system conservation features showed significant increases in use from use in previous CBECS.

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File last modified: August 14, 1997

Contacts:

alan.swenson@eia.doe.gov

Alan Swenson

Principal Author

Phone: 202-586-1129

Joelle Michaels
joelle.michaels@eia.doe.gov
CBECS Manager
Phone: (202) 586-8952