MassiveIndustry

(Fri, 18 Mar 2016) EIA has released summary tables providing energy consumption estimates from the 2012 CBECS. The data show that despite a 14% increase in total buildings and a 22% increase in total floorspace since 2003, energy use in the estimated 5.6 million U.S. commercial buildings was up just 7% during the same period. Slower growth in commercial building energy demand since 2003 is explained in part by newer construction that is built to higher energy performance standards, occupied by less energy intensive building activities, and more often built in temperate regions. The improved efficiency of key energy-consuming equipment is also decreasing demand. Since 2003, for example, space heating and lighting are each down by 11 percentage points in their share of energy use in buildings.