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This publication is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). 

Ordering information and purchase of this and other Energy Information Administration (EIA) publications may be 

obtained from the GPO or the ElA's National Energy Information Center (NEIC). Questions on energy statistics 

should be directed to the NEIC. Addresses and telephone numbers appear below. An order form is enclosed for 

your convenience.

National Energy Information Center, El-20 

Energy Information Administration 

Forrestal Building 

Room 1F-048 

Washington, D C 20585 

(202) 252-8800

Superintendent of Documents 

U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, D C 20402 

(202) 783-3238

Released for Printing July 23, 1985
Nonresidential Buildings Energy 

Consumption Survey:

Characteristics 

of Commercial 

Buildings 

1983

Published: 

July 1985

This report was prepared by the 

Energy Information Administra 

tion, the independent statistical 

and analytical agency within the 

Department of Energy. The in 

formation contained herein 

should not be construed as 

advocating or necessarily reflec 

ting any policy position of the 

Department of Energy or any 

other organization.

Energy Information Administration

Office of Energy Markets and End

Use

U.S. Department of Energy 

Washington, DC 20585

DOE/EIA-0246(83) 

Distribution Category UC-98
Contacts

General information concerning the contents of this report may be referred to: 

W. David Montgomery, Director, Office of Energy Markets and End Use 

(202-252-1617); Lynda T. Carlson, Director, Energy End Use Division 

(202-252-1112); and Nancy L. Leach, Chief of the Residential and Commercial 

Branch (202-252-1114). Wendel Thompson (202-252-1119) was Acting Chief of the 

Residential and Commercial Branch during part of the production of this report.

Detailed technical questions may be referred to the following employees 

in the Energy End Use Division:

Eugene Burns Author and Sampling

Design 202-252-5841

Cassie Thompson Author and Nonresponse

Adjustments 202-252-1800

Paul Gargiullo Appendices 202-252-6595

David Strehlow Nonresponse Adjustments

Data Imputations 202-252-1136

Julia Oliver Survey Manager 202-252-5744

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Contents

Page 

Executive Summary ......................................................... vii

Overview ................................................................. 1

Building Characteristics

Types of Buildings ...................................................... 3

Number of Buildings ..................................................... 8

Age and Size of Buildings ............................................... 11

Location ................................................................ 15

Occupancy ............................................................... 16

Energy Sources and End Uses

Energy Sources .......................................................... 21

End Uses of Energy ...................................................... 28

Heating Practices and Equipment ......................................... 35

Cooling Practices and Equipment ......................................... 38

Conservation Measures

Presence of Conservation Features ....................................... 41

Energy Conservation Measures Implemented Since January 1, 1980 .......... 42

Maintenance and Control of Heating and Cooling Systems .................. 43

Professional Energy Audits .............................................. 44

Related Energy Consumption Publications ................................... 47

Tables .................................................................... 51

Appendices

A. How the Survey Was Conducted ......................................... 129

B. Data Quality ......................................................... 143

C. Building Types ....................................................... 161

D. U.S. Weather Zone Map ................................................ 169

E. Census Region Map .................................................... 173

Glossary .................................................................. 177

Figures

1. Distribution of Commercial Building Types ............................ 6

2. Size Distribution of Commercial Buildings ............................ 11

3. Average and Median Size of Buildings by Building Type ................ 13

4. Distribution of Commercial Buildings and Floor Space by

 Number of Floors ..................................................... 14

5. Average and Median Size of Building by Census Region ................. 16

6. Average and Median Square Feet per Worker by Building Type ........... 19

7. Energy Sources by Year Constructed ................................... 23

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Page

8. Energy Sources by Census Region ...................................... 25

9. Changes in the Number of Buildings Supplied with Fuel Oil ............ 27

10. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating by Census Region ............... 29

11. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating by Year Constructed ............ 30

12. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating by Census Region ............... 32

13. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating by Year Constructed ............ 33

14. Commercial Buildings with Conservation Glass and Insulation

by Year Constructed .................................................. 42

15. Professional Energy Audits in Commercial Buildings During

the Year Prior to the Survey ......................................... 45

Summary Tables

51. Number and Square Footage of Commercial Buildings by

Building Type, 1983 .................................................. 5

52. Changes in the Stock of Commercial Buildings, 1979-1983 .............. 3

53. Detailed Demolition Rates, 1979-1983 ................................. 9

54. Energy Sources Used in Commercial Buildings, 1983 .................... 22

55. Changes in Energy Sources Used in Commercial Buildings

Between 1979 and 1983 ................................................ 26

56. Number of Buildings by Fuels for Various End Uses, 1983 .............. 28

57. Number of Buildings with New Boilers Installed Since

January 1, 1980 ...................................................... 37

Point Estimate Tables

1. Square Footage Category, 1983 ........................................ 51

2. Average, Median, and Total Square Footage of Buildings, 1983 ......... 53

3. Building Type, 1983 .................................................. 55

4. Total Square Footage by Building Type, 1983 .......................... 57

5. Number of Floors, 1983 ............................................... 59

6. Percentage of Glass on the Exterior Surface, 1983 .................... 61

7. Buildings with Alterations Between 1979 and 1983 ..................... 63

8. Location of Buildings by Census Region, 1983 ......................... 65

9. Location of Buildings by Metropolitan Status, 1983 ................... 67

10. Location of Buildings by Climate Zone, 1983 .......................... 69

11. Number of People Working in Building, 1983 ........................... 71

12. Area per Worker and Number of Workers per Building, 1983 ............. 73

13. Hours of Operation During a Typical Week, 1983 ....................... 75

14. Number of Establishments in Building, 1983 ........................... 77

15. Government Owned and Occupied Buildings, 1983 ........................ 79

16. Energy Sources Supplied to Building, 1983 ............................ 81

17. Fuel Oil Tanks and Total Tank Capacity, 1983 ......................... 83

18. Changes in Usage of Natural Gas Between 1979 and 1983 ................ 85

<V NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
 Page

19. Changes in Usage of Fuel Oil Between 1979 and 1983 ................... 87

20. End Uses of Energy Sources, 1983 .................................... 89

21. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating, 1983 .......................... 91

22. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating, 1983 .......................... 93

23. Energy Sources Used for Cooling, 1983 ................................ 95

24. Energy Sources Used for Cooking, 1983 ................................ 97

25. Energy Sources Used for Manufacturing, 1983 .......................... 99

26. Energy Sources Used for Electricity Generation, 1983 ................. 101

27. Percent of Building Heated, 1983 ..................................... 103

28. Percent of Building Cooled, 1983 ..................................... 105

29. Changes in Percent of Building Heated and Cooled Between

 1979 and 1983 ........................................................ 107

30. Heating Systems, 1983 ................................................ 109

31. Heat Distribution Systems, 1983 ...................................... Ill

32. Boilers and Fuels Used to Fire Boilers, 1983 ......................... 113

33. Cooling Systems, 1983 ................................................ 115

34. Buildings with Insulation or Special Glass, 1983 ..................... 117

35. Combinations of Conservation Features, 1983 .......................... 119

36. Selected Conservation Features Installed in Buildings Between

 1979 and 1983 ........................................................ 121

37. Maintenance and Control of Heating and Cooling Systems, 1983 ......... 123

38. Reduced Heating and Cooling When Building Not in Use, 1983 ........... 125

39. Energy Audits, 1983 .................................................. 127

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Executive Summary

Introduction

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the U. S. Department of Energy has 

an ongoing program of national sample surveys covering the energy consumption of 

the residential (including residential transportation), manufacturing, and 

nonresidential buildings sectors. The surveys are currently conducted on a 

triennial cycle with only one of the surveys being conducted each year.

As part of this program, EIA conducted the Nonresidential Buildings Energy 

Consumption Survey (NBECS) in 1979 and again in 1983. The focus of this report, 

the first to be issued from the 1983 NBECS, is commercial buildings and their 

characteristics, energy sources, and conservation practices. A future report 

will cover data on fuel consumption and expenditures for these buildings. Data 

on industrial buildings are specifically excluded from this report, although they 

are presented in two previous reports from the first nonresidential buildings 

survey conducted in 1979.

The major findings are summarized below. An overview of the characteristics of 

commercial buildings and changes in the building stock from 1979 is presented 

first. This discussion is followed by a look at the energy sources, the end uses 

of energy, and the conservation measures in commercial buildings. The numbers 

given in parentheses following the estimates represent the 95 percent confidence 

limits due to sampling error.

Highlights 

Building Characteristics

 As of mid-1983, there were 3,948,000 ( 387,000) commercial buildings in the 

United States containing a total floor space of 52.3 ( 7.0) billion square 

feet.

 As of mid-1983, 3.0 ( 0.7) percent of the commercial buildings existing in 

late 1979 had been demolished.

 As of mid-1983, 22.3 ( 1.7) percent of the commercial buildings and 30.1 

( 5.5) percent of the total square footage were constructed after 1970, 

while 35.5 ( 1.8) percent of the buildings and 32.6 ( 4.4) percent of the 

square footage were constructed before 1946.

 The average floor space per building for all commercial buildings was 13,300 

( 1,300) square feet, while the median was 4,000 ( 200) square feet per 

building.

 The South and the North Central Census regions had the largest share of

commercial buildings, with 37.8 ( 5.6) percent located in the South and 30.7 

( 4.5) percent located in the North Central region. The Northeast and the 

West each had about the same percentage of buildings, 17.0 ( 3.0) percent 

and 14.5 ( 4.1) percent, respectively.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 v" 

Energy Information Administration
• Metropolitan areas contained 57.1 (±4.9) percent of the commercial buildings 

and 71.8 (±6.0) percent of the total commercial square footage.

• Single-establishment buildings accounted for 80.2 (±2.1) percent of all

commercial buildings. This proportion varied by the size of the building. 

While 85.9 (±1.9) percent of all buildings containing less than 5,000 square 

feet were single-establishment buildings, 55.6 (±7.6) percent of the 

buildings of more than 200,000 square feet were single-establishment.

• The 8.8 (±1.4) percent of commercial buildings occupied by government 

agencies contained 19.3 (±4.3) percent of the total commercial square 

footage.

Energy Sources and End Use

• Of the 3,948,000 (±387,000) commercial buildings, 95.8 (±1.7) percent used 

electricity as a source of energy in 1983. Natural gas was used as an 

energy source in 58.6 (±6.2) percent of the buildings, followed by fuel oil 

(16.0 (±2.8) percent) and propane (6.6 (±2.2) percent).

• The number of buildings using fuel oil as an energy source decreased by 20.3 

(±5.6) percent between 1979 and 1983.

• Natural gas was the most commonly used energy source for space heating, used 

in 57.3 (±6.8) percent of the heated buildings, followed by electricity 

which was used in 31.5 (±7.2) percent of the heated buildings, and fuel oil 

which was used in 16.1 (±2.9) percent of the heated buildings.

• Natural gas and electricity were used with almost equal frequency as a 

source of energy for water heating. Natural gas was used in 47.9 (±5.9) 

percent of the commercial buildings, while electricity was used in 47.1 

(±5.3) percent.

• Electricity was the dominant energy source for cooling. Of the 66.8 (±5.7) 

percent of the commercial buildings using an energy source for 

air-conditioning, electricity was used in 95.4 (±1.0) percent. Only 5.3 

(±1.3) percent of all air-conditioned buildings used natural gas.

• Cooking facilities were present in 37.2 percent (±1.8) of all commercial 

buildings. Of these buildings, 60.5 (±4.5) percent used electricity for 

cooking and 44.8 (±5.9) percent of the buildings used natural gas for 

cooking.

Heating and Cooling Practices and Equipment

• As of mid-1983, 61.5 (±3.6) percent of all commercial buildings were totally 

heated, 27.4 (±2.4) percent were partially heated, and 11.1 (±2.0) percent 

were unheated.

V> " NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Of the commercial buildings with heat, 82.8 (±2.3) percent had central 

heating systems and 16.6 (±2.4) percent were heated only by self-contained 

units.

As of mid-1983, 18.6 (±2.3) percent of the commercial buildings had boilers. 

Boilers were found in 33.7 (±10.2) percent of the buildings constructed in 

1900 or earlier, but only in 11.4 (±2.2) percent of the buildings 

constructed between 1980 and 1983.

As of mid-1983, 66.9 (±6.9) percent of the commercial buildings had 

air-conditioning. Of these, 66.1 (±3.0) percent had central systems, 30.7 

(±3.8) percent had window units, 15.4 (±1.9) percent had wall units, 6.4 

(±1.8) percent had heat pumps, and 1.7 (±0.6) percent used well water for 

cooling.

The percentage of buildings with central cooling systems ranged from 48.9 

(±8.9) for the buildings constructed in 1900 or before to 89.9 (±4.1) 

for buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983. The percentage of 

buildings with window units was 49.6 (±9.8) of those built in 1900 or 

earlier and 4.3 (±2.7) of those built between 1980 and 1983.

Conservation Measures

• As of mid-1983, 48.2 (±2.5) percent of the commercial buildings had roof or 

ceiling insulation, 34.6 (±2.2) percent had exterior wall insulation, and 

37.7 (±4.0) percent had conservation glass.

• Between January 1, 1980, and July 1, 1983, weatherstripping or caulking was 

added to 31.3 (±2.3) percent of all commercial buildings. Roof insulation 

was added to 10.2 (±1.1) percent, exterior wall insulation was added to 6.4 

(±1.3) percent, and conservation glass was added to 10.2 (±7.7) percent.

• Overall, 11.0 (±1.8) percent of the buildings reported having a professional 

energy audit in the 12 months prior to the survey.

• Computerized systems controlled the heating and cooling equipment in 2.9 

(±0.5) percent of all commercial buildings. The percentage of buildings 

constructed between 1980 and 1983 with computerized control systems was 9.2 

(±2.1).

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 ix 

Energy Information Administration
Overview

This report presents data collected in the 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy 

Consumption Survey (NBECS), the second national sample survey of nonresidential 

buildings and their fuel suppliers conducted by the Energy Information 

Administration. Geographically, the surveys covered the 48 contiguous States and 

the District of Columbia. NBECS was designed primarily to provide information on 

energy-related characteristics of buildings, as well as information on the 

consumption of and expenditures for energy used in nonresidential buildings, 

primarily those in the commercial sector. For both surveys, "Nonresidential 

buildings" was defined as roofed and walled structures that housed some kind of 

commercial or industrial activity, excluding buildings on military installations. 

Buildings that were primarily residential, but showed evidence of commercial or 

industrial activity also fell within the scope of the survey. "Commercial 

buildings" was defined as a subset of nonresidential buildings that excluded 

those in which industrial or agricultural activities occupied more of the total 

floor space than any other type of activity. This definition of commercial 

buildings includes buildings such as schools, churches, and other buildings 

occupied by nonprofit establishments, as well as office buildings, and retail 

stores.

The 1983 NBECS recontacted the buildings surveyed in the 1979 NBECS (the original 

sample) and also contacted a sample of buildings constructed between 1979 and 

mid-1983 (the new buildings sample). A total of 7,140 interviews were conducted, 

5,845 from the original sample and 1,295 from the new buildings sample. All data 

were collected through telephone interviews conducted with building 

representatives between April and August 1983. Although participation by the 

buildings owners and managers was not mandatory, a high rate of cooperation was 

achieved, with 89 percent of the contacted buildings participating. The 

estimates presented throughout this report are weighted to represent the entire 

population of commercial buildings in the United States.

Data from the 1979 NBECS were published in four reports. The present report 

corresponds to two of the 1979 reports which covered characteristics of 

buildings, fuel characteristics, and conservation practices. The 1979 and 1983 

NBECS reports differ in that the two 1979 reports included data on industrial 

buildings, which are omitted from this report. Subsequent reports from the 1983 

NBECS will focus on consumption of and expenditures for various energy sources, 

new construction (those built from 1979 through 1983), and a detailed analysis of 

changes occurring in the originally sampled buildings between 1979 and 1983.

For details on survey methodology, see Appendix A, "How the Survey was 

Conducted."

2 The two reports from the 1979 NBECS are Nonresidential Buildings Energy

Consumption Survey: Building Characteristics, DOE/EIA-0246, (Washington, DC, 

March 1981) and Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Fuel 

Characteristics and Conservation Practices, DOE/EIA-278, (Washington, DC, June 

1981).

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
The data presented in this report cover basic descriptions of commercial 

buildings, including principal activities, age and size of buildings, location, 

and occupancy patterns; energy sources used in commercial buildings; heating and 

cooling practices and equipment; and conservation practices. On the basis of the 

sample of buildings included in both the 1979 and the 1983 NBECS, data are also 

provided for changes that occurred between 1979 and 1983 for a few important 

building characteristics, such as changes in fuels supplied to the building and 

changes in the percentage of heated floor space.

This report is intended for a wide range of users, such as building managers, 

utility company analysts, government policy-makers, and architects. The 

Executive Summary, Overview, and Tables 1 through 39 present the findings of the 

survey as nontechnically as possible. More statistically oriented readers, and 

others desiring to assess the quality of the data, are referred to a supplemental 

reference volume (available through the National Technical Information Service) 

and the discussion of Data Quality in Appendix B. The 1983 NBECS data will also 

be available on public use data tapes .

3 A supplement to this report, titled Nonresidential Buildings Energy

Consumption Survey; Characteristics of Commercial Buildings, 1983; A 

Supplemental Reference (DOE/EIA-M008), contains percentage tables which are 

analogous to the point estimate tables, relative standard errors for the point 

estimates, and relative standard errors for the percentages. This volume is 

available from the National Technical Information Service, Computer Products 

Division, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161 (Telephone: 

703-487-4650). Public use data tapes will also be available at the same address 

(Telephone: 703-487-4808).

2

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Building Characteristics

Types of Buildings

Definitions

Buildings were classified on the basis of the principal activity in the building; 

that is, the activity that occupied the most square footage in the building. 

See Appendix C, "Building Types," for a detailed description of the activities 

that constituted each principal building activity. However, two building 

activity categories, "residential" and "vacant," deserve special mention.

The buildings classified as "residential" involved some nonresidential activity, 

but had more square footage devoted to residential use than to any single 

commercial use. An example would be an apartment building which also housed a 

grocery store. Estimates presented in this report for residential buildings „ 

pertain only to residential buildings with associated nonresidential activity.

The buildings classified as "vacant" were not necessarily completely vacant; 

rather, this classification indicates that more square footage was vacant at the 

time of the interview than was occupied by any of the building activities. 

Conversely, buildings classified into one of the other categories could have also 

contained vacant square footage. Buildings classified as "vacant" in terms of 

building type could have been occupied by no establishments, by one 

establishment, or by more than one establishment. However, buildings for which 

the reported number of establishments was "none" could be considered completely 

vacant rather than only predominantly vacant.

Except in Table S2, some of the building type categories have been combined 

because the number of buildings in the NBECS sample was too small to permit 

reliable detailed estimates to be made. Accordingly, buildings that housed 

inpatient and outpatient health care have been combined to form a single 

health-care category, and both laboratory buildings and buildings that housed 

public-order-and-safety entities have been included in "other" buildings.

Throughout this report, the term "square footage" refers to the amount of 

floor space contained in a building.

2 For estimates of the number of residential apartment buildings (with five or

more units in the building) in the United States, see Residential Energy 

Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1981 through March 1982, 

Part 1, National Data, DOE/EIA-321/1(81), (Washington, DC, September 1983), 

page 13.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Changes in Building Type Distributions Between the 1979 and 1983 NBECS

The distribution of buildings in the various building type categories presented 

in this report is different from the distribution presented in the 1979 NBECS 

reports. One major reason for the difference is that the mix of the building 

stock has actually changed as older buildings are demolished or converted to 

other uses and new buildings are constructed. However, another source of 

apparent change stemmed from survey procedures. (See Reclassification of 

Building Types from the 1979 NBECS on page 7.)

Distribution of Commercial Buildings by Building Type

As of mid-1983, there were 3,948,000 (±387,000) commercial buildings in the 

United States, with a total floor space of 52.3 (±7.0) billion square feet. 

Table SI presents the estimated number and square footage of commercial buildings 

by building type. As shown in Figure 1, the most common building type was the 

mercantile/services building. There were 1,071,000 (±148,000) buildings housing 

such activities, representing 27.1 (±2.3) percent of the total commercial 

building stock. These buildings contained 10.4 (±3.5) billion square feet, 19.9 

(±4.6) percent of the total commercial floor space. The next most prevalent 

building type was office buildings, which comprised 575,000 (±86,000) buildings 

and contained 14.6 (±1.7) percent of the commercial building stock and 16.2 

(±1.8) percent of the total commercial floor space.

The ± value in parentheses after a statistic quoted in the tables or text 

represents two standard errors of the statistic. The standard error is a measure 

of the variability of a sample-based estimate. Standard errors should be used in 

making inferences about the total population. A 95 percent confidence interval 

can be approximated by taking twice the standard error and subtracting this value 

from the statistic to obtain the lower end of the interval and adding twice the 

standard error to the statistic to obtain the upper end of the interval. (A 95 

percent confidence interval means that if the survey were repeated by using all 

possible samples, 95 percent of all intervals calculated in this way should 

contain the true value of the statistic.) The analyst should read Appendix B, 

"Data Quality."

4 In reports from the 1983 NBECS, automotive sales and service buildings are

included in the mercantile/service category. These two categories were reported 

separately in 1979. See Appendix C, "Building Types."

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Table S1. Number and Square Footage of Commercial Buildings by Building 

Type, 1983

Principal Activity 

Within BuiIdi ng

Number of Buildings

Thousands Percent

Square Footage

Mi 11i on 

Square 

Feet Percent

Survey Estimates

Commercial Buildings.......

Assembly.................

Educational..............

Food Sales/Service.......

Health Care (Inpatient)., 

Health Care (Outpatient). 

Laboratory...............

Mercantile/Servi ces..... ,

Lodgi ng..................

Office...................

Public Order and Safety., 

Residential..............

Warehouse................

Other....................

Vacant...................

Relative Standard Errors 

(percent)

Commercial Buildings.......

Assembly.................

Educati onal..............

Food Sales/Service.......

Health Care (Impatient). 

Health Care (Outpatient) 

Laboratory...............

Mercantile/Services... . .

Lodging.................

Office..................

Public Order and Safety. 

Residential.............

Warehouse...............

Other...................

Vacant..................

3,948

457

177

380

20

40

13

1,071

106

575

39

236

425

127

281

4.9

9.4

11.7

8.0

17.1

25.2

24.0

6.9

14.3

7.5

18.1

10.1

8.1

9.4

12.3

100.0

11.6 

4.5 

9.6 

0. 

1, 

0.

27. 

2.7

14.6 

1.0 

6.0

10.8 

3.2 

7.1

9.3

9.9

5.6

17.0

23.7

25.1

4.2

13.3

5.7

19.1

8.8

7.4

6.4

11.1

52,325

5,483-

6,044

2,051

1,974

303

276

10,427 

2,241 

8,454 

709 

2,454 

6,791 

1,776 

3,342

6.7

13.4

10.0

7.1

18.4

26.0

27.6

16.7

13.3

8.1

20.5

12.7

9.2

15.7

15.2

100.0

10.5

11.6

3.9

3.8

0.6

0.5

19.9

4.3

16.2

1.4

4.7

13.0

3.4

6.4

12.0

7.3

5.9

17.7

24.8

28.2

11.5

10.6

5.7

19.8

11.0

10.7

17.6

11.1

Q = Data unreliable either because the RSE was greater than 50/i, or

fewer than 20 buildings Mere sampled.

Note'- Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Appendix C, 

Building Types. s ee Glossary for definition of terms used in this report.

Source 1 Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets 

and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Figure 1. Distribution of Commercial Building Types

Assembly

Educational

Food Sales/ 

Service

Health Care

Lodging

0) o.

 ^ Mercantile/ 

c Services

CO

Office

Residential

Warehouse

Other

Vacant

I I Number of Buildings 

Total Floor Space

10 15 

Percent

20

27.1

25 30

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption SurveyNBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Reclassification of Building Types from the 1979 NBECS

In 1979, an effort was made to assign "mixed-use buildings"—that is, buildings 

which did not have at least 75 percent of their square footage devoted to a 

single activity—to one of the other building activities. After the 1979 reports 

were published, an error was discovered in the procedure used for assigning the 

mixed-use buildings. This table compares the results from the original building 

classification procedure with those from the revised procedure.

Building Classification

Principal Activity, 

1979

All Buildings ...........

Educational .....-- -°

Original 

(thousands)

4

O /* "7 ,267 

29

r\ / r\ 243

•} QOR

448 i f. t

Revised 

(thousands)

,267

30

Zoo

3,969

475

Percent 

Change

0.0

1.3

10.6

-0.7

5.9

RECLASSIFICATION OF BUILDING TYPES FROM THE 1979 NBECS MIXED-USE BUILDINGS

1

£

and 

Ener

Principal Activity, 

1979

Or iginal 

(mi I I ion sqft)

Revi sed 

(mi I I ion sqft)

All Bui Idings............

Agr icultural ...........

Industrial .............

All Commercial.........

Assemb 1 y .............

Educat i onal ..........

Food Sales/Service...

Health Care. .........

Lodging..............

Mercanti le/Service...

Office...............

Other................

Residential ..........

Storage. .............

Vacant ...............

55,014

188

7,140

47,685

5,028

5,851

1,864

1,687

2,012

9,473

8,184

3,129

3,115

6,070

1,273

55,014

198

7,789

47,027

5,362

5,975

1,815

1,960

2,099

10,106

7,364

2,150

2,765

6,042

1,330
Number of Buildings

Table 52 contains estimates for the sources of change in the number of buildings 

between the 1979 NBECS and the 1983 NBECS.

Table S2. Changes in the Stock of Commercial Buildings, 1979-1983

Number of Buildings

1979 Building Stock1 3,973,000 (±397,000)

Demolitions -123,000 (± 29,000)

Conversions to All-Residential Use -49,000 (± 26,000)

Conversions to Agricultural/Industrial Use -27,000 (± 16,000)

Other Losses -25,000 (± 9,000)

Still in Building Stock 3,755,000 (±376,000)

Conversions to Commercial from

Agricultural/Industrial Use +35,000 (± 15,000) 

New Construction +159,000 (+ 37,000)

2

1983 Building Stock 3,948,000 (±387,000)

The estimate for the 1979 building stock differs from that published in the 

1979 NBECS reports as a result of building reclassifications and reweighting of 

data. See Appendix C, "Building Types" for details.

The 1983 building stock estimate may be low for two reasons. First, although 

conversions from commercial to all-residential buildings were covered by the 

survey, conversions of all-residential buildings to commercial use were not 

covered. Second, as discussed in Appendix B, "Data Quality," the source used to 

update the NBECS sample for new construction may have omitted smaller new 

buildings, which would have been detected by the area sampling methods employed 

for the original sample. These smaller buildings have relatively little effect 

on estimates of overall square footage or energy consumption, but have a greater 

impact on building count estimates.

Note : Data may not sum to totals due to rounding.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets 

and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Demolition of Commercial Buildings

One of the more interesting components of the change in the number of commercial 

buildings is the loss of buildings due to demolitions. Table S3 displays 

characteristics of demolished buildings.

Overall, 3.0 (±0.7) percent of the commercial buildings standing in late 1979 had 

been demolished by mid-1983. Buildings constructed before 1920 were demolished 

at about the same rate (3.4 (±1.2) percent) as buildings constructed from 1921 to 

1945 (4.0 (±1.7) percent), but the demolition rate for buildings constructed 

since 1945 was significantly lower (1.5 (±0.6) percent). As might be expected, 

buildings vacant in 1979 were demolished at a higher rate (13.0 (±7.3) percent) 

than nonvacant buildings (2.4 (±0.5) percent). Demolition rates did not vary 

significantly by Census Region or metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location.

Table S3. Detailed Demolition Rates, 1979-1983

1979 Building 

Character* sti cs

All Buildings

Number of

BuiIdi ngs

C thousands) Percent

Demoli shed

Number of

BuiIdi ngs

(thousands) Percent

Survey Estimates

Commerci al Buildings...............

Year Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1920.....................

1921 to 1945.....................

19<t6 to 1979. ....................

Unknown!./ ........................

Sqgare Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 5.001 to 10,000. .................

10,001 to 25,000.... .............

Over 25,000......................

Unknownl/........................

Principal Activity within Building 

Mercantile/Servi ces............ . .

Warehouse and Storage............

Vacant...........................

All Other........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................ West.............................

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Nonmetropolitan..................

Number of Establishments

Single Establi shment.............

Multi-Establi shraent..............

Vacant/Unknown...................

3,973

293

377

721

2,325

258

2,148

687

518

361

258

1,165

415

205

2,188

700

1,238

1,471

564

2,259

1,714

3,067

628

278

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0 100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0 100.0

100.0 100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

118

10

13

29

34

31

60 

Q

10 

6

31

28

17

27

46

22

46

30

21

67

52

75

11

31

3.0

3.5

3.6 

4.0

1.5 

12.1

2.8

Q

1.9

1.6

12.1

2.4

4.1

13.0

2.1

3.1 

3.7 

2.1 

3.7

3.0 

3.0

2.5

1.8

11.3

Sea footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Table S3. Detailed Demolition Rates, 1979-1983 (Continued)

1979 Building 

Character!sti cs

All Buildings

I

Number of

BuiIdi ngs

(thousands) Percent

Demolished

Nuirber of

BuiIdi ngs

(thousands) Percent

Relative Standard Errors 

(percent)

Commerci al Buildings...............

Year Constructed 1900 or Before................... 1901 to 1920. ....................

1921 to 1945.... .................

1946 to 1979. .................... Unknown!/........................

Square Footage Category 5,COO or Less....................

5,001 to 10,000. ................. 10,001 to 25,000. ................

Over 25,000......................

Unknown.1/........................

Principal Activity within Building Mercantile/Services..............

Warehouse and Storage............ Vacant...........................

All Other........................

Census Region Northeast........................

North Central.................... South............................

West.............................

Metropolitan Status Metropolitan.....................

Nonmetropoli tan..................

Number of Establishments

Single Establi shment............. Multi-Establishment.............. Vacant/Unknown...................

5.0

15.8

10.2

7.3

5.8

5.4 

7.2 

8.9 

7.9 

11.4

6.7

8.5

13.4

5.4

10.6

9.4

9.4

14.1

7.7 

6.3

5.2 

8.2

10.7

12.3

28.4

26.9

22.9

21.7

27.2

17.0 

Q

42.4 

35.7 

27.2

16.6

28.6

24.3

17.9

27.8

16.4

29.7

26.3

18.9

16.2

15.1

30.5

27.1

11.1

29.9

27.0

20.7

21.1

24.0

16.2 

Q

42.0 

35.9 

24.0

16.6

27.5

28.0

17.7

21.3

11.3

31.1

29.7

16.4

16.2

14.0

28.0

23.3

^/ Buildings for which no interview was obtained in 1979.

Q = Data unreliable because the RSE was greater than 50'<, or fewer than 15

buildings were sampled.

Note : Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. Percentages were calculated 

on unrounded numbers. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report.

Source'- Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End 

Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

10 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Age and Size of Buildings

Although there were fewer large buildings than small buildings, large buildings 

accounted for a significant share of the total commercial square footage, as 

shown in Figure 2. There were 29,000 (±6,000) buildings (0.7 (±0.2) percent of 

the total number of buildings) of more than 200,000 square feet, and 2,248,000 

(±238,000) buildings (57.0 (±2.6) percent) 5,000 square feet or less. The 

buildings larger than 200,000 square feet, however, accounted for 22.5 (±5.3) 

percent of the total commercial square footage, while the buildings of 5,000 

square feet or less accounted for 9.4 (±1.0) percent.

Figure 2. Size Distribution of Commercial Buildings

60 i- 57

m Number of Buildings 

| | Total Floor Space

22.5

c

<D

10 -

5 -

5,000 or 

Less

5,001- 

10,000

10,001- 

25,000

25,001- 

50,000

50,001- 

100,000

100,001- 

200,000

More than 

200,000

Size of Building (Square Feet)

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

11
Age of Building

As of mid-1983, 22.3 (±1.7) percent of all commercial buildings and 30.1 (±5.5) 

percent of the total square footage had been constructed after 1970, while 35.5 

(±1.8) percent of the buildings and 32.6 (±4.4) percent of the square footage had 

been constructed before 1946.

Of all the building types, the primarily residential buildings were the oldest. 

Of the 236,000 (±47,000) residential buildings, 71.2 (±13.5) percent were 

constructed before 1946, compared with 35.5 (±1.8) percent for all commercial 

buildings. With the exception of the primarily residential buildings, the 

proportion of buildings in the various activity classes appeared fairly stable 

across age categories.

Average and Median Size of Building

The average and median sizes of various building types are displayed in Figure 3. 

The buildings with the largest average size were health care buildings, which 

averaged 37,600 (±14,600) square feet, and education buildings, which averaged 

34,200 (±6,700) square feet. The median size for education buildings was 18,100 

(±10,800) square feet, compared with 4,700 (±2,400) square feet for health care 

buildings. The large difference between the average and the median square 

footage for health care buildings can be attributed to the small number of large 

buildings (mainly in-patient health care) and the large number of small buildings 

(mainly out-patient health care) which constitute this building type. Food 

sales/service buildings were the smallest buildings, averaging 5,400 (±600) 

square feet, with a median size of 2,800 (±200) square feet.

Food sales/service buildings such as this restaurant in Galveston, TX, are the smallest commercial buildings12 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Figure 3. Average and Median Size of Buildings by Building Type

Assembly

Educational

Food Sales/ 

Service

Health Care

o>

Q.

Lodging

c Mercantile/ 

jo Services '5

CO

Office

Residential

Warehouse

Other

Vacant

J 12,000

] 34,200

37,600

[ \ Average 

Median

I I

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000

Size of Building (Square Feet)

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End 

Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Table 2.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

13
Number of Floors

One-third (33.3 (±4.0) percent) of the total commercial square footage was 

contained in the 2,320,000 (±288,000) buildings—or 58.8 (±4.4) percent of all 

commercial buildings—that had only one floor. (See Figure 4.) The 269,000 

(±53,000) buildings (6.8 (±1.1) percent) that had over three floors accounted for 

28.4 (±2.4) percent of the square footage. Of the buildings larger than 200,000 

square feet, 57.0 (±8.0) percent had more than three floors.

Older buildings tended to have more than one floor. Of the 288,000 (±92,000) 

buildings constructed before 1900, 82.3 (±19.8) percent, or 237,000 (±94,000), 

had two or more floors. However, only 29.2 (±10.2) percent of the buildings 

constructed after 1945 were multistory.

Figure 4. Distribution of Commercial Buildings and Floor Space by Number of Floors

60 r- 58

|m Number of Buildings 

I ] Total Floor Space

28

1 Floor 2 Floors 3 Floors 

Number of Floors in Building

More than 

3 Floors

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

14

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Location 

Census Region

The number of commercial buildings varied by Census region . The majority of the 

buildings were located in the South with 1,493,000 (±287,000) commercial 

buildings, and the North Central with 1,211,000 (±216,000) buildings. The 

Northeast had 670,000 (±131,000) buildings and the West had 574,000 (±161,000) 

buildings.

The geographic distribution of buildings varied by the age of a building. Of the 

288,000 (±92,000) buildings constructed in 1900 or earlier, 16.9 (±10.5) percent 

were in the South and 35.4 (±17.0) percent were in the Northeast. Among the 

140,000 (±35,000) most recently constructed buildings (1980 to 1983), 45.6 

(±11.7) percent were in the South, while 10.3 (±3.4) percent were in the 

Northeast. Differences in the distributions of buildings by year of construction 

between the North Central and West were not statistically significant.

The relationship between the number of buildings and the square footage of the 

buildings differed according to Census region. The Northeast contained a greater 

proportion of large buildings and the South contained a greater proportion of 

small buildings. Figure 5 displays the average and median sizes of buildings by 

Census region.

Metropolitan Status

Buildings in metropolitan areas tended to be larger than those in nonmetropolitan 

areas. Metropolitan areas contained 57.1 (±4.9) percent of all commercial 

buildings, but 76.0 (±5.1) percent of the buildings larger than 25,000 square 

feet. The total floor space contained in buildings located in metropolitan areas 

was 37.6 (±5.3) billion square feet, or 71.8 (±6.0) percent of the total 

commercial floor space.

Although the proportion of buildings located in metropolitan areas was fairly 

constant over year-of-construction categories, 71.2 (±13.1) percent of the 

buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983 were located in metropolitan areas, 

compared with 56.6 (±6.6) percent for buildings constructed before 1980.

Appendix E contains a map of the four Census regions.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 1 5 

Energy Information Administration
Figure 5. Average and Median Size of Building by Census Region

20,000

18,000

16,000

14,000

« 12,000 

o>

g 10,000

<5

o- 8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

17,300

| | Average 

HUH Median

_ 13,300 13,200

United States

Northeast North 

Central

Census Region

South West

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Table 2.

Occupancy

Number of Establishments

A large majority, 80.2 (±2.1) percent, of all commercial buildings were occupied 

by one establishment. The proportion of buildings occupied by single 

establishments varied by the size of the building. Of buildings under 5,000 

square feet, 85.9 (±1.9) percent were occupied by one establishment, compared 

with 55.6 (±7.6) percent for buildings over 200,000 square feet. Office 

buildings were more likely to be multi-establishment (36.9 (±6.6) percent) than 

were other building types.

16 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Hours of Operation

In an average week, 18.7 (±2.7) percent of the commercial buildings were open 

fewer than 40 hours and 19.8 (±1.7) percent were open more than 84 hours (that 

is, more than 12 hours a day).

Large buildings were also more likely to stay open longer during the week. While 

82.8 (±6.3) percent of all buildings over 200,000 square feet were open more than 

48 hours during an average week, 55.0 (±4.4) percent of the buildings under 5,000 

square feet were open more than 48 hours.

The building type was also related to the number of hours that buildings were 

open during an average week. Over half, 55.8 (±8.8) percent, of all assembly 

buildings were open less than 40 hours a week, while 51.2 (±8.0) percent of all 

food sales and service buildings were open more than 84 hours a week. Mercantile 

buildings were concentrated in the 40- to 84-hour range (78.2 (±10.8) percent) 

and office buildings in the 40- to 60-hour range (70.8 (±5.6) percent).

Government Occupancy

An estimated 360,000 (±63,000) commercial buildings were owned and 346,000 

(±64,000) buildings were at least partially occupied by Federal, State, or local 

government agencies. While the number of government-occupied buildings 

represented 8.8 (±1.4) percent of the total U.S. commercial building stock, these 

buildings contained 19.3 (±4.3) percent of the total commercial square footage.

The average size of a government-occupied building was 29,200 (±10,300) square 

feet, versus 11,700 (±1,800) square feet for commercial buildings not occupied by 

government agencies. Of those buildings which were government-occupied, 17.3 

(±3.8) percent were occupied by agencies of the Federal Government, 30.1 (±7.1) 

percent by State government agencies, and 62.7 (±3.9) percent by local government 

agencies. Federal buildings averaged 52,000 (±45,600) square feet, while State 

and local buildings averaged 32,300 (±11,600) and 22,700 (±6,200) square feet, 

respectively.

Government-occupied buildings were concentrated in the areas of education and 

health care. For example, 32.2 (±9.9) percent of all education buildings were 

government-occupied, almost all by State and local governments. On the other 

hand, there were few residential, food sales/service, or mercantile/services 

buildings occupied by government agencies.

Percentages may exceed 100 percent due to occupancy by more than one level of 

government agency.

NBECS. Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Number of Employees and Square Footage per Worker

Both the number of employees working in the building and the square footage per 

worker were related to the building type. Only 27.8 (±11.3) percent of all 

educational buildings and 46.6 (±5.8) percent of all office buildings contained 

fewer than 10 employees. On the other hand, 76.5 (±3.4) percent of all 

mercantile buildings and 88.2 (±5.5) percent of all residential buildings had 

fewer than 10 employees. Office buildings, which averaged 323 (±31) square feet 

per worker, and food sales buildings, which averaged 362 (±67) square feet per 

worker, were the most densely occupied building types. Residential, warehouse, 

and predominantly vacant buildings all had more than 1,000 square feet per 

employee. (See Figure 6.) The median floor space per worker was lower for 

government-occupied buildings (544 (±123) square feet per worker) than for 

buildings not occupied by government agencies (731 (±66) square feet per worker),

Buildings 5,000 square feet or smaller had an average of 352 (+46) square feet 

per worker and a median of 501 (+41) square feet per worker, smaller than any 

other size of building.

Average floor space per worker ranged from 958 (±194) square feet for buildings 

constructed between 1901 and 1920 to 513 (±62) square feet per worker for 

buildings constructed between 1974 and 1979. The average floor space per worker 

was 694 (±268) square feet for buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983.

In 1983, over 8 percent of all commercial buildings were occupied by Federal, State, or local government agencies.

1 3 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Figure 6. Average and Median Square Feet per Worker by Building Type

Assembly

Educational

Food Sales/ 

Service

Health Care

Lodging

w Mercantile/ 

>; Services

c 

b

'5 

m

Office

Residential

Warehouse

Other

Vacant

914

1,087

( | Average 

^^H Median

] 1,790

2,199

Median square feet per worker undefined for vacant buildings 

I I I I I I I I

0 250 500 750 1,000 1,250 1,500 1,750 2,000 2,250 2,500

Square Feet per Worker

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Table 12.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

19
Energy Sources and End Uses

Energy Sources

Electricity, natural gas, and fuel oil were the three main sources of energy 

supplied to commercial buildings in 1983. Of the 3,948,000 (±387,000) commercial 

buildings, 95.8 (±1.7) percent were supplied with electricity. Natural gas was 

supplied to 58.6 (±6.2) percent of all buildings. Fuel oil (including kerosene) 

was supplied to 16.0 (±2.8) percent of all buildings. Propane and purchased 

steam were also among the sources of energy supplied to commercial buildings. 

Propane was supplied to 6.6 (±2.2) percent of all buildings. Only 1.5 (±0.4) 

percent of all commercial buildings were supplied with purchased steam, however, 

buildings using purchased steam accounted for 8.8 (±2.5) percent of the total 

commercial square footage. Table S4 presents the number of buildings and the 

square footage served by each of the energy sources.

Building Types

The percentage of buildings supplied with particular fuels varied between 

building types only for natural gas. Residential buildings were more likely to 

be supplied with natural gas, with 79.4 (+ 7.5) percent of those buildings 

supplied with natural gas. The percentage of all commercial buildings supplied 

with natural gas was 58.6 (+6.2).

In 1983, more than 95 percent of all commercial buildings were supplied with electricity.

Respondents were asked which sources of energy were supplied to the building. 

Throughout this report, the terms "energy source(s) used" and "energy source(s) 

supplied" are used interchangeably. Note also that a building could be supplied 

with more than one fuel.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 21
Table S4. Energy Sources Used in Commercial Buildings, 1983

Fuels Used in the Building

Number of Buildings

Thousands Percent

Square Footage

Mi 11i on

Square

Feet Percent

Survey Estimates

Commercial Buildings......

Electri ci ty.............

Natural Gas.............

Fuel Oil................ Propane.................

Purchased Steam.........

Purchased Chilled Water. Coal....................

Purchased Hot Water..... Wood....................

Solar................... Other...................

Relative Standard Errors 

(percent)

Commercial Buildings......

Electricity.............

Natural Gas.............

Fuel Oil................

Propane.................

Purchased Steam.........

Purchased Chilled Water, Coal....................

Purchased Hot Water.....

Wood....................

Solar................... Other...................

3,948

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

11

55

11

16

71

4.9

5.1

6.8

9.7

16.8

14.3

36.4

24.6.9

.6

40

17

21.1

26.8

100.0

95.8

58.6

16.0

6.6

1.5

0.3

1.4

0.3

3.4

0.4

1.8

0.9

5.3

8.8

16.6

13.2

36.0

25.4

40.7

17.7

20.2

26.3

52,325

51,359 37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

783

654

347

1,157

709

1,291

6.7

6.7

7.8

8.4

17.9

16.2 11.8

20.4

28.6

26.0

39.0

19.2

100.0

98.2

70.9

25.4

5.7

8.8

1.5

1.2

0.7

2.2

1.4

2.5

0.4

3.0

7.8 18.3

14.4

13.0

21.9

29.2 28.0

40.1 15.8

Q = Data unreliable either because the RSE was greater than 50%, or fewer

than 20 buildings were sampled.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. If a fuel is used at 

all in a building, then the entire square footage for that building 

is tabulated. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report.

Source^ Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and 

End Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy 

Consumption Survey.

22 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Age of Building

Figure 7 displays energy sources used in buildings, according to the year of 

building construction. Figure 7 shows that the number of buildings supplied with 

fuel oil and the number of buildings supplied with natural gas was generally 

smaller in newer buildings. The number of buildings supplied with fuel oil 

ranged from 27.9 (±11.3) percent of the buildings constructed in 1900 or before 

to 6.1 (±2.1) percent of the buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983. 

Natural gas was used in 67.4 (±5.2) percent of the buildings constructed before 

1945, in 57.3 (±4.7) percent of the buildings constructed between 1946 and 1970, 

and in 47.1 (±4.9) percent of the buildings constructed between 1971 and 1983.

Figure 7. Energy Sources by Year Constructed

Electricity 

Natural Gas 

I \ Fuel Oil

98.8

c 

£>

& 

<n 

o>

c

jg '5

3

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

r-97.3 94.9 97.3 97.6 96.5

53.4

1900 or 

Before

1901- 

1920

1921- 

1945

1980- 

1983

Year Constructed

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983

23
Size of Building

The sources of energy supplied to a building were related to the size of the 

building. Large buildings were more likely to be supplied with multiple energy 

sources; that is, all the major energy sources were most prevalent in large 

buildings. For example, electricity was supplied to 94.3 (±2.6) percent of all 

buildings containing 5,000 square feet or less, compared with 99.0 (±1.2) percent 

of all buildings of more than 200,000 square feet. Natural gas was supplied to 

51.4 (±6.3) percent of the buildings containing less than 5,000 square feet, 

compared with 75.1 (±7.1) percent of the buildings of more than 200,000 square 

feet. Fuel oil was supplied to 13.6 (±3.3) percent of the buildings containing 

5,000 square feet or less, compared with 44.1 (±11.7) percent of the buildings of 

more than 200,000 square feet. Purchased steam, a negligible energy source in 

buildings containing 5,000 square feet or less, was supplied to 20.8 (±8.4) percent 

of all buildings of more than 200,000 square feet.

Location

The energy sources supplied to commercial buildings varied by Census region. 

Natural gas was used in 66.3 (±9.1) percent of the buildings in the Northeast and 

in 75.3 (±3.8) percent of the buildings in the North Central region, 

significantly more than the 41.5 (±13.7) percent of the buildings using natural 

gas in the South (as shown in Figure 8). Fuel oil was used in 38.4 (±8.5) 

percent of the buildings in the Northeast, a higher percentage than in any other 

region.

These buildings in New york City are ai 

24

\mong the more than 38 percent using fuel oil in the Northeast-a higher percentage than in any other region.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Figure 8. Energy Sources by Census Region

Electricity 

Natural Gas

_ 97.1

I j Fuel Oil 

V//\ Propane 

95.1 96.0

Northeast North 

Central

South West

Census Region

Q = Data for propane withheld due to large variance.

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Table A16.

The energy sources supplied to commercial buildings also varied by metropolitan 

status. Propane, wood, and coal were all more likely to be used in 

nonmetropolitan areas, whereas purchased steam was predominantly used in 

metropolitan areas. Natural gas was also more likely to be used by metropolitan 

area buildings (68.1 ( 7.4) percent) than by buildings located in nonmetropolitan 

areas (46.0 ( 10.6) percent).

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

25
Changes in Energy Sources Since 1979

Because many of the same buildings were interviewed for both the 1979 NBECS and 

1983 NBECS, it is possible to measure changes in the energy sources used in 

commercial buildings. These changes are summarized in Table S5. Note that for 

most energy sources, there was no statistically significant net change between 

1979 and 1983 in the number of buildings being supplied with particular fuels.

Table S5. Changes in Energy Sources Used in Commercial Buildings Between 

1979 and 1983

Fuels Used in the Building

Change in Use of Fuel Between 1979 and 1983

Used in 

1979

Added Si nee 

1979

Dropped Since 

1979

Used in 1983

Survey Estimates

(thousand buildings)

Electricity.............

Natural Gas.............

Fuel Oil................

Propane................. Purchased Steam.........

Purchased Chilled Water. 

Coal....................

Wood....................

3,688

2,184

783

291

48

7

53

103

39

220

56

42

17

2

20

65

94

163

215

91

7

Q

18 

32

3,632

2,241

624

241

58

6

55

137

Relative Standard Errors 

(percent)

Electricity..................

Natural Gas. .................

Fuel Oil. ....................

Propane. .....................

Purchased Steam. .............

Purchased Chilled Water......

Coal .........................

Wood. ........................

5.2

7.6

9.6

14.2

17.9

37.2

23.3

19.2

39.7

11.5

17.0

21.4

23.0

22.9

49.8

23.3

20.3

11.2

11.5

22.3

29.5

57.8

40.3

22.6

5.1

7.3

9.8

18.1

14.7

22.8

26.6

18.1

Q = Data unreliable either because the RSE was greater than 50%, or fewer

than 20 buildings were sampled.

Note : Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for 

definition of terms used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End 

Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption 

Survey.

26 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Although natural gas was newly supplied to 220,000 (±51,000) commercial buildings 

between 1979 and 1983, it was discontinued in another 163,000 (±37,000) buildings 

between 1979 and 1983. The net result was that there was no significant change 

in the total number of buildings supplied with natural gas.

The number of buildings supplied with fuel oil, however, did show a significant 

decline between 1979 and 1983. The number of buildings that used fuel oil in 

1983 was 624,000 (±122,000), which is 20.3 (±5.6) percent lower than the number 

of buildings that used it in 1979. (See Figure 9.)

Figure 9. Changes in the Number of Buildings Supplied with Fuel Oil

1,000,000

750,000

CO

o>

500,000

z

250,000

-250,000 L

783,000

624,000

56,000

215,000

Used in 1979 Added Dropped Used in 1983

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Table 19.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 27
End Uses of Energy

In addition to information on the energy sources supplied to the buildings, the 

NBECS also provided data on six selected end uses of the energy. These end uses 

are space heating, water heating, cooling, cooking, manufacturing, and 2 

electricity generation. Table S6 summarizes the energy sources by end use.

Table SB. Number of Buildings by Fuels for Various End Uses, 1983

Fuels Supplied to 

the Building

Number of 

Buildings 

Using Fuel

End Uses for Various Fuels

Space 

Heating

1 1 1 1 

1 Water 1 1 (Manufac- 

(Heating (Cooling (Cooking I turing

1 

(Electricity 

1 Generation

Survey Estimates

(thousand buildings)

Electricity. ............

Natural Gas .............

Fuel Oil................

Propane .................

Purchased Steam .........

Purchased Chilled Mater. 

Coal ....................

Purchased Hot Water.....

Wood....................

Solar...................

Other...................

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

11

55

11

13*

16

71

1,105

2,011

566

161

55

48 

Q

115

8

28

1,382

1,403

148

54

32

Q 

6 

Q

2,515

141

5

Q 2 

4

NC 

q

NC 

q 

8

887 

658

Q 

80

6

q

q

q

NC

q

317

82

14

q

q

Q 

NC

q 

NC

q

NC 

33 

31 

11

q

q 

q 

q 

q 

33

Relative Standard Error 

(percent )

Electricity. ..................

Natural Gas ...................

Fuel Oil......................

Propane .......................

Purchased Steam ...............

Purchased Chi lied Water .......

Coal..........................

Purchased Hot Water ...........

Wood..........................

Solar..... ....................

Other.........................

5.1

6.8

9.7

16.8

14.3

36.4

24.6

40.9

17.6

21.1

26.8

12.5

7.4

10.3

19.5

15.3

—

22.6

66.6

18.7

41.5

24.2

8.3

7.7

13.7

26.9

18.3--

45.1

53.7

38.6

46.7

67.9

7.2

11.9

23.6

71.0

35.2

25.8

NC

67.1

NC

74.7

41.5

7.1

8.6

56.9

23.0

28.9--

100.0

79.1

100.0

NC

47.5

13.6

12.5

24.3

51.4

76.8

—

72.1

NC

20.3

NC

59.4

NC

25.3

18.7

31.5

130.1

—

76.1

146.7

223.6

79.1

29.4

NC = No cases in sample.

q = Data unreliable either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings Mere

sampled.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this 

report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

2 All percentages presented in this section about end uses are based on the

total number of buildings that use energy for the particular end use being 

discussed, except where otherwise noted.

28 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Space Heating

Of the six end uses reported in this survey, space heating was the most prevalent. 

Of the 3,948,000 (±387,000) commercial buildings, 88.8 (±2.0) percent, or 3,507,000 

(±351,000) buildings, used energy for space heating. The most commonly used energy 

source for space heating was natural gas. Natural gas was used to space heat 57.3 

(±6.8) percent of the heated buildings. Electricity was used to space heat 31.5 

(±7.2) percent and fuel oil was used to space heat 16.1 (±2.9) percent of the 

heated buildings.

The distribution of fuels used for space heating varied by Census region. The 

predominant heating fuel in the Northeast was natural gas, followed by fuel oil, 

with 55.5 (±9.1) percent and 38.5 (±8.9) percent, respectively, of the buildings 

using these fuels for space heating. In the North Central, however, a majority of 

the buildings, 76.8 (±5.8) percent, used natural gas for space heating. 

Electricity and natural gas were used about equally as often as space heating fuels 

in the South, with 47.2 (±17.5) percent and 41.2 (±15.2) percent, respectively. 

The predominant heating fuels in the West were natural gas, with 57.5 (±10.4) 

percent, and electricity, with 37.5 (±11.1) percent. (See Figure 10.)

Figure 10. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating by Census Region

80

70

60

<D

50 

co

O)

I 40 

m

"o

fc 30

.0

E

3

z 20

10

76.8

55.5

m Electricity 

Bffffg Natural Gas 

I J Fuel Oil 57.5

Northeast North 

Central

South West

Census Region

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

29
The fuels used for space heating varied by the age of the building. In the 

heated buildings constructed in 1960 or earlier, natural gas was the predominant 

space heating energy source, used in 62.5 (±4.3) percent of these buildings. 

Electricity and fuel oil were the next most used fuels in these buildings, used 

by 22.8 (±4.6) percent and 20.6 (±2.4) percent of the buildings, respectively. 

However, among the most recently constructed buildings—those built between 1980 

and 1983—the percentages using natural gas and electricity as a space heating 

fuel were almost equally distributed. (See Figure 11.) Fuel oil was used for 

space heating in only 2.1 (±1.2) percent of the most recently constructed 

buildings.

Figure 11. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating by Year Constructed

<D 

O

<5

CO 

O)

c 

;§

70

60

50

40

 30

20

10

0

66.1 66.6 65.4 ESSi Natural Gas 

I I Fuel Oil

49.7 51 '2

1900 or 

Before

1921- 

1945

1901- 

1920

1974- 

1979

1980- 

1983

Year Constructed

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

30 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
The size of a building was related to the source of energy most likely to be used 

for space heating. Natural gas, electricity, and fuel oil were used for heating 

by buildings of all sizes. Propane, however, was a source of energy for space 

heating primarily in small buildings. Propane provided heat to 6.6 (±3.2) 

percent of all heated buildings containing 5,000 square feet or less, but heated 

very few buildings of more than 5,000 square feet. Purchased steam, on the other 

hand, was a source of energy for space heating primarily in large buildings. 

Purchased steam provided heat to 21.2 (±8.5) percent of buildings larger than 

200,000 square feet.

Water Heating

In the 74.3 (±2.4) percent of all commercial buildings that heated water, 

electricity and natural gas were almost equally preferred as the sources of 

energy to heat the water. The number of buildings that heated water with 

electricity was 1,382,000 (±229,000). The number of buildings that heated water 

with natural gas was 1,403,000 (±216,000).

The distribution of energy sources used for water heating varied by Census 

region. The predominant source of energy for water heating in both the Northeast 

and North Central was natural gas. The percentage of buildings in these regions 

that used natural gas to heat water was 52.0 (±12.0) percent and 60.9 (±7.2) 

percent, respectively. In the South, electricity heated water in 63.0 (±9.8) 

percent of the buildings that heated water. Electricity and natural gas were 

used about equally as often in the West, with 49.9 (±12.1) percent and 48.7 

(±13.5) percent of the buildings that heated water using these energy sources, 

respectively. Fuel oil was an important source of energy for heating water only 

in the Northeast. (See Figure 12.)

Of those commercial buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983, the percentage using natural gas and electricity as a space heating fuel 

were almost equally distributed.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

31
Figure 12. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating by Census Region

Electricity 

Natural Gas 

Fuel Oil 70

60

8 50 

£

in

O) 40

3 

DO

o 30

I

§ 20

10

0

60.9 63.0

52.0

48.7

Northeast North 

Central

South West

Census Region

Q = Data withheld for fuel oil due to large variance.

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

The age of a building was related to which sources of energy were used to heat 

water. As shown in Figure 13, natural gas was the leading water-heating energy 

source for buildings constructed through 1960. Electricity, however, was the 

leading energy source for buildings constructed after 1960.

The percentage of buildings that heated water varied by the size of building. 

This percentage ranged from 66.2 (±2.8) among buildings 5,000 square feet or less 

to 94.4 (±1.9) among buildings larger than 200,000 square feet. An important 

energy source for water heating in buildings larger than 200,000 square feet was 

purchased steam, which was used for water heating by 15.8 (±5.7) percent of these 

large buildings.

32 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Figure 13. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating by Year Constructed

$8$B$ Natural Gas 

i I Fuel Oil

70 I63.6 63.5

37.7

1900 or 

Before

1901

1920

1971- 

1973

1974- 

1979

1980- 

1983

Year Constructed

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

Cooling

At the time of the survey (mid-1983), 66.8 (±5.7) percent of all commercial 

buildings were air-conditioned. Almost all cooling, 95.4 (±1.0) percent, was 

fueled by a single energy source, electricity. Natural gas was used to cool in 

5.3 (±1.3) percent of the buildings that had air-conditioning.

Cooking

Cooking facilities were present in 37.2 (±1.8) percent of all commercial 

buildings, or 1,468,000 (±173,000) buildings. Electricity and natural gas were 

the major energy sources used for cooking in these commercial buildings, 

accounting for 60.5 (±4.5) percent and 44.8 (±5.9) percent of the buildings, 

respectively.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

33
The presence of cooking facilities was related to the size of the building. The 

percentage of the buildings with cooking facilities varied from 32.0 (±3.3) 

percent for buildings 5,000 square feet or less to 63.5 (±8.8) percent for 

buildings larger than 200,000 square feet. For buildings smaller than 200,000 

square feet, electricity was used more than natural gas as an energy source for 

cooking. For buildings larger than 200,000 square feet, natural gas was the 

predominant source of energy for cooking.

Manufacturing

In commercial buildings, 9.8 (±1.9) percent, or 388,000 (±93,000) buildings, used 

an energy source for some type of manufacturing activity. The most commonly used 

energy source for manufacturing was electricity, used by 81.6 (±3.8) percent of 

all commercial buildings, followed by natural gas, used by 21.2 (±4.6) percent of 

all commercial buildings. The proportion of buildings that used energy for 

manufacturing was greatest among the warehouse buildings with 20.2 (±8.2) 

percent, and the mercantile/service buildings, with 15.8 (±3.0) percent.

Capacity to Generate Electricity

The number of commercial buildings with the capacity to generate electricity was 

108,000 (±28,000), or 2.7 (±0.6) percent of all commercial buildings. Of the 

buildings with electrical generating capacity, 30.1 (±11.2) percent used natural 

gas, 28.3 (±8.9) percent used fuel oil, and 41.8 (±11.4) percent used some other 

energy source for generating electricity.

The capacity to generate electricity varied by the size of the building and was 

more likely to be found in large buildings. Of buildings larger than 200,000 

square feet, 29.1 (±11.8) percent had the capacity to generate electricity, and 

these buildings were more likely to generate it using fuel oil (76.4 (±18.2) 

percent). In comparison, only 1.8 (±0.9) percent of all buildings of less than 

5,000 square feet could generate electricity.

The percentage of buildings with the capacity to generate electricity also varied

by building type. This capacity was the highest for health-care buildings (13.2

(±7.2) percent) and buildings in the "other" category (14.9 (±7.1) percent).

3 The 1983 NBECS did not ascertain whether the building was actually generating

electricity or whether this electricity generating capacity was part of an 

emergency backup system.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Heating Practices and Equipment

Heating Patterns

As of mid-1983, 61.5 (±3.6) percent of all commercial buildings were completely 

heated, 27.4 (±2.4) percent were partially heated, and 11.1 (±2.0) percent were 

not heated at all. Among buildings smaller than 5,000 square feet, 61.3 (±3.7) 

percent of the buildings were completely heated, compared with 73.1 (±5.8) 

percent of the buildings larger than 200,000 square feet that were completely 

heated.

Buildings varied considerably by type in their heating patterns. More than 80 

percent of the assembly, educational, health care, and lodging buildings were 

completely heated, compared with 50.5 (±11.7) percent of the buildings in the 

"other" category, and less than 30 percent of the storage buildings and vacant 

buildings.

Heating Systems

Of the 3,508,000 (±351,000) commercial buildings that were heated (partially or 

completely), 82.8 (±2.3) percent had central heating systems, possibly combined 

with self-contained units and 16.6 (±2.4) percent had self-contained units only. 

At least 169,000 (±64,000) commercial buildings, or 4.8 (±1.7) percent, had heat 

pumps.

There were significant regional differences in the types of heating systems. 

Although the majority of commercial buildings in all Census regions relied on 

central heating systems, buildings in the South and West were more likely to heat 

solely with self-contained units than were buildings in the Northeast and North 

Central regions. Among buildings with central heating systems, buildings in the 

Northeast and North Central were more likely to have a furnace or boiler. Heat 

pumps were present in at least 9.3 (±3.4) percent of the buildings in the South, 

where 70.4 (±18.0) percent of all heat pumps were located.

Large buildings were more likely to have central heating systems. While 95.5 

(±2.7) percent of the buildings larger than 200,000 square feet had central 

heating systems, only 79.0 (±3.2) percent of the buildings smaller than 5,000 

square feet had central heating systems.

More than 90 percent of the residential, health care, office, and assembly 

buildings were equipped with central heating systems. Of the buildings used for 

lodging, only 71.5 (±6.4) percent had central heating systems.

4 The number of heat pumps reported in this survey represents a conservative

estimate, since the counts were obtained from open-ended questions about types of 

heating and heat distribution systems not mentioned in the questionnaire.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 35 

Energy Information Administration
Central heating systems were found in 96.1 (±1.7) percent of the buildings 

that heated with fuel oil and in 98.5 (±1.8) percent of the buildings that heated 

with purchased steam. Of the buildings that heated with fuel oil, 91.6 (13.3) 

percent had furnaces or boilers.

Older buildings were more likely to rely on a furnace or boiler for heating. 

Furnaces or boilers were found in 82.6 (±6.6) percent of the heated buildings 

constructed in 1900 or earlier, but in only 44.6 (±9.5) percent of the heated 

buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983.

Boilers and Boiler Fuels

Boilers were present in 733,000 (±114,000), or 18.6 (±2.3) percent of the 

3,948,000 (±387,000) commercial buildings. The presence of boilers was related 

to the age and the location of the building. While 33.7 (±10.2) percent of the 

buildings constructed in 1900 or before and 24.2 (±3.4) percent of the buildings 

constructed between 1900 and 1920 relied on boilers, only 11.4 (±2.2) percent of 

the buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983 had boilers. In the Northeast, 

39.3 (±5.0) percent of the buildings had boilers, a significantly higher 

percentage than in any other region.

The majority of the buildings with boilers, 67.8 (±6.1) percent, had boilers 

fired by natural gas. In 29.4 (±5.6) percent of the buildings, boilers were 

fired by fuel oil. There were regional differences in the fuels used to fire 

boilers. Natural gas and fuel oil were used with equal frequency as boiler fuels 

in the Northeast. In comparison, of the buildings in the North Central region 

having boilers, 88.4 (±6.7) percent were fired by natural gas, but only 9.3 

(±5.6) percent were fired by fuel oil.

As shown in Table S7, 73,000 (±21,000) buildings constructed before 1980 had new 

boilers installed between January 1980 and July 1983. Natural gas was used to 

fire the new boilers in 66.7 (±17.6) percent of the buildings and fuel oil was 

used to fire new boilers in 30.5 (±19.6) percent of the buildings.

36 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Table S7. Number of Buildings with New Boilers Installed Since January 1,1980

Number of

Buildings Percentage 

Fuels Used to Fire New Boilers________(Thousands)______of Buildings________

All Buildings With Boilers Added ...... 73 (±21) 100.0

Natural Gas ...................... 48 (±17) 66.7 (±17.6)

Fuel Oil ......................... 22 (±16) 30.5 (±19.6)

Other ............................ Q Q

Q=Data unreliable, either because the relative standard error was greater than 

50 percent or because fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End 

Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption 

Survey.

Heat Distribution Systems

In the 3,508,000 (±351,000) buildings that had any heat, the most common heat 

distribution system was fan-forced air, used in 53.0 (±3.0) percent of the 

buildings. Baseboards were used in 15.3 (±2.1) percent of the buildings. 

Radiators, convectors, or panels were used for heat distribution in 1.7 (±0.5) 

percent of the buildings. Among the buildings with baseboard heating, 53.9 

(±6.6) percent had electric baseboards and 42.0 (±6.8) percent had hot water 

baseboards.

Forced-air fans were more popular in new buildings. The proportions of heated 

buildings with forced-air fans was 76.2 (±5.9) percent for buildings constructed 

between 1980 and 1983, compared with 44.9 (±5.4) percent for buildings 

constructed in 1900 or before.

Changes in Percentage of Heated Floor Space

Between 1979 and 1983, the number of buildings that had an increase in heated 

area about balanced those that had a decrease in heated area. Of buildings built 

before 1980, 304,000 (±65,500) buildings had decreases in heated floor space, 

while 241,000 (±50,600) had increases in heated floor space. Of buildings that 

were predominantly vacant in 1983, 94,000 (±47,900) buildings showed decreases in 

the percentage of floor space heated, which was significantly larger than the 

25,000 (±11,950) buildings that showed increases in the percentage of floor space 

heated.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 37 

Energy Information Administration
Unheated Buildings

Three categories of buildings—vacant, storage, and "other" buildings—contained 

70.2 (±14.9) percent of the unheated buildings. The percentages of buildings 

that were unheated were 51.4 (±7.4) percent of vacant buildings, 29.7 (±6.5) 

percent of storage buildings, and 21.7 (±9.2) of "other" buildings. Of the 

vacant buildings, 75.4 (±10.0) percent of those for which no establishments were 

reported were unheated. These unoccupied buildings accounted for 24.3 (±8.1) 

percent of the unheated buildings.

Small buildings were more likely to be unheated than large buildings. For 

example, 15.3 (±3.2) percent of all buildings smaller than 5,000 square feet were 

unheated, whereas only 3.6 (±2.4) percent of all buildings larger than 200,000 

square feet lacked heat.

In the Northeast and the North Central Census regions, unheated buildings 

constituted an average of 7.4 (±3.5) percent of the buildings. In the South and 

West, an average of 14.5 (±2.4) percent of the buildings went without heat.

Cooling Practices and Equipment

Cooling Patterns

In 1983, 28.6 (±5.5) percent of all commercial buildings were totally 

air-conditioned, 38.3 (±2.7) percent were partially air-conditioned, and 33.0 

(±5.7) percent of all commercial buildings completely lacked air-conditioning.

Size of a building was related to the presence of air-conditioning. The 

percentage of buildings that had air-conditioning (partial or total) ranged from 

59.8 (±6.6) for buildings of less than 5,000 square feet to 92.5 (±3.9) for those 

buildings of more than 200,000 square feet.

Air-Conditioning Systems

As of mid-1983, 2,643,000 (±375,000) commercial buildings were either partially 

or fully air-conditioned. Of these, 66.1 (±3.0) percent had central systems, 

30.7 (±3.8) percent had window units, 15.4 (±1.9) percent had wall units, 6.4 

(±1.8) percent had heat pumps, and 1.7 (±0.6) percent used well water for 

cooling. About 44.8 (±3.0) percent of the central systems were factory 

assembled, while the rest were individually constructed.

OO

00 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
The percentage of air-conditioned buildings with central systems varied from 58.4 

(±5.0) for buildings of 5,000 square feet or less to 91.9 (±3.5) for buildings of 

more than 200,000 square feet. The percentage of buildings with window or wall 

units did not vary according to the size of building.

The percentage of buildings with central systems varied from 48.9 (±8.9) for 

buildings constructed in 1900 or before to 89.9 (±4.1) for buildings constructed 

between 1980 and 1983. Over the same range, the percentage of buildings with 

window units varied from 49.6 (±9.8) to 4.3 (±2.7).

Types of air-conditioning systems varied by the percent of the building that was 

being cooled. In air-conditioned buildings that were less than half cooled, 45.2 

(±4.0) percent relied on window units and 48.6 (±3.5) percent relied on central 

cooling systems. In totally air-conditioned buildings, 18.9 (±5.1) percent of 

the buildings used window units, but 79.5 (±5.4) percent relied on central 

cooling system.

Changes in Percentage of Cooled Floor Space

Between 1979 and 1983 the percentage of the buildings' floor space that was 

air-conditioned increased in 370,000 (^33,000) buildings and decreased in 284,000 

(±69,000) buildings. The percentage of the building cooled was most likely to 

decrease in buildings that were predominantly vacant in 1983, with 23.1 (±7.7) 

percent of those buildings showing a decrease.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 39 

Energy Information Administration
Conservation Measures

The 1983 NBECS provided data on the presence of insulation and other 

energy-saving measures as well as on whether particular energy conservation 

features had been installed since January 1, 1980. The 1983 NBECS also provided 

information about the maintenance and control of heating and cooling systems, and 

about energy audits performed during the 12 months prior to the interview.

Presence of Conservation Features

Questions were asked about the presence of roof or ceiling insulation, wall 

insulation, and special conservation glass. Of the three items, roof or ceiling 

insulation, found in 48.2 (±2.7) percent of the buildings, was the most common 

type of energy conservation feature in commercial buildings. About 37.7 (±4.0) 

percent of all buildings had special conservation glass. Exterior wall 

insulation was present in 34.6 (±2.) percent of the buildings. At least one of 

the three conservation features was present in 69.1 (±2.3) percent of the 

buildings, while all three features were present in 12.9 (±1.5) percent of the 

buildings.

The incidence of conservation glass was higher in the newer buildings (Figure 

14). The percentage of the buildings built between 1980 and 1983 that reported 

some form of conservation glass was 74.1 (±6.1). Exterior wall insulation was 

present in 75.6 (±4.5) percent of buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983. 

Roof or ceiling insulation was present in 75.7 (±5.9) percent of those recently 

constructed buildings.

The presence of the three types of energy-conservation features varied according 

to the size of a building. The use of conservation glass ranged from 30.7 (±5.0) 

percent for buildings of 5,000 square feet or less to 67.8 (±6.2) percent for 

buildings of more than 200,000 square feet. A similar, but not as marked, 

increase was noted for roof or ceiling insulation. No trend was found in the 

incidence of exterior wall insulation by size of building.

Conditions inside the buildings were more closely related to the presence of 

conservation features than conditions outside the buildings. No statistically 

significant differences in the presence of conservation features could be found 

among Census regions or among climate zones. There were, however, differences 

related to the percentage of the building that was heated. Among the unheated 

buildings, only 38.2 (±6.8) percent had one or more of the three types of 

conservation features in place, compared with 75.3 (±2.6) percent for the 

buildings that were completely heated. The differences were also significant 

between buildings lacking air-conditioning, where 52.0 (±4.8) percent had at 

least one of these energy conservation features, and totally air-conditioned 

buildings, where the corresponding percentage was 82.2 (±3.6) percent.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 41 

Energy Information Administration
Figure 14. Commercial Buildings With Conservation Glass and Insulation by Year 

Constructed

80

70

» 60

i. 50 

co

O)

c

1 40 

m

»* «

o

j 30

E

20

10

^^| Tinted, Reflective, Insulated or Thermal Pane Glass 

FHilH Roof or Ceiling Insulation 

I I Exterior Wall Insulation

75.7

74.1,

75.6

44.1

36.3

1900 or 

Before

1901- 

1920

1921- 

1945

1974- 

1979

1980- 

1983

Year Constructed

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

Energy Conservation Measures Implemented Since

January 1, 1980

Four types of energy conservation measures implemented since January 1, 1980, 

were reported on the 1983 NBECS: weatherstripping, roof insulation, exterior 

wall insulation, and conservation glass. Between January 1, 1980, and July 1, 

1983, one or more of these improvements were made in 39.0 (±2.9) percent of all 

commercial buildings. The most common improvement was weatherstripping or 

caulking, which was added to 31.3 (±2.3) percent of the buildings. Roof 

insulation was added to 10.2 (±1.1) percent of the buildings, while 6.4 (±1.3) 

percent of the buildings had exterior wall insulation added. Conservation glass 

was added to 10.2 (1.6) percent of the buildings.

42 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Conservation improvements varied according to geographic region. The Northeast 

and North Central regions, the two regions with the oldest commercial building 

stock, had more buildings with improvements (46.0 (±2.0) percent) than did the 

South and West (32.7 (±5.2) percent).

As was true for existing conservation features, totally heated buildings were 

more likely to have had improvements than unheated buildings, 43.5 (±3.7) percent 

compared with 10.9 (±5.5) percent, respectively. Totally air-conditioned 

buildings (42.7 (±4.7) percent) were more likely to have improvements than 

buildings that lacked air-conditioning (28.9 (±3.9) percent).

Maintenance and Control of Heating and Cooling Systems

Maintenance

Of the 3,556,000 (±370,000) buildings with heating or cooling systems, 81.9 

(±2.1) percent had a regular maintenance program for those systems. The 

percentage of buildings with a regular maintenance program was the highest for 

the buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983, with 91.3 (±3.8) percent. 

Large buildings were also more likely to have a regular maintenance program than 

were small buildings. While, 99.3 (±1.8) percent of buildings larger than 

200,000 square feet had such a program, only 77.1 (±3.1) percent of all buildings 

less than 5,000 square feet had a regular maintenance program.

Computerized Control

Heating and/or cooling were controlled by computerized systems in 105,000 

(±17,000) buildings, which comprised 2.9 (±0.5) percent of the buildings with 

heating or cooling systems. Buildings most likely to have computerized control 

of heating or cooling systems were buildings constructed between 1980 and 1983, 

with 9.2 (±2.1) percent, and buildings of more than 100,000 square feet with 21.5 

(±3.9) percent.

Employee Control

The employees or other people in the building were able to control the heating 

temperature in 72.4 (±2.5) percent of the buildings with heating and the cooling 

temperature in 44.3 (±3.3) percent of the buildings with air-conditioning. This 

control of indoor temperatures was more likely to occur in small buildings than 

in large buildings. In buildings under 5,000 square feet, employees could 

control the heating and cooling temperatures in 77.2 (±3.7) and 44.1 (±4.2) 

percent of the buildings, respectively. By contrast, employees could control the 

heating temperature in 28.8 (±5.8) percent and the cooling temperature in 22.9 

(±5.8) percent of the buildings over 200,000 square feet.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 43 

Energy Information Administration
Reduction of Heating or Cooling

Heating was reduced during off-hours in 85.8 (±1.4) percent of the buildings that were heated, and cooling was reduced during off-hours in 87.1 (±1.4) percent of the buildings that were air-conditioned.

There were 642,000 (±107,000) commercial buildings that had some space vacant for at 

percent 

least 

reduced 

3 months 

the 

from 

heating 

mid-1982 

and/or 

to mid-1983. Of these buildings, 82.9 (±3.3) cooling in the vacant areas.

Professional Energy Audits

commercial 

Professional 

buildings 

energy audits 

between 

were performed in 11.0 (±1.8) percent of all 

likely to have had audits than 

mid-1982 and mid-1983. Large buildings were more professional energy audits 

small buildings. As shown in Figure 15, 

under 5,000 square feet, while 

were performed in 6.7 (±2.3) percent of the buildings 

square feet were audited. Buildings 

37.2 (±9.5) percent of the buildings over 200,000 constructed after 1960 were more likely to have 

before 

been 

1960 

audited 

(9 2 (±1.4) 

(13.7 

percent 

(±2.6) percent audited) than were buildings constructed 

health-care, and lodging audited). Buildings used for educational, 

In addition, buildings occupied 

purposes were the types most likely to have had audits. by government agencies were more likely to be audited than buildings not occupied by government agencies.

As a result of an energy audit, this 120-year old building in Connecticut is undergoing major conservation improvements.

44

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 Energy Information Administration
Figure 15. Professional Energy Audits in Commercial Buildings During the Year Prior 

to the Survey

40

35

~ 30 

CD

I 25

CO 

O)

'•&

 5 20

m

o 

cu 15

10

36.9 37.2

Energy Audits Performed

Took Measures in Response to Audit

26.2

13.2

6.7

5,000 or 

Less

5,001- 

10,000

10,001- 

25,000

25,001- 

50,000

50,001- 

100,000

100,001- More than 

200,000 200,000

Size of Building (Square Feet)

Sources: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use 

Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

Of all commercial buildings that had energy audits, 33.9 ( 6.8) percent were 

audited by utility company representatives, while 47.2 ( 6.1) percent were 

audited by private contractors. The remaining 18.9 ( 4.5) percent of the audits 

were conducted by someone other than a utility company representative or private 

contractor (e.g., an employee of the company). Buildings larger than 200,000 

square feet were more likely to use the services of private contractors (62.5 

( 18.5) percent) rather than utility company representatives (16.7 ( 13.7) 

percent). Overall, 43.1 ( 7.0) percent of the buildings audited reported that 

conservation measures had been taken as a result of the energy audit.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

45
Related Energy Consumption Publications

Commercial Sector 

Building Characteristics

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Fuel Characteristics 

and Conservation Practices; June 1981, DOE/EIA-0278, GPO Stock No. 

061-003-00200-5, $9.00.

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; Building 

Characteristics; March 1981, DOE/EIA-0246, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00171-8, 

$6.50.

Consumption and Expenditures

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; 1979 Consumption and 

Expenditures, Part 1; Natural Gas and Electricity; March 1983, 

DOE/EIA-0318/1, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00298-6, $9.50.

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; 1979 Consumption and 

Expenditures, Part 2; Steam, Coal, Fuel Oil, LPG, and Total Fuels; 

December 1983, DOE/EIA-0318(79)/2, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00366-4, $6.00.

Residential Sector

Housing Characteristics

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Housing Characteristics, 1982, 

August 1984, DOE/EIA-0314C82), GPO Stock No. 061-003-00393-9, $7.00.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Housing Characteristics, 1981; 

August 1983, DOE/EIA-0314(81), GPO Stock No. 061-003-00330-3, $6.50.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Housing Characteristics, 1980; 

June 1982, DOE/EIA-0314, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00256-1, $11.00.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Characteristics of the Housing Stock 

and Households, 1978; February 1980, DOE/EIA-0207/2, GPO Stock No. ———— 

061-003-00093-2, $4.25.

Characteristics of the Housing Stock and Households; Preliminary Findings 

from the National Interim Energy Consumption Survey; October 1979, 

DOE/EIA-0199/P (No GPO Stock No.). ———————

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 47 

Energy Information Administration
Consumption and Expenditures

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1982 

Through March 1983, Part 1; National Data, November 1984, DOE/EIA-0321/1(82), GPO 

Stock No. 061-003-00411-3, $7.00.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1982 

Through March 1983, Part 2; Regional Data; December 1984, DOE/EIA-0321/2(82), GPO 

Stock No. 061-003-00414-8, $9.50.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1981 

Through March 1982, Part 1; National Data; September 1983, DOE/EIA-0321/1(81), 

GPO Stock No. 061-003-00340-1, $6.00.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1981 

Through March 1982, Part 2; Regional Data; October 1983, DOE/EIA-0321/2C81), GPO 

Stock No. 061-003-00357-5, $8.00.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1980 

Through March 1981, Part 1; National Data; September 1982, DOE/EIA-0321/I(80), 

GPO Stock No. 061-003-00278-1, $7.50.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1980 

Through March 1981, Part 2; Regional Data; June 1983, DOE/EIA-0321/2(80), GPO 

Stock No. 061-003-00319-2, $7.00.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; 1979-1980 Consumption and Expenditures, 

Part I; National Data (Including Conservation); April 1981, DOE/EIA-0262/1, GPO 

Stock No. 061-003-00191-2, $6.50.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; 1978-1980 Consumption and Expenditures, 

Part II; Regional Data; May 1981, DOE/EIA-0262/2, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00189-1, 

$8.50.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption and Expenditures, April 1978 

through March 1979; July 1980, DOE/EIA-0207/5, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00131-9, 

$6.50.

Single Family Households; Fuel Oil Inventories and Expenditures; National 

Interim Energy Consumption Survey; December 1979, DOE/EIA-0207/1, GPO Stock No. 

061-003-00075-4, $3.50.

Other Residential Sector Publications

Residential Energy Consumption and Expenditures by End Use for 1978, 1980, and 

1981, December 1984, DOE/EIA-0458, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00415-6, $4.50.

Weatherization Program Evaluation, SR-EEUD-84-1, August 1984. (Available from the 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Renewable Energy, 

Department of Energy).

43 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Regression. Analysis of Energy Consumption 

by End Use; October 1983, DOE/EIA-0431, GPO Stock No.061-003-00347-8. $5.00.

National Interim Energy Consumption. Survey; Exploring the Variability In Energy 

Consumption; July 1981, DOE/EIA-Q272, GPO Stock No.061-003-00205-6, $5.00.

National Interim Energy Consumption Survey: Exploring the Variability in Energy 

Consumption - A Supplement; October 1981', DOE/EIA-0272/S, GPO Stock No. 

061-003-00217-0, $4.50.

Energy Use by U.S. Households; November 1980, DOE/EIA-0248, (Brochure, No GPO 

Stock No.).

Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Conservation; February 1980, 

DOE/EIA-0207/3, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00087-8, $6.00.

Preliminary Conservation Tables from the National Interim Energy Consumption 

Survey; August 1979, DOE/EIA-0193/P, (No GPO Stock No.).

Residential Transportation Sector

Residential Transportation Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption Patterns of 

Household Vehicles, 1983, January 1985, DOE/EIA/Q464(83), GPO Stock No. 

061-003-00420-2, $4.50.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption Patterns of Household 

Vehicles, Supplement: January 1981 to September 1981; February 1983, 

DOE/EIA-0328, GPO Stock No. 061-003-00297-8, $4.75.

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption Patterns of Household 

Vehicles, June 1979 to December 1980; April 1982, DOE/EIA-0319, (No GPO Stock 

No.).

Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Consumption Patterns of Household 

Vehicles, June to August 1979; June 1980, DOE/EIA-0207/4, GPO Stock 

No.061-003-156-4, $5.00.

49 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Industrial Sector

Report on the 1980 Manufacturing Industries Energy Consumption Study and Survey 

of Large Combustors; February 1983, DOE/EIA-03587 GPO Stock No.061-003-00293-5, 

$5.00.

Industrial Energy Consumption, "Survey of Large Combustors; Report on Alternate 

Fuel-Burning Capabilities of Large Boilers in 1979"; February 1982, DOE/EIA-0304, 

GPO Stock No. 061-003-0233-1, $2.50.

Methodological Report on the 1980 Manufacturing Industries Survey of Large 

Combustors (EIA-463); March 1982, DOE/EIA-03067 (No GPO Stock No.).

Cross Sector

Natural Gas: Use and Expenditures; April 1983, DOE/EIA-0382, GPO Stock 

No. 061-003-00307-9, $5.50.

See inside front cover for information concerning copies of these publications.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Table 1. Square Footage Category, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All

Number of Buildings (thousands) Having Square Footage of:

I I I I I I

5.000 or I 5,001 to I 10,001 to 1 25,001 to I 50,001 to 1100,001 to I Over

Less I 10,000 I 25,000 I 50,000 I 100,000 I 200,000 I 200,000

Buildings ISquare FeetlSquare FeetlSquare FeetlSquare FeetlSquare FeetlSquare FeetlSquare Feet 

________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I________

All Buildings...................... 3,948 2,248 725 567 222 107

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 153 61 51 16 4

1901 to 1920..................... 388 187 65 65 29 14

1921 to 1945..................... 726 413 131 106 48 14

1946 to 1960..................... 946 601 174 110 28 19

1961 to 1970..................... 721 429 126 87 39 23

1971 to 1973..................... 209 103 43 32 18 8

1974 to 1979..................... 530 313 83 82 30 13

1980 to 1983..................... 140 49 22 33 14 12

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 209 122 86 27 9

Educational...................... 177 45 24 33 37 24

Food Sales/Service............... 380 287 49 35 6 3

Health Care...................... 61 31 q q Q q

Lodging.......................... 106 42 23 19 14 5

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 666 217 131 30 17

Office........................... 575 328 109 81 27 14

Residential...................... 236 131 37 48 13 q

Warehouse.......... .............. 425 221 64 75 36 18

Other............................ 179 111 24 25 10 3

Vacant........................... 281 177 43 29 17 9

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 306 131 130 58 27

North Central.................... 1,211 686 234 163 68 31

South............................ 1,493 955 236 185 60 32

West............................. 574 299 124 89 37 17

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 1,168 424 352 164 82

Not-metropolitan. ................. 1,693 1,080 301 215 58 25

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD I

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 215 95 61 28 13

<2,000 COO and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 613 232 173 73 32 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 580 171 163 56 28 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 423 114 81 34 16

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 417 q 89 32 18

Number of Establishments in

Bui 1th ng

None............................. 142 96 9 11 6 5

Single Establishment............. 3,160 1,925 537 408 166 76

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 227 165 148 50 26

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 153 51 61 39 23

Non-Government Occupied.......... 3,602 2,095 674 507 183 84

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 2,120 704 561 216 104

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 1,155 481 387 158 73

Fuel Oil......................... 633 306 124 112 40 22

Propane.......................... 260 168 42 32 9 3

Purchased Steam.................. 60 q 3 13 13 9

Other............................ 245 154 36 32 98

Fuel Combinations Used

llo Fuels Used.................... 161 126 q q q Q

Electricity...................... 800 555 105 88 30 16

Electricity and Uatural Gas...... 1,939 1,009 411 313 122 52

Electricity and Fuel Oil......... 319 186 66 46 12 6

Electricity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil..................... 207 70 40 45 23 12

Electricity and Propane.......... 138 101 23 q Q 8

Other............................ 383 200 60 58 28 17

50

5

9

8

12

4

6

3

11 

q 

3 

2 

6 

8

q 

7 

3 

3

12

16

15

6

38

11

6

18

13

8

6

Q 

32 

17

11

38

49

39

15

4

5

3

q

5

23

10

q 

10

6

11

9

3

26

3

3

12

7

3

4

1

16

12

8

21

29

22

13

2

6

4

q

2

9

q

7

q 

10

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 51
Table 1. Square Footage Category, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristic*

All 

Bui Idings

Number of Buildings (thousand!) Having Square Footage of:

5,000 

Less 

Square

I I I I I I 

or I 5,001 to 1 10,001 to 1 25,001 to 1 50,001 to 1100,001 to 1 Over 

1 10,000 I 25,000 1 50,000 I 100,000 1 200,000 1 200,000 

Feet {Square Feet (Square Feet 1 Square Feet (Square F«etl Square Feetl Square Feet 

1 1 1 1 1 1

Percent Heated

Not Heated...............

1 to 50.............. ....

51 to 99.................

100......................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled..............

1 to 50.......... ........

51 to 99.................

100.....................

......... 2

......... 1

I

......... 1

440

517

564

,427

,304

,004

510

,129

345

254

271

1,378

903

424

235

686

45

125

135

420

204

236

115

169

26

66

104

351

124

199

89

155

15

31

31

146

44

82

33

63

6

14

12

76

18

36

18

33

2

5

7

36

8

16

11

14

1

Zs

21

2

9

a

9

IC=No cases in sample.

8=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than SO'/., or fewer than 20 buildings Here sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to founding. See glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

52 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 2. Average, Median, and Total Square Footage of Buildings, 1983

Building Characteristics

Number of

BuiIdings

I(thousands)I

I I

I I

I I

Average I Median I 

Square Feet(Square Feetl

per I per I Total

Building I Building iFloorspace

(thousand I (thousand I (million

square I square I square

feet) I feet) I feet)

I I

Total Floorspaee (million square feet) Within 

All Buildings Having Square Footage of.

5,000 

or Less 

square

feet

I I 1 I I

5,001 110,001 125,001 150,001 1100,0011

to I to I to I to t to I Over

10,000 125,000 150,000 1100,0001200,0001200,000

square (square tsquare (square (square (square

feet I feet I feet I feet I feet I feet 

_____I_____I_____I_____I_____I_____

All Buildings...................... 3,948

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288

1901 to 1920..................... 388

1921 to 1945..................... 726

19<i6 to 1960..................... 946

1961 to 1970..................... 721

1971 to 1973..................... 209

1974 to 1979..................... 530

1980 to 1983..................... 140

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457

Educational...................... 177

Food Sales/Service............... 380

Health Care...................... 61

Lodging.......................... 106

Hercantile/Services.............. 1,071

Office........................... 575

Res i dent i al...................... 236

Warehouse........................ 425

Other............................ 179

Vacant........................... 281

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670

North Central.................... 1,211

South............................ 1,493

West............................. 574,

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 

<2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 678

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679

Number of Establishments in

Building

None............................. 142

Single Establishment............. 3,160

Multi-Establishment.............. 645

Government Occupancy

Government Occup i ed.............. 346

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783

Natural Gas...................... 2,314

Fuel Oil......................... 633

Propane.......................... 260

Purchased Steam.................. 60

Other............................ 245

S«e footnotes at end of table.

13.3

10.2

14.1

11.9

10.2

13.8

16.4

12.5

40.5

12.0

34.2

5.4

37.6

21.1

9.7

14.7

10.4

16.0

15.4

11.9

17.3

13.3

11.4

13.2

16.7 

8.7

13.6

14.7

13.6

11.1

12.3

10.4

11.1

24.2

29. Z 

11.7

13.6 

16.0 

21.0 

11.6 

76. Z 

16.3

4.0

4.8 

S.I 

3.8 

3.1 

3.4 

5.1 

4.1 

9.9

5.9 

18.1 

2.8 

4.7 

6.8 

3.5 

4.1 

4.4 

4.8 

3.4 

3.3

5.7 

4.0 

3.3 

4.7

4.9 

3.3

4.8 

4.7 

3.9 

3.5 

3.5

3.1 

3.6 

7.5

7.2 

3.9

4.1

5.0

5.1

3.5 

29.2

3.6

52,325

2,940

5,453

8,639

9,612

9,947

3,442

6,616

5,675

5,483

6,044

2,051

2,277

2,241

10,427

8,454

2,454

6,791

2,760

3,342

11,615

16,059

17,049

7,602

37,587

14,738

5,725

16,965

13,793

7,496

6,346

1,475

35,227

15,623

10,099

42,225

51,359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

4,908 5,246 8,912 7,692 7,168 6,642 11,757

406

514

855

1,187

881

249

688

127

4B5

113

636

80

95

1,433 

749 

325 

448 

176 

368

784

1,526

1,971

627

2,620

2,288

501

1,446

1,216

863

862

218

4,077

613

327

4,580

4,701

2,732

743

380

Q

345

440

600

950

1,279

860

320

635

163

901

182

343

Q

166 

1,562 

603 

265 

446 

186 

314

939

1,685

1,685

937

3,065

2,162

717

1,658

1,250

611

q

3,870 

1,202

378

4,668

5,079

3,522

886

285

Q

260

767

1,049

1,663

1,699

1,417

496

1,298

523

1,390

560

568

q

310

2,013

1,236 

748

1,202 

405 

410

1,960

2,616

2,923

1,412

5,543

3,369

904

2,732

2,631

1,241

1,403

137

6,563

2,212

959

7,953

8,810

6,081

1,656

515

235

497

530

1,010

1,656

964

1.371

654

1,029

479

912

1,322

209

q

495

1,065

976

432

1,203

350

582

1,915

2,334

2,176

1,267

5,677

2,015

967

2,444

1,973

1,162

1,146

187

5,710

1,795

1,356

6,336

7,491

5,484

1,425

328

448

337

281

942

949

1,265

1,533

556

848

794

621

1,619

179

q

318 

1,089

933

q

1,198

214

614

1,754 

2>146 

2,199 

1.068

5,576

1,592

848

2,231

1,793

1,035

1,260

342

5,031

1,794

1,551

5,616

6,973

4,930

1,509

209

645

535

q

636

1.251

1,062

1,664

559

/73

590

412

1,449

q

433

303

800

1,086

q

937 

441 

467

1,598

2,132

2,069

843

5,130

1.512

801

2,379

1,703

976

784

q

4,222

2,303

409

701

1,315

2,157

2,221

609

1,345

3,000

q

799 

q

1,328

553

q

2,671 

q

1,356 

988 

587

2,666

3,618

4,025

q

9,956 

q

987

4,075

3,227

1,409

2,060

300

5,753

5,704

1,636 3,893

5,006 7,865

6,632

5,219

2,057

540

686

357

11,673

9,123

5,036

750

2,485

1.667

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 53
Table 2. Average, Median, and Total Square Footage of Buildings, 1983 

(Continued)

Building Characteristics

Number of 

Bui Idings 

( thousands )

Average 

Square Feet 

per 

Bui Iding 

(thousand 

square 

feet)

I 

I 

I 

Median I 

Square Feet I 

per I Total 

Building (Floorspace 

(thousand I (million 

square I square 

feet) I feet) 

I

Total Floorspace (million square feet) Within 

All Buildings Having Square Footage of:

5,000 

or Less 

square 

feet

I I I I I 

5,001 110,001 US, 001 150,001 1100,0011 

to 1 to 1 to 1 to I to 1 Over 

10,000 125,000 150,000 1 100 ,000 1 200 , OOOUOO , 000 

square (square (square (square (square (square 

feet 1 feet 1 feet 1 feet I feet 1 feet 

1 1 1 1 1

Fuel Combinations Used

Ho Fuel Used. .................

Electri ity and Natural

6as. ... .......................

Electri ity and Fuel Oil.......

Electri ity. Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. ..................

Electricity and Propane. .......

Other................. .........

Percent Heated

Hot Heated. ....................

1 to 50........................

51 to 99.......................

100............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ....................

1 to 50. .......................

51 to 99.......................

100............................

161

BOO

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

5.8

8.1

12.8

9.1

33.6

5.3

24.6

6.3

11.4

14.7

14.5

7.5

16.3

20.3

14.0

2.0

2.8

4.8

4.0

9.5

3.0

3.6

2.1

5.1

5.1

4.1

3.0

6.0

5.5

3.5

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

6,266

35,175

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

205

1,053

2,363

420

197

198

470

621

551

691

3,044

1,831

1,056

559

1,461

0

733

2,991

470

298

154

436

325

880

963

3,077

1,503

1,660

819

1,264

q

1,414

4,947

666

654

q

946

391

1,325

1,598

5,599

1,856

3,149

1,399

2,508

q

1,044

4,188

402

614

Q

987

512

1,024

1,084

5,072

1,511

2,628

1,167

2,187

q

1,036

3,486

385

798

Q

1,209

412

870

806

5,080

1,251

2,525

1,232

2,159

q

617

3,020

q

1,426

q

1,372

282

598

890

4,873

1,099

2,117

1,502

1,924

Q

621

3,868

423

2,766

q

3,987

427

665

2,234

8,431

752

2,998

3,655

4,352

NC-No cases in sample.

q=Pata withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

•^Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings, 50 square feet per building, or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero. 

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

54 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 3. Building Type, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which tha Principal Activity

I I III II I I I

All I I (Food SaleslHealthl {Mercantile! I III None 

JBuildingslAssemblylEducationall /Service I Care ILodgingl/Services lOffice I ResidentialI Warehouse I Other I(Vacant) 

I_______|_______I_________|________I I______I________I I_________I_______I I______

All Buildings.............. 3,948 457 177

Ypar Constructed

1900 or Before........... 288 51 q

1901 to 1920............. 188 66 11

1921 to 1945............. 726 69 24

1946101960............. 946 102 58

1961 to 1970............. 721 87 45

1971 to 1973............. 209 19 6

1974 to 1979............. 530 SO 20

1980 to 1983....... ...... 140 14 10

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less............ 2,248 209 45

5.001 to 10,000.......... 725 122 24

10,001 to 25,000......... 567 86 33

25,001 to 50,000......... 222 27 37

50,001 to 100,000........ 107 9 24

100,001 to 200,000....... 50 3 11

Over 200,000............. 29 1 J

Census Region

northeast................ 670 61 28

North Central............ 1,211 149 39

South.................... 1,493 202 79

West..................... 574 45 31

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan............. 2,255 213 117

Nonmetropolitan.......... 1,693 244 60

Annual Heating (HDD) and 

Cooling Degree-Days (CDO)

<2>000 COD and >7,000 HDD 421 40 18

<2,000 COD and 5,500-

7,000 HDD................ 1.153 141 47

<2,000 COD and 4,000-

5,499 HDD................ 1,016 150 42

<2,000 COD and <4,000 HOD 678 60 28

>e,000 COD and <4,000 HDD 679 65 Q

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

Hone..................... 142

Single Establishment..... 3,160 406 164

Multi-Establishment...... 645 51 q

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied...... 346 46 57

Non-Government Occupied.. 3,602 411 120

Fuels Used Alone or in

Corpbi nat i on

Electricity.............. 3,783 452 177

Natural Gas.............. 2,314 271 115

Fuel Oi1................. 633 97 37

Propane.................. 260 51 7

FIJI'chased Steam.......... 60 6 8

Other.................... 245 25 8

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used............ 161 q NC

Electricity.............. 800 70 33

Electricity and Natural

Gas...................... 1,939 226 90

Electricity and Fuel Oil. 319 55 15

Electricity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil............. 207 24 16

Electricity and Propane.. 138 27 Q 

Other.................... 383 50 19

See footnotes at end of table.

380

24

43

55

78

76

23

70

12

267

49

35

6

3

q 

Q

58

120

145

57

221

160

51

99

88

72

71

339

42

q 

372

380

235

43

41

q

38

Q 

78

205

q

q

q

57

61

q

q

8

19

10

q

12

3

31

11

21

20

q

40

20

5

25

12

q

10

56

5

13

47

59

37

14

q 

q

2

NC

26 

q

NC

106

q

Q

15

35

27

12

7

3

42

23

19

14

5

2

1

13

12

57

24

49

57

7

26

20

25

q

94

13

q 

101

106

67

17

12

10

7

NC 

15

52 

q

7

q 18

1,071

71

95

194

311

187

52

139

21

666

217

131

30

17

6

4

183

353

383

151

618

453

124

303

274

184

186

925

145

32

1,039

,059

674

194

75

3

77

q

175

574

115

53

41

100

575

35

41

107

97

121

45

100

28

328

109

81

27

14

97

176

191

112

360

215

54

191

125

92

113

363

212

79

496

575

352

76

16

9

22

NC 

156

303

42

30

Q

32

236

54

45

69

38

q q q 

q

131

37

48

13

q q 

q

9778

44

16

148

88

38

86

90 

Q

172

63

q

233

235

187

60

q q 

q

q 

q

144 

q

36

q

22

425

20

41

80

98

81

22

65

18

221

64

75

36

18

7

4

57

131

170

68

230

196

44

103

101

98

q

367

59

20

405

387

198

50

20

q

14

37

138

173

27

13

14

22

179

q

Q

28

40

34 

q

35

16

111

24

25

10

3

3

2

20

50

87

22

99

80

q 

48

47

38

q

157

21

57

121

169

73

26

q

6

25

q 

51

51

13

q 

q

38

281

22

31

76

70

38

q

22

14

177

43

29

17

9

3

2

46

80

114

41

161

120

q

83

65

62

q

142

118

22

26

255

183

103

q 

q

5

10

97

54

93

q

6

q

IS

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 55
Table 3. Building Type, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which

Building Charactcrist

Percent Heated

51 to 99............

Percent Cooled

51 to 99............

the Principal Activity Is:

1 1 III II II 

All 1 iFood SaleslHealthl (Mercantile! 1 1 1 

tcf (BuildingslAssefflblylEducational 1 /Service I Car* (Lodgingl/Services lOf f tcelResidentiallUarehousel 

III 1 III II II

..... 517

. . . . . 564

..... 2,427

..... 1,304

..... 1,004

..... 510

..... 1,129

Q 

23 

49 

370

161 

61 

52 

163

Q 

q 

S2 

149

47 

45 

27 

58

q 

39 

76 

251

66 

74 

92 

148

NCq 

q

49

q

20 

10 

Z5

q q 

11

88

28 

7 

21 

51

89 

165 

190 

627

412 

311 

115 

232

q 

44 

105 

417

50 

106 

123 

297

q 

q

43 

186

72 

64 

24 

55

126 

148 

24 

127

195 

165 

14 

31

1 

1 None 

Other |( Vacant) 

1

39 

34 

16 

90

61 

38 

21 

39

144 

45 

20 

72

187 

52 

12 

30

NC=No cases in sample.

Q-Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*"Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note= Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source- Energy Information Administration! Office of Energy Markets and End Use* Energy End Use Division* 

Th« 1963 Nonresidenttal Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

56 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 4. Total Square Footage by Building Type, 1983

(Million Square Feet)

All

Total

1 

1

Floorspace o1

I 

I Food

Bui Idings t m i 1 1 i on

1 1 

SaleslHealthl

square feet)

1 1 

1 Mercantile!

in Which

1

1

the Principal

1 

1

Activity

1 

1

Is".

1 

1 None

Building Characteristics (Buildings I Assembly {Educational I /Service I Care I Lodgingl/Services I Of f icelReiident i al IWarehous«l Other I (Vacant )

All Buildings. .............

Year Constructed

1900 or Before. ..........

1901 to 1920... ..........

1921 to 1945.............

1946 to I960.. ...........

1961 to 1970..... ........

1971 to 1973.... .........

1974 to 1979.... .........

1980 to 1983..... ........

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less ............

5,001 to 10,000.. ........

10,001 to 25,000.........

25.001 to 50,000. ........

50,001 to 100,000.. ......

100,001 to 200,000. ......

Over 200,000. ............

Census Region

Nor theas t ................

Noi-th Central.. ..........

South.. ..................

West. ....................

Metropolitan Status

Mntropoli tan. ............

Nonmetropolitan. .........

Annual Heating (HDD) and

Cooling Degree-Days (CDO)

<2.000 COD and >7,000 HDD

<E,000 CDD and 5,500-

7,000 HDD. ...............

•2.000 CDD and 4,000-

5,499 HDD.. ..............

< 2,000 CDD and <4,000 HOD

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD

N'm-brr of Establishments in

Bu i 1 d i ng

None .....................

Single Establishment.....

Multi-Establishment. . ....

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied. .....

Not Government Occupied..

Fuels Used Alone or in

Combination

Electricity...... ........

Natural Gas. .............

Fuel Oil.................

Propane ..................

Purchased Steam. .........

Other ....................

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used. ...........

El ectricity. .............

Electricity and Natural

Gas .....................

Electricity and Fuel Oil.

Electricity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil.............

Electricity and Propane..

Other. ...................

52,325

2,940

5,453

8,639

9,612

9,947

3,442

6,616

5,675

4,908

5,246

8,912

7,692

7,168

6,642

11,757

11,615

16,059

17,049

7,602

37,587

14,738

5,725

16,965

13,793

7,496

8,346

1,475

35,227

15,623

10,099

42,225

51,359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

5,483

373

791

799

1,142

896

318

654

q

485

901

1,390

912

621

412

q

1,053

1,755

1,835

q

3,576

1,907

5S4

1,760

1,638

460

q

--

4,352

1,131

651

4,831

5,475

4,044

952

339

501

282

q

639

3,127

314

416

97

881

6,044

q

435

1,084

1,623

1,494

357

674

274

113

182

560

1,322

1,619

1,449

799

1,374

1,834

2,082

754

4,295

1,749

722

2,055

1,597

697

973

...

5,640

404

2,625

3,419

6,038

4,482

2,046

435

393

504

NC

615

2,657

319

1,254

q

1,153

2,051

129

249

206

368

390

163

376

171

636

343

568

209

179

q

q

392

724

616

320

1,300

751

J02

741

368

311

329

--

1,751

300

q

1,913

2,050

1,459

300

256

q

178

q

234

1,208

q

q

q

378

2,277

q

Q

215

751

346

q

505

130

80

q

q

q

q

433

1,328

502

1,015

567

193

1,760

516

201

1,213

272

400

q

--

2,053

224

552

1,725

2,275

2,024

1,713

q

403

333

NC

q

342

q

1,198

NC

648

2,241

q

q

523

301

647

255

213

154

95

166

310

495

318

303

553

422

669

803

346

1,617

624

146

728

537

292

«

--

1,819

422

258

1,983

2,241

1,748

688

118

511

295

NC

157

853

q

448

q

673

10,427

488

882

1,345

2,120

1,979

736

1,485

q

1,433

1,562

2,013

1,065

1,089

800

q

2,040

3,219

3,843

1,325

6,651

3,776

1,353

2,463

3,485

1,489

q

--

6,334

4,093

q

8,859

10,359

8,146

1,825

660

q

475

q

1,039

6,201

658

929

166

1,376

6,454

429

715

1,388

966

1,773

625

1,370

1,189

749

803

1,236

976

933

1,086

2,671

1,774

2,178

2,903

1,599

7,040

1,414

726

2,611

2,031

1,348

1,736

--

3,466

4,988

2,197

6,257

6,447

5,811

2,217

76

1,233

724

NC

1,169

3,896

678

1,021

q

1,660

2,454

609

517

721

278

q

q

q

q

325

265

748

432

q

q

q

1,336

717

299

103

1,912

542

Vtl

973

970

q

q

--

1,307

1,148

q

2,400

2,439

2,064

863

q

q

q

q

q

1,311

q

673

q

191

6,791

315

915

1,096

1,348

1,406

363

797

552

448

446

1,202

1,203

1,198

937

1,356

1,224

2,130

2,288

1,149

4,641

2,150

770

2,080

1,547

1,507

888

--

5,460

1,331

373

6,418

6,706

4,545

1,415

719

q

363

84

1,292

3,454

394

491

160

916

2,760

q

q

368

258

472

q

228

689

176

186

405

350

214

441

968

834

881

644

402

2,275

485

Q

1,180

616

324

361

--

1,801

955

1,282

1,479

2,743

1,308

840

q

442

626

q

527

738

ISO

241

q

1,057

3,342

263

394

875

458

360

q

281

566

368

314

410

582

614

467

567

664

937

1,169

571

2,518

824

326

1,160

731

596

528

1,471

1,245

626

400

2,941

2,585

1,459

454

q

321

161

753

652

1,076

171

204

q

475

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 57
Table 4. Total Square Footage by Building Type, 1983 (Continued)

(Million Square Feet)

All

Total

I 

I

Floor-space oi

I 

I Food

Buildings (Million

I I 

SaleslHealthl

square feet)

I I 

I Mercantile I

in Uhich

I 

I

the Principal

I

I

Activity

I 

I

Is:

1 

1 None

Building Characteristics iBuildingslAssemblylEducationall /Service I Care ILodgingl/Services lOffice I ResidentialI Warehouse I Other I(Vacant) 

I_______I_______I_________I______ I___ I_____J________I_____I_________I_______I I______

Percent Heated

Hot Heated..........

1 to SO.............

51 to 99............

100.................

Percent Cooled

Mot Cooled..........

1 to 50.............

51 to 99. ...........

100.. ...............

...... 2,971

...... 5,913

...... 8,266

...... 15,175

...... 9,802

...... 16,335

...... 10,331

...... 15,855

q

258

695

4,477

1,164

1,210

826

2,264

q

q

690

5,256

1,437

2,100

970

1,537

q

216

420

1,393

352

448

494

757

NC

q

284

1,966

q

653

751

658

q

q

259

1,929

399

264

628

930

380

1,069

2,043

6,936

1,753

2,724

2,104

3,847

q

452

1,972

5,997

290

1,202

3,023

3,939

q

q

436

1,970

604

952

425

474

811

2,648

719

2,614

1,412

4,863

311

205

293

642

357

1,469

573

1,261

458

466

1,339

441

393

1,169

1,784

638

344

576

NC-No cases in sample.

q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 502, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

"^Numbers of fewer than 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note-' Data may not sun to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

58 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 5. Number of Floors, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

Buildings

Square 

Feet

Buildings with:

1 Floor

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings Umil2 Floors

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings Kmil3 Floors

I

iMore than 3 Floors

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings KmilI

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milll thousandsll(«illions>I(thousands)11 ions)I(thousands)II ions)((thousands 111 ions)l(thousands 111 ions) 

J_________I_______I_________I I_________I I________I I__________I

All Buildings...................... 3,9*8 52,325 2,320 17,433 891 11,848 467 8,209 269 14,834

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 266 2,940 51 154 77 499 90 645 70 1,442

1901 to 1920..................... 388 5,453 114 828 105 956 107 1,356 62 2,313

1921 to 1945..................... 726 8,639 355 1,674 161 1,758 137 1,875 73 3,332

1946 to 1960..................... 946 9,612 643 3,467 232 £.763 53 1,582 18 1,800

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 524 3,844 135 2,589 41 1,347 21 2,167

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 136 1,325 56 956 9 290 8 671

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 402 3,288 98 1,657 21 451 9 1,221

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 97 Q 27 669 8 464 8 1,688

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 1,643 3,224 385 1,043 169 489 51 152

5.001 to 10,000. ................. 725 5,246 338 2,372 246 1,854 106 750 35 270

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 6,912 217 3,413 171 2,648 111 1,792 67 1.C5S

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 73 2,492 48 1,641 52 1,790 49 1,769

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168 36 2,349 24 1,606 17 1,134 30 2,078

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642 10 1,208 11 1,511 8 1,100 21 2,823

Over 200,000..................... 29 11,757 4 Q 5 1,545 3 1,154 16 6,664

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 214 1,836 161 1,658 67 1,287 15 701

Educational...................... 177 6,044 90 1,849 47 1,654 27 1,445 13 1,097

Food Sales/Service............... 380 2,051 276 1,157 59 463 36 300 q 0

Health Care...................... 61 2,277 24 277 19 Q 11 254 7 1,370

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 48 265 28 430 16 373 15 1,173

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10.427 766 5,781 190 2,260 84 1,069 32 1,317

Office........................... 575 6,454 269 1,368 153 1,458 81 1,295 52 4,333

Residential...................... 236 2,454 28 57 48 208 82 564 77 1,626

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791 296 3,218 86 1,800 26 759 17 1,014

Other............................ 179 2,760 124 809 26 438 19 469 10 1,044

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 164 815 75 1,103 19 395 22 1,028

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 11,615 225 2,259 159 1,985 145 2,280 141 5,091

North Central.................... 1,211 16,059 623 4,335 318 3,972 196 2,999 74 4,753

South............................ 1,493 17,049 1,101 7,797 278 3,993 79 1,897 35 3,361

West............................. 574 7,602 372 3,042 136 1,899 47 1,032 20 1,629

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 1,267 10,746 512 8,328 266 5,396 209 13,116

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 1,053 6,686 379 3,520 201 2,813 60 1,718

Atinual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 5,725 154 1,061 128 1,507 94 1,254 46 1,903

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 16,965 557 4,346 282 3,446 194 3,612 119 5,561 

<2,000 CDO and 4,000-5,499 HOD... 1,016 13,793 536 4,526 269 3,231 131 1,692 78 4,145 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 7,496 528 3,330 117 1,793 19 688 14 1,684

>2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD. ....... 679 6,346 543 4,170 Q 1,671 <J 763 12 1,541

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

None. ............................ 142 H75 89 457 37 469 9 215 6 334

Single Establishment............. 3,160 35,227 1,954 12,454 689 8,631 337 5,692 180 8,449

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 277 4,522 165 2,748 121 2,301 83 6,051

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 193 2,965 78 2,019 48 1,621 27 3,494

Non-Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 2,128 14,466 813 9,829 419 6,588 242 11,340

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 59
Table 5. Number of Floors, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Number of 

Bui Idings

Square 

Feet

Buildings with:

1 Floor

I 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings ((mil2 Floor*

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings llnil3 Floor*

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings IfmilHore than 3 Floors

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings IfmilBuilding Characteristics I(thousands)I(mi 11 ions)11 thousands)(lions 111 thousands)I lions)11 thousands)I lions)I(thousands)(lions I 

I________I_______I________I I________I I________I I________I

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity. ....................

Natural Gas .....................

Fuel Oil........................

Propane .........................

Purchased Steam. ................

Other... ........................

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used. ..................

Electri ity .....................

Electri ity and Natural Gas.....

Electri ity and Fuel Oil........

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil....................

Electricity and Propane. ........

Other...........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. .....................

1 to 50.........................

51 to 99........................

100...... .......................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. .....................

1 to 50.. .......................

51 to 99. .......................

100. ............................

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

161

BOO

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

51,359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

8,266

35,175

9,602

16,335

10,333

15,855

2,200

1,176

260

163

q

153

119

644

1,028

168

54

109

199

355

261

265

1,439

848

436

265

772

17,095

11,350

2,313

1,237

q

1,102

338

3,336

9,632

817

850

524

1,933

1,278

2,048

1,803

12,304

3,477

5,251

2,039

6,666

861

560

167

57

7

53

Q

116

503

85

52

20

85

58

151

131

551

270

266

118

235

11,511

8,233

2,814

779

282

612

335

1,565

6,222

717

1,448

116

1,427

680

1.791

1,787

7,590

2,405

4,320

2,004

3,120

459

347

119

34

13

29

q

26

276

45

46

q

57

16

61

107

282

128

186

77

76

8,116

6,295

2,366

637

488

768

Q

621

4,367

541

1,064

Q

1,464

432

715

1,401

5,662

1,770

3,039

1,457

1,943

262

211

86

5

30

11

6

12

132

21

55

Q

42

10

43

61

155

60

114

50

46

14,638

11,211

5,820

354

3,633

1,515

184

974

4,642

636

3,591

q

4,585

581

1,359

3,275

9,620

2,150

3,726

4,834

4,125

NC-No cases in sample.

Q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X» or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500*000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. Sec Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration* Office of Energy Markets and End Use» Energy End Use Division* 

Th« 1963 Nonrcsidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

60 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 6. Percentage of Glass on the Exterior Surface, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

Buildings

Square 

Feet

Buildings in Which the Exterior Surface Contains*'

Less than 25 

Percent Glass

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l(nil25-49 Percent 

Glass

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings IfMilI

50-74 Percent I 75 Percent or More 

Glass Glass

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmilI

ISquar 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings JfmilI (thousands)I(trillions)I(thousands)11ions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)11 thousands)I lions) 

J________I_______I________I I________I I________I I________I

All Buildings...................... 3,948 52,325 2,649 28,673 986 15,442 251 5.B83 61 2,327

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 2,940 187 1,517 80 948 20 423 9 Q

1901 to 1920..................... 388 5,453 251 2,887 110 1,747 26 713 9 Q

1921 to 1945..................... 726 8,639 492 4,353 181 3,080 38 949 15 257

1946 to 1960..................... 946 9,612 648 4,710 218 3,396 72 1,222 8 284

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 467 5,340 186 2,842 51 1,198 16 567

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 134 2,083 58 953 9 282 9 125

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 374 4,118 121 1,498 23 513 12 488

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 96 3,666 31 978 9 584 4 447

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 1,581 3,457 536 1,175 112 239 9 0

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246 481 3,448 182 1,319 47 350 9 0)

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912 380 5,954 135 2,118 39 623 13 217

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 119 4,057 73 2,495 27 1,004 4 137

50,001 to 100.000................ 107 7,168 56 3,689 33 2,275 14 954 4 249

100,001 to 200,000.......••••.••• 50 6,642 22 2,876 16 2,178 8 1,176 3 412

Over 200,000....,................ 29 11,757 12 5,193 10 3,881 4 1,537 3 1,147

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 297 3,573 121 1,303 29 467 9 U

Educational...................... 177 6,0*4 87 2,303 56 2,248 29 1,258 5 236

Food Sales/Service,.............. 380 2,051 237 1,194 106 639 35 152 9 Q

Health Care...................... 61 2,277 38 630 16 1,191 5 324 9 8

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 55 794 36 850 12 506 Q Q

Mercantile/Service*,............. 1,071 10,427 749 6,979 256 2,857 50 445 16 145

Office........................... 575 8,454 355 2,885 166 2,885 39 1,567 15 1,117

Residential.,.................... 236 2,454 140 1,034 77 1,045 16 243 Q 9

Warehouse........................ 425 6.791 356 5,362 52 1,110 13 245 9 9

Other............................ 179 2,760 134 1,939 35 473 10 264 9 9

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 202 1,981 64 840 14 412 1 110

Census Region

Northeast...................... . 670 11,615 419 5,618 181 3,980 62 1,525 8 492

North Central.................... 1,211 16,059 833 8,518 302 5,172 64 1,811 11 558

South............................ 1,493 17,049 1,027 10,165 347 4,183 90 1,762 28 938

West............................. 574 7,602 370 4,372 156 2,106 35 784 14 339

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 1,452 19,357 590 11,771 169 4,536 44 1,924

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 1,197 9,317 396 3,671 82 1,347 17 403

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 5,725 258 2,903 128 1,973 28 659 7 189

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 16,965 764 8,623 313 5,737 67 1,989 8 616 

<2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 13,793 670 7,786 261 3,852 69 1,597 16 558 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 7,496 492 4,402 140 2,031 30 718 16 345

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 464 4,959 q 9 56 918 14 619

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

None............................. 142 1,475 99 873 36 453 9 115 9 9

Single Establishment............. 3,160 35,227 2,140 20,491 777 9,920 195 3,703 48 1,111

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 410 7,308 172 5,068 50 2,065 13 1,181

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 210 4,734 102 3,393 29 1,534 5 439

Non-Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 2,439 23,939 884 12,049 222 4,349 57 1,888

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 61
Table 6. Percentage of Glass on the Exterior Surface, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Number of 

Bui Idings

Square 

Feet

Buildings in Which the Exterior Surface Contains:

Less than 25 

Percent Glass

I 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l(»il25-49 Percent 

Glass

I 

I Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l<Mil50-74 Percent 

Glass

I 

I Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llnil75 Percent or More 

Glass

I 

ISqu»r« 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings I (milBuilding Characteristics l(thousands)l(millions)l(thousands)llions)l(thousands)llions)l(thousands)|lion*ll(thousand*)llions) 

J_______I________I_________I I_________I I_________I I_________I

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Elcctrici ty. ....................

Na tural Gas .....................

Fuel Oil.. ......................

Purchased Steam. ................

Other. ..........................

Fuel Combinations Used

Ho Fuel Used. ..................

Electri i ty. ....................

Electri ity and Natural Gas.....

Electri ity and Fuel Oil........

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil....................

Electrici ty and Propane. ........

Other. ..........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. .....................

1 to 50.........................

51 to 99........................

100.............................

Percent Cooled

Hot Cooled. .....................

1 to 50. ........................

51 to 99........................

100. ............................

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

161

800

1.939

319

207

138

383

440

S17

564

2,427

1,304

1.004

510

1,129

51.359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

8,266

35,175

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

2,527

1,494

362

200

27

157

120

582

1,287

199

105

121

235

351

391

372

1,536

909

664

335

741

28,052

19,547

5,265

1,673

1,734

1,693

613

4,405

15,074

1,598

2,259

611

4,113

2,168

4,590

3,980

17,935

5,749

9,703

4,458

8,764

947

617

200

43

18

73

37

163

500

95

67

12

111

65

97

147

677

313

256

133

284

15,178

11,691

4,994

902

1,637

1,561

247

1,422

6,647

738

3,021

92

3,275

583

1,004

2,711

11,144

2,831

4,816

3,749

4,046

248

164

58

13

13

10

q

39

123

22

27

<J

31

16

24

37

174

66

73

36

76

5,609

4,118

2,195

292

919

515

q

447

2,212

4%

1,129

q

1,492

180

262

1,041

4,399

1,083

1,444

1,421

1,934

61

38

14

q

q

q

NC

16

29

2

a

NC

6

q

q

8

40

16

10

6

28

2,320

1,733

859

q

305

229

NC

244

930

80

544

NC

529

q

q

534

1,696

139

373

705

1,110

HC=Ho cases in sample. . . 

Q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data nay not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

62 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 7. Buildings With Alterations Between 1979 and 1983

All Buildings

Number of

All Buildings 

with Alterations

Number of

Buildings in Nhich the Square Footage

Decreased/Not Changed

I Number of I

Increased

I 

Number of I

Building Characteristics

Buildings (Square Feetl Buildings (Square Feetl Buildings (Square Feetl Buildings (Square Feet 

KthousandslKmillions) I (thousands) I (mi 11 ions ) |( thousands)! (Billions) 11 thousands)l(millions) 

I_________I_______I_______|_________|_________I I_________|______

All Buildings...................... 3,7111

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 287

1901 to 1920..................... 383

1921 to 1945..................... 742

1946 to 1960..................... 961

1961 to 1970..................... 713

1971 to 1973..................... 203

1974 to 1979..................... S02

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,195

5.001 to 10,000.... .............. 699

10,001 to 25,000...... ........... 529

25,001 to 50,000................. 205

50,001 to 100,000. ............... 94

100,001 to 200,000............... 45

Over 200,000..................... 23

Principal Activity Mi thin Building

Assembly......................... 447

Educational...................... 167

Food Sales/Service............... 367

Healthcare...................... 57

Lodging.......................... 102

Mercantile/Service*. ............. 1,043

Office........................... 543

Residential...................... 235

Warehouse. ....................... 403

Other............... ............. 158

Vacant........................... 267

Census Region

Northeast........................ 654

North C«ntr»l........ ............ 1,171

South............................ 1,424

Hest............................. 541

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,147

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,644

innual Heating (HOD) end Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

-.J, 000 COD and >7, 000 HDD. ....... 403

<2, 000 COD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,121 

'£,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 994 

<2, 000 COD and <4, 000 HDD.. ...... 648

>2,000 CDO and <4,000 HDD........ 625

Number of Establishments in 

Bui Iding None............................. 126

Single Establishment............. 3,050

Hulti -Establishment. ............. 615

Bovernment Occupancy

Government Occupied. ............. 334

Not Eovernment Occupied. ......... 3,457

46,373

2,962 

5,432 

8,757 

9,71* 

9,910 

3,402 

6,196

4,756

5,049

8,376

7,154

6,282

6,010

8,745

5,070

5,925

1,844

2,184

2,053

8,846

7,215

2,412

6,166

1,982

2,677

10,885

14,967

14,165

6,355

33,235

13,137

5,112

15,903

12,255

6,821

6,281

1,154

32,815

12,404

8,684

37,689

309

25

50

47

72

72

9

34

176

42

57

14

6

7

6

45 

9

52

9

q

76

46

20

28

q

6

45

99

133

31

161

148

37

82

77

51

62

q

259

46

23

265

5,95*

28S

733

876

1,702

1,209

373

776

403

311

992

486

468

966

2,328

820 

548 

289 

994

q

1,101 

768 

256 

600

q 

225

1,308

2,161

1,893

592

4,177

1,778

604

2,087

1,721

613

929

q

4,062

1,834

1,047

4,908

179

17

28

31

43

45

114

27

17

12

3

4

3

19 

q

29 

q 

q

50

27 

q

14 

q 

q

29

60

74

17

101

78

23

52

39

26

39

q

144

32

15

165

2,9*7

219 

343 

682 

844 

509 

q 

185

241

200

260

396

249

531

1,070

271

351

106

q

q

633

486

9

306 

q 

q

,024

927

729

267

2,337

610

303

,026

916

261

441

q

1,657

1,245

608

2,339

127

Q

9

13

29

27

Q

22

60 

q

40 

q 

3

3

4

q 

2 

q 

4 

q 

26 

20 

q 

q 

q 

q

17

36

60

14

57

69

14 

27

q 

25

q

q

112

14

8

118

3,000

q 

Q

190 

858 

700 

Q 

591

157 

Q

731 

q

219

435 

1,256

q

197 

q

819 

q

468 

282 

9 

q 

q 

q

284

1,229

1,164

324

1,833

1,168

302

1,054

805

352

487

q

2,398

588

439

2,561

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 63
Table 7. Buildings With Alterations Between 1979 and 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Number of

All Buildings 

with Alterations

Number of

Buildings in Which the Square Footage Mas:

Decreased/Not Changed

I 

Nuirber of I

Increased

I 

Number of I

Building Characteristics

Buildings (Square Featl Buildings I Square Feetl Buildings i=qua, Fectl Buildings (Square Feet 

|(thousands)Knillions> 11 thousands)I(millions) I(thousands)I(Billions) I(thousands)I(millions) 

I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________

Fuels Used Alone or in Conbinat

El ectricity. .................

Natural Gas. .................

Fuel Oil.....................

Propane ......................

Purchased Steam. .............

Other. .......................

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used................

Electri i ty. .................

Electri i ty and Natural Gas..

Electri i ty and Fuel Oil.....

Electri ity, Natural Gas»

and Fuel Oil .................

Other........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ..................

1 to 50............... .......

51 to 99.....................

100..........................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled...................

1 to 50......................

51 to 99.....................

100..........................

ion

.... 3,632

. ... 2,241

.... 624

. . . . 241

. . . . 58

. . . . 240

. . . . 154

. . . . 740

. ... 1,885

. ... 317

. ... 199

. ... 123

. ... 372

. ... 410

. ... 507

. . . . 550

. ... 2,323

.... 1,265

. . . . 980

. ... 479

1,067

45,424

33,249

12,105

2,565

4,297

3,416

916

5,422

22,047

2.579

6,531

533

6,343

2,567

5,510

7.663

30,633

9,155

15,211

9,343

12,664

305

178

40

19

6

20

Q

84

153

Q

17

q

33

Q

38

65

198

53

77

63

116

5,948

4,722

2,229

297

744

414

q

645

2,428

Q

1,509

q

1,194

q

549

1,212

4,153

451

1,693

1,853

1,957

175

108

18

Q

6

q

q

47

94

q

6

q

17

Q

22

34

116

32

46

34

67

2,940

2,399

930

q

577

q

q

234

1,263

q

604

q

714

q

275

721

1,921

319

690

978

760

127

68

21

q

q

12

NC

q

57

q

10

Q

16

q

q

30

79

Q

31

29

49

3,000

2,316

1,299

q

q

229

NC

q

1,160

q

906

q

477

q

q

491

2,225

q

803

673

1,197

(J=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X> or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. Sere Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

64 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 8. Location of Buildings by Census Region, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

BuiIdings

Square 

Feet

Buildings Located in the Following Census Regions:

Northeast

I

ISquar<

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmilNorth Central

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings HrnilSouth

I

I Squar 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings I(milI

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings IfmilI (thousands)I(millions 11(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions) 

J_________I________I_________1- I_________I I_________I I_________I

All Buildings...................... 3,948 52,325 670 11,615 1,211 16,059 1,493 17,049 574 7,602

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 2,940 102 1,289 110 1,123 49 365 27 Q

1901 to 1920..................... 38S 5,453 93 1,850 158 1,879 100 1,173 37 550

1921 to 1945..................... 726 8,639 160 2,398 225 2,795 227 2,221 114 1,225

19<i6 to I960.. ................... 946 9,612 131 2,083 275 3,128 396 3,258 144 1,143

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 94 1,798 189 3,043 345 3,594 94 1,512

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 26 651 59 953 90 1,296 35 542

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 SO 720 162 2,166 224 2,487 95 1,244

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 14 826 33 972 64 2,665 29 Q

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 306 784 688 1,526 955 1,971 299 627

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246 131 939 234 1,685 236 1,685 124 937

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912 130 1,960 163 2,6:( 185 2,923 89 1,412

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 58 1,915 68 2,334 60 2,176 37 1,267

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168 27 1,754 31 2,146 32 2,199 17 1,068

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642 12 1,598 16 2,132 15 2,069 6 843

Over 200,000..................... 29 11,757 6 2,666 11 3,618 9 4,025 3 Q

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 61 1,053 149 1,755 202 1,835 45 q

Educational...................... 177 6,044 28 1,374 39 1,834 79 2,082 31 754

Food Sales/Service. .............. 380 2,051 58 392 120 724 145 616 57 320

HealthCare...................... 61 2,277 11 502 21 1,015 20 567 Q 193

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 13 422 12 669 57 803 24 346

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10,427 183 2,040 353 3,219 383 3,843 151 1,325

Off ice........................... 575 8,454 97 1,774 176 2,178 191 2,903 112 1,599

Residential...................... 236 2,454 97 1,336 78 717 44 299 16 103

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791 57 1,224 131 2,130 170 2,283 68 1,149

Other............................ 179 2,760 20 634 50 881 87 644 22 402

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 46 664 80 937 114 1,169 41 S71

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 532 9,993 683 11,651 644 9,753 395 6,190

Honmetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 138 1,622 527 4,408 848 7,295 179 Q

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDO)

<e,000 COD and >7,000 HOD........ 421 5,725 q 1,160 246 3,897 Q q

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 16,965 346 6,098 644 9,092 NC NC 162 1,775 

C2.000 COO and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 13,793 224 4,357 q q 401 5,209 q q 

'2,000 CDO and <4,000 HOD........ 678 7,496 NC NC 452 4,581 227 2,915

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 -- 639 7,258 Q q

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

None............................. 142 1,475 19 313 38 374 63 518 q q

Single Establishment............. 3,160 35,227 507 7,137 986 12,203 1,237 11,258 431 4,629

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 144 4,165 186 3,483 193 5,273 122 2,703

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 61 2,245 99 2,917 127 3,555 59 1,382

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 609 9,371 1,111 13,142 1,366 13,494 515 6,219

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 51,359 651 11,405 1,161 15,736 1,420 16,734 551 7,484

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 37,090 444 8,321 912 13,547 620 9,913 339 5,309

Fuel Oil......................... 633 13,313 257 5,619 123 3,070 206 3,605 46 1,019

Propane.......................... 260 3,007 Q 561 70 549 144 1,781 18 116

Purchased Steam.................. 60 4,594 17 1,373 22 1,930 11 779 11 512

Other............................ 245 3,997 42 1,101 64 1,138 91 1,284 48 475

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 65
Table 8. Location of Buildings by Census Region, 1983 (Continued)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings

Number of 

Bui Idi ngs 

( thousands )

Square 

Feet 

(millions)

Buildings Located in the Following Census Regions:

Northeast

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings l(mil1 thousands)! lions) 

1

North Central

1 

1 Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings ItitilI thousands)! lions I 

1

South

1 

1 Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings l(mil- 

( thousands)! lions) 

1

West

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings t(mil- 

( thousands ) 1 lions ) 

1

Fue 1 Comb i na t ions Used

No Fuel Used. ..................

Electri i ty. ....................

Electri ity and Natural Gas.....

Electri ity and Fuel Oil........

Electri ity, Natural Gas.

and Fuel Oil. ...................

Electricity and Propane. ........

Other... ........................

Pnt-cent Heated

Not Heated. .....................

1 to 50. ........................

51 to 99. .......................

100. ............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. .....................

1 to 50.... .....................

51 to 99.... ....................

100.............................

161

600

1,939

119

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

935

6,518

24,863

i,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

8,266

35,175

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

18

55

294

104

(118

q

74

43

77

115

435

226

234

91

118

202

644

3,701

1,064

3,262

q

2,697

398

886

2,111

8,221

2,445

4,514

2,553

2,103

49

102

810

66

•;"4i

37

105

97

148

160

806

407

344

155

305

308

803

9,205

441

2,161

181

2,960

641

1,642

2,163

11,612

2,912

5,846

3,206

4,096

72

504

532

119

> 37

85

144

214

199

195

886

381

308

205

599

307

3,660

7,603

1,173

1,030

481

2,795

1,311

2,062

2,817

10,859

1,934

4,222

3,377

7,516

Q

139

303

30

Q

q

60

85

93

95

301

290

118

59

107

q

1,411

4,354

234

499

q

958

621

1,323

1,176

4,482

2,511

1,753

1,197

q

NC=No cases in sample.

Q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled, 

*=Numbcrs of fewer than 500 buildings or 500*000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not SUM to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration. Office of Energy Markets and End Use» Energy End Use Division* 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

66 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 9. Location of Buildings by Metropolitan Status, 1983

Building Characteristics

All Buildings

Number of

Bui Ictings

(thousands)

Square Feet 

(mi 11 ions)

Buildings in:

Metropolitan Locations

Number of

BuiIdings

( thousands)

Square Feet 

(mill ions)

Nonmetropolitan Locations

Number of

Buildings

(thousands)

Square Feet 

(millions)

All Buildings......................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1920.....................

lf!l to 1945.....................

19H6 to 1960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

197* to 1979.....................

1980 to 198J.....................

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less....................

5.001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over 200,000.....................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Fduc.i t i ona 1......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

LoHgi rg..........................

Mercantile/Services ..............

Office...........................

Re? i dent i al......................

Harehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.............................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (CDD>

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD........

<f,000 COD and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

•2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

•2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

Numher of Establishments in 

BuiIding

None.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Non-Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Ha tural Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

3,948

263

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670 

1,211 

1,493

S74

421

1,153

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

52,325

2,940

5,453

8,639

9,612

9,947

3,442

6,616

5,675

4,908

5,246

8,912

7,692

7,163

6,642

11,757

5,483

6,044

2,051

2,277

2,241

10,427

8,454

2,454

6,791

2,760

3,342

11,615

16,059

17,049

7,602

5,725

16,965

13,793

7,496

8,346

1,475

35,227

15,623

10,099

42,225

51,359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

2,255

143

214

411

522

444

127

295

100

1,168

424

352

164

82

38

26

213

117

221

40

49

618

360

148

230

99

161

532

683

644

395

q

831 

333 

476 

407

76

,758

420

191

,064

2,175

1,535

324

70

51

73

37,587

1,856

3,914

6,030

6,830

7,371

2,577

4,780

4,229

2,620

3,085

5,543

5,677

5,576

5,130

9,956

3,576

4,295

1,300

1,760

1,617

6,651

7,040

1,912

4,641

2,275

2,518

9,993

11,651

9,753

6,190

3,430

14,414

7,289

6,120

6,335

1,045

24,373

12,169

6,957

30,630

36,942

28,553

9,648

1,175

4,210

2,620

1,693

145

174

315

423

277

82

235

40

1,080

301

215

58

25

11

3

244

60

160

20

57

453

215

88

196

80

120

138

527

848

179

213

q

684

q 

q

66

,402

225

155

1,537

1,608

779

309

189

9

172

14,738

1,084

1,540

2,609

2,781

2,576

865

1,836

q

2,288 

2,162 

3,369 

2,015 

1,592 

1,512 

q

1,907

1,749

751

516

624

3,776

1,414

542

2,150

485

824

1,622

4,408

7,295

Q

2,295 

q

6,504 

1,376

431

10,853

3,454

3,142

11,595

14,417

8,537

3,664

1,832

383

1,377

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 67
Table 9. Location of Buildings by Metropolitan Status, 1983 (Continued)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings

Number o{ 

Buildings 

( thousands )

Square Feet 

(millions)

Buildings in:

Metropolitan Locations

Number of 

Bui Idings 

( thousands )

Square Feet 

( mi 11 ions )

Nonmetropolitan Locations

Number of 

Bui Idings 

( thousands )

Square Feet 

(millions)

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used....................

Electricity. .....................

Electricity and Natural Gas......

Electricity and Fuel Oil.........

Electricityi Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil.....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other. ...........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50............. .............

51 to 99.........................

100..............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99.........................

100.............. ................

161

800

1,939

519

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1.304

1,004

510

1,129

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

8,266

35,175

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

77

399

1,300

143

151

45

141

218

288

323

1,426

662

626

311

656

613

3,865

18,671

1,634

5,842

292

6,669

1,884

4,110

6,168

25,424

6,313

11,684

8,334

11,256

85

401

639

176

57

93

242

221

229

241

1,001

642

378

199

473

321

2,653

6,192

1,277

1,111

445

2,740

1,086

1,802

2,098

9,751

3,489

4,651

1,999

4,599

NC=No cases in sample.

Q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings Here sampled. 

•^Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square fe«t are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

68 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 10. Location of Buildings by Climate Zone, 1983

All Buildings Long-term

Buildings Located on Sites Having the Following 

Average Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling Degree-Days (COO):

<2,000 COD and 

>7,000 HDD

I

I

<2,000 CDD and 

5,500-7,000 HDD

I

(Square (Square (Square (Square (Square (Square 

Number of I Feet Number of I Feet Number of I Feet Number of I Feet Number of I Feet Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((mil- Buildings ((mil- Buildings ((nil- Buildings ((mil- Buildings ((mil- Buildings ((milBuilding Characteristic* I (thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)(lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions I

____________I_________I I ' ' ' '

<2,000 CDD and 

4,000-5,499 HDD

I

<2»000 CDD and 

<4,000 HDD

I

>2,000 COO and 

<4,000 HOD

I

_L _L _L _L _L _L

All Buildings.............. 3,948 52,325 421

Year Constructed

1900 or Before........... 283 2,940 68

1901 to 1920............. 388 5,453 51

1921 to 1945............. 726 8,639 71

1946 to 1960............. 946 9,612 78

1961 to 1970............. 721 9,947 64

1971 to 1973............. £09 3,442 Q

1974 to 1979............. 530 6,616 Q

I960 to 1983............. 140 5,675 16

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less............ 2,248 4,908 215

5.001 to 10,000.......... 725 5,246 95

10,001 to 25,000......... 567 8,912 61

25,001 to 50,000......... 222 7,692 28

50,001 to 100,000........ 107 7,168 13

100,001 to 200,000....... 50 6,642 6

Over 200,000............. 29 11,757 3

Priiicipal Activity Within

Bi-ii Iding

Assembly................. 457 5,483 40

Educational.............. 177 6,044 18

Food Sales/Service....... 380 2,051 51

HealthCare.............. 61 2,277 5

Lodging.................. 106 2,241 7

riprcantile/Services... ... 1,071 10,427 124

Of fire................... 575 8,454 54

Residential.............. 234 2,454 3fl

Warehouse................ 425 6,791 44

Other.................... 179 2,760 Q

Vacant................... 2fil 3,342 9

Census Region

Northeast................ 670 11,615 9

North Central............ 1,211 16,059 246

South.................... 1,493 17,049

West..................... 574 7,602 Q

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan............. 2,255 37,587 9

Normetropolitan.......... 1,693 14,738 213

Number of Establishments in

But* Icling

None..................... 142 1,475 9

Single Establishment..... 1,160 35,227 319

Multi-Establishment...... 645 15,623 84

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied...... 346 10,099 39

Not Government Occupied.. 3,602 42,225 382

Fuels Used Alone or in

Combination

Electricity.............. 3,783 51,359 401

Natural Gas.............. 2,314 37,090 250

Fuel Oil................. 633 13,313 106

Propane.................. 260 3,007 9

Purchased Steam.......... 60 4,594 13

Other.................... 245 3,997 47

5,725 1,153 16,965 1,016 13,793

See footnotes at end of table.

539

704

898

877

989

Q

9

623

501

717

904

967

848

801

967

554

722

302

201

146

1,353

728

342

770

9

326

1,160

3,897

3,430

2,295

q

4,207 

1,320

1,310

4,415

5,532

3,962

1,564

q

1,056 

620

135

149

210

264

191

49

120

34

613

232

173

73

32

18

12

141

47

99

25

26

303

191

86

103

48

83

346

644

NC

162

33

921

199

113

1,039

1,114

829

191

q

29

72

1,442

2,050

3,013

3,439

3,249

651

1,773

1,147

1,446

1,658

2,732

2,444

2,231

2,379

4,075

1,760

2,055

741

1,213

728

2,463

2,611

973

2,080

1,180

1,160

6,098

9,092

NC

1,775

14,414

9

446

11,807

4,712

3,218

13,747

16,724

13,448

4,732

653

1,848

1,437

54

116

246

233

156

50

142

19

580

171

163

56

28

13

7

150

42

88

12

20

274

125

90

101

47

65

224 

q

401 

9

333

684

34

833

150

89

928

974

606

234

54

10

74

744

1,809

2,852

2,257

2,281

659

1,562

q

1,216

1,250

2,631

1,973

1,793

1,703

3,227

1,638

1,597

368

272

537

3,485

2,031

979

1,547

616

731

4,357

q

5,209 

Q

7,289

6,504

273

8,847

4,672

3,420

10,373

13,560

9,464

4,359

674

1,351

1,052

678

q

41

119

199

142

38

97

28

423

114

81

34

16

6

3

60

28

72

q

25

184 

92 

Q 

98 

30 

62

NC 

452 

227

476

q

37

553

88

58

620

638

390

q

Q

9

7,496

q

594

1,229

1,639

1,566

639

1,099

632

863

811

1,241

1,162

1,035

976

1,409

460

697

311

400

292

1,489

1,348

q

1,507 

324 

596

NC

4,581 

2,915

6,120

1,376

393

5,262

1,841

1,106

6,391

7,298

5,268

1,436

490

206

498

679

q

31

q

172

169

50

119

44

417

q

89

32

18

6

4

65

q

71

10

q

186

113

9 q q 

q

639

q

407

q

q

535 

q

q 

633

655

239

q

77

q

q

8,346

q

q

647

1,400

1,863

9

1,513

q

882

9

1,403

1,146

1,260

784

2,060

q

973 

329

q

C 

q

1,736 

q

888 

361

7,258

9

6,335

q

165

5,103

3,078

1,046

7,300

8,245

4,94«

1,222

9

9

390

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 69
Table 10. Location of Buildings by Climate Zone, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Number of 

Buildings

Square 

Feet 

(«ilBuildings Located on Sites Having the Following 

Long-Term Average Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling Degree-Days (CDD):

<2,000 CDD and 

>7,000 HDD

I 

I Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmil-

<2,000 CDD and 

5,500-7,000 HDD

I 

I Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings I (mil-

<2,000 CDD and 

4,000-5,499 HDD

I 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings Kmil-

<2,000 CDD and 

<4,000 HDD

I 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings Ifmil-

>2,000 CDD and 

<4,000 HDD

I 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ItmilBuilding Characteristics 11 thousands)I lions)11 thousands I(lions 11(thousands)(lions)l(thousands 11 lions 11(thousands)(lions)I(thousands)(lions) 

J________I I________I I________I I________I I________I I________I

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used............

Electricity. .............

Electricity and Natural

Gas.... ..................

Electricity and Fuel Oil.

Electricity, Natural Gas>

and Fuel Oil. ............

Electricity and Propane..

Other....................

Percent Heated

Not Heated...............

1 to 50..................

SI to 99.................

100.... ..................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled...............

1 to 50..................

51 to 99.................

100......................

161

eoo

1,939

319

207

136

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

8,266

35,175

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

q

43

201

53

24

Q

71

q

51

78

253

188

135

43

q

q

278

2,402

450

673

q

1,708

307

580

1,024

3,815

1,483

2,058

1,041

q

36

105

697

94

73

q

117

70

152

173

758

438

316

146

253

231

1,068

8,630

801

2,772

102

3,362

560

1,753

2,241

12,411

3,823

6,474

3,130

3,539

42

170

471

114

88

22

109

105

97

145

669

332

272

128

285

230

1,790

5,628

891

2,566

238

2,450

643

1,222

2,463

9,465

2,443

4,054

3,055

4,241

39

170

364

q

10

q

q

125

111

93

349

235

137

97

209

q

1,249

4,159

Q

608

98

868

861

1,237

1,288

4,111

1,509

2,115

1,539

2,334

q

q

205

q

12

52

Q

q

106

q

398

q

145

95

327

q

q

4,044

q

333

q

q

600 1,122

1,250

5,373

q

1,634

1,568

4,600

NC-No cases in sample.

'q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

»=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero. 

Note: Data stay not SUM to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

70 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Building* 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 11. Number of People Working in Building, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

I

I

I

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings I(milBuildings in Which the Number of People Working is:

Fewer than 10

I

I Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmil10 to 19

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings Umil20 to 49

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l(mil50 to 99

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmil100 or More

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l(Mil11 thousands ) 11 i ons ) IC thousands ) 11 i ons ) I (thousands ) 11 i ons ) I (thousands ) 11 i om ) I (thousands ) 11 i ons ) I (thousands ) 11 i ons ) 

J_________I I_________I I________I I_________I I I I_________l___

All Buildings.

Year Constructed

1900 or Before.

1901 to 1920... 

1921 to 1945... 

19.6 to 1960... 

1961 to 1970... 

1971 to 1973... 

1974 to 1979... 

1980 to 1983...

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.........

5.001 to 10,000.......

10,001 to 25,000......

25,001 to 50,000......

50,001 to 100,000.....

100,001 to 200,000....

Over 200,000..........

Principal Activity Within 

BuiIding

Assembly................

Educa t i ona1.............

Food Sales/Servi ce......

Health Car«.............

Lodging.................

Mercant il«/Servi ces.....

Office..................

Residential.............

Warehouse...............

Other...................

Vacant..................

Census Region 

Northeast.....

North Central. 

South.........

West..........

Metropolitan Status 

Metropoli tan......

Nonmetropoli tan...

Annual Heating (HDD) and 

Cooling Degree-Days (CDD) 

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD 

<2,000 CDD and 5,500- 

7,000 HDD................

<2,000 CDD and 4,000- 

5,s99 HDD................

'2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD 

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD

Number of Establishment! In 

BuiIding

None.....................

S i ngle Es tablInhment.....

Multi-Establishment......

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied......

Not Government Occupied,.

See footnotes at end of table.

3,948

288 

38S 

726 

946 

721 

209 

530 

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1.211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

52,325

2,940

5,453

8,639

9,612

9,947

3,442

6,616

5,675

4,908

5,246

8,912

7,692

7,168

6,642

11,757

5,483

6,044

2,051

2,277

2,241

10,427

8,454

2,454

6,791

2,760

3,342

11,615

16,059

17,049

7,602

37,587

14,738

5,725

16,965

13,793

7,496

8,346

2,646

217

253

549

699

473

104

293

58

1,899

423

237

59

20

5

2

295

49

229

35

73

819

268

208

292

115

263

435

819

1,049

343

1,390

1,256

282

741

712

473

438

15,247

1,599

2,155

3,194

3,046

2,068

710

1,541

935

3,914

3,022

3,512

2,019

1,296

680

803

2,167

377

693

166

701

3,552

789

1,558

2,045

787

2,413

3,696

4,664

4,934

1,953

9,336

5,911

1,814

4,787

4,374

2,168

2,104

32

77

74

105

90

36

98

25

210

164

122

29

9

3

q

68

31

61

q

7

142

113

14

66

25

5

100

160

193

85

313

225

60

177

128

67

q

6,180

278

1,055

1,146

1,056

696

425

716

609

558

1,199

1,923

1,030

599

383

q

982

440

257

q

139

1,356

640

364

1,139

677

130

1,562

1,711

2,115

792

3,941

2,239

710

2,180

1,600

811

q

29

35

69

102

102

43

92

28

120

110

152

79

30

75

58

68

q

15

72

108

q

49

26

9

83

146

170

103

356

146

47

151

114

98

91

10,082

468

859

1,742

2,309

2,079

769

1,267

589

384

820

2,518

2,670

1,973

1,077

640

1,175 

2,308

564 

q

422 

1,226 

1,263

q

1,712

459

268

1,797

3,359

3,086

1,840

7,512

2,570

1,157

3,289

2,260

1,825

1,551

141

q

11

16

23

31

16

26

14

q

26

40

29

23

8

Z

12

24

17

q

7

18

41

q 

11

6

2

23

48

44

27

102

40

20

40

31

24

26

5,251

q

391 

783 

660 

1,351 

449 

865 

472

q

190

704

1,011

1,552

1,059

696

383

1,453

296

q

283

764

873

q

704

233

137

1,070

1,771

1,522

889

4,063

1,188

618

1,848

1,187

736

862

121

6

11

17

17

25

9

21

15

q 

q 

16 

26 

25 

25 

21

7

14

5

9

4

19

45

q

7

7

3

29

36

38

17

94

27

13

42

31

16

19

15,564

515

993

1,775

2,341

3,552

1,089

2,227

q

q 

q

255

961

1,746

3,444

9,129

U 

1,466

242 

1,656

695

3,529

4,890

q

1,192

604

393

3,491

4,553

5,392

2,128

12,735

2,830

1,427

4,861

4,372

1,956

2,948

142 

3,160 

645

346 

3,602

1,475 

35,227 

15,623

10,099 

42,225

142 

2,214 

290

161 

2,485

1,452 

11,533 

2,262

1,176 

14,072

q

391 

147

51 

487

q

4,201 

1,962

927 

5,253

q

379 

123

71 

431

q

7,688 

2,391

1,711 

8,371

q

104 

37

32 

109

q

3,979 

1,269

1,307 

3,944

NC 

72 

49

30 

91

NC 

7,825 

7,739

4,979 

10,586

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 71
Table 11. Number of People Working in Building, 1983 (Continued)

Building Characteristics

Fuels Used Alone or in 

Combination

Fuel Combinations Used

Electri ity and Natural

Electri ity end Fuel Oil 

Electri ity, Natural

Electricity and Propane.

Percent Heated

51 to 99................

Percent Cooled

All Buildings

1 

1 

1

Buildings in Mhich the Number of People Working is:

Fewer than 10 10 to 19 20 to 49 50 to 99 100 or More

1 1 1 1 1 1 

(Square (Square (Square (Square (Square (Square 

Number of 1 Feet Number of 1 Feet Number of 1 Feet Number of 1 Feet Number of 1 Feet 1 Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings ((mil- Buildings ((mil- Buildings llmil- Buildings ((nil- Buildings ((mil- Buildings llmill( thousands) (lions) (I thousands ) 1 1 ions III thousands >l lions)! ( thousands) 1 lions )l( thousands)! lions)! ( thousands )l lions) 

1 1 1 1 1 111 1

3,783 51,359 

2,314 37,090 

633 13,313 

260 3,007 

60 4,594 

245 3,997

161 935 

800 6,518

1,939 24,863 

319 2,911

207 6,953 

138 736 

383 9,409

440 2,971 

517 5,913 

564 8,266 

2,427 35,175

1,304 9,802 

1,004 16,335 

510 10,333 

1,129 15,855

2,483 

1,425 

423 

187 

20 

177

159 

567

1,207 

233

121 

112 

246

408 

377 

340 

1,520

1,134 

613 

248 

651

14,299 

9,036 

2,973 

806 

458 

814

930 

2,681

7,232 

1,273

1,142 

379 

1,611

2,427 

2,636 

2,028 

8,156

6,430 

4,487 

1,347 

2,983

535 

333

88 

27 

7 

30

q 

124

274 

44

33 

q 

48

23 

75 

99 

341

91 

181 

99 

167

6,177 

3,987 

1,395 

309 

186 

593

q 

1,177

3,023 

339

609 

q 

925

283 

1,000 

1,065 

3,831

958 

2,892 

964 

1,367

502 

361 

66 

31 

14 

19

NC 

76

316 

29

25 

12 

45

q 

51 

87 

356

59

142 

104 

197

10,082 

7,625 

2,055 

642 

630 

679

1C 

1,132

5,751 

464

1,080 

147 

1,508

q 

1,325 

1,417 

7,202

1,428 

4,089 

1,743 

2,823

141 

104 

21 

6 

7 

8

q 

21

85 

8

9 

q 

17

q 

e 

19 

114

17 

38 

25 

61

5,249 

3,906 

1,170 

394 

437 

307

q 

593

2,820 

296

534

q

985

q

285 

609 

4,331

650 

1,836 

883 

1,881

121 

91 

35 

9 

12 

11

NC 

13

57

5

19 

q 

27

q 

5 

18 

96

4 

29 

35 

53

15,551 

12,536 

5,720 

856 

2,882 

1,605

NC 

936

6,038 

539

3,587

q

4,380

q 

666 

3,147 

11,655

336 

3,031 

5,396 

6,801

NC=No cases in sample.

q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data nay not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

Th« 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

72 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 12. Area per Worker and Number of Workers per Building, 1983

Building Characteristic*

Number of

Buildings

I(thousands)

Average

Square

Feet

per

Worker

Median 

Square

Feet

per 

Worker

Total

Workers

(thousands)

Total Number of People (thousands) 

Working in Buildings with:

I I I I

Less than 101 10 to 19 I 20 to 49 I 50 to 99 I 100 or More 

Employees (Employees (Employees (Employees I Employees 

_________I________I________|________I__________

All Buildings...................... 3,9*8 674 714

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 785 980

1901 to 1920. .................... 388 958 1,122

1921 to 1945..................... 726 785 873

1946 to 1960...... ............... 946 680 686

1961 to 1970..................... 721 629 615

1971 to 1973..................... 209 555 492

1974 to 1979..................... 530 513 565

1980 to 1983................. .... 140 694 653

Square Footage Category

5.000 or less.................... 2,248 352 501

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 598 954

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 742 1,271

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 824 1,307

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 960 1,695

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 829 1,550

Over 200,000..................... 29 649 1,437

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 914 1,087

Educational...................... 177 986 971

Food Sales/Service............... 380 362 380

Health Care...................... 61 413 397

Lodging.......................... 106 944 1,176

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 749 735

Off ice........................... 575 323 364

Residential...................... 236 1,790 1,295

Warehouse........................ 425 1,261 1,253

Other............................ 179 762 604

Vacant........................... 281 2,199 ZD

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 698 849

North Central.................... 1,211 709 731

South............................ 1,493 647 677

West............................. 574 632 604

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 643 678

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 766 761

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 743 889

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 687 715 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 719 601 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 641 634

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 580 568

Number of Establfghments in

BuiIding

Hone............................. 142 Q ZD

Single Establishment............. 3,160 695 633

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 580 612

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 589 544

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 698 731

Fuels Used Alon« or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 662 680

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 679 695

Fuel Oil......................... 633 611 900

Propane.......................... 260 683 693

Purchased Steam.................. 60 557 937

Other............................ 245 602 847

77,673

3,745

5,691

11,012

14,130

15,811

6,203

12,900

8,181

13,954

6,768

12,006

9,340

7,470

8,008

18,128

5,998

6,131

5,670

5,512

2,373

13,914

26,174

1,371

5,386

3,624

1,520

16,633

22,659

26,347

12,034

56,435

19,238

7,701

24,695

19,184

11,697

14,396

44

50,709

26,920

17,149

60,524

77,540

54,659

21,794

4,405

8,249

6,639

9.J15

779

759

1,751

2,461

1,603

427

1,117

218

6,238

1,776

984

224

70

16

7

969

211

979

184

256

3,161

1,307

669

627

335

416

1,624

2,902

3,525

1,264

5,113

4,201

1,023

2,687

2,352

1,596

1,657

39

7,966

1,309

616

6,699

9,232

5,598

1,567

622

78

535

6,876

403

949

966

1,321

1,182

454

1,291

310

2,596

2,117

1,587

394

119

45

q

635

391

601

Q

92

1,748

1,487

186

682

327

66

1,302

2,023

2,472

1,080

4,020

2,857

738 

2,322 

1,600

865 

q

q

4,946 

1,927

703

,174

6,651

4,319

1,154

332

93

371

14,807

784

935

2,076

2,947

3,038

1,344

2,875

608

3,412

3,093

4,533

2,440

981

280

67

2,051

1,905

2,147

q

456 

1,986 

3,182

q

1,483

789

253

2,458

4,373

5,036

2,939

10,532

4,275

1,307

4,581

3,397

2,817

2,705

q

11,294

3,511

2,172

12,635

14,807

10,650

1,993

1,000

407

621

0,665

q

670

1,092

1,388

1,959

1,113

1,570

923

q

1,563

2,469

1,937

1,427

538

171

677

1,474

1,066

Q

489 

1,239 

2,493

q

675

391

105

1,518

2,969

2,712

1,666

6,316

2,549

1,305

2,465

1,904

1,530

1,661

q

6,515 

2,349

2,067

6,797

8,864

6,412

1,398

427

442

512

See footnotes at end of table.

37,611

1,628

2,378

5,127

6,013

7,829

2,865

6,047

5,922

q 

q

2,412 

4,345 

4,672 

7,126 

17,665

1,466

2,150

657

4,900

1,080

5,779

17,706

q

1,519

1,782

679

9,731

10,392

12,603

5,066

32,454

5,356

3,329

12,640

9,931

4,889

7,021

NC

19,987 

17,824

11,591

26,219

37,786

27,680

15,682

2,025

7,229

4,600

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 73
Table 12. Area per Worker and Number of Workers per Building, 1983 

(Continued)

Number o-f 

Bui Id ings 

I thousands )

Average 

Square 

Feet 

per 

Worker

Median 

Square 

Feet 

per 

Worker

Total 

Workers 

( thousands )

Total Number of People (thousands) 

Working in Buildings with:

I I I I 

Less than 10 1 10 to 19 1 20 to 49 I 50 to 99 1 100 or More 

Employees 1 Employees {Employees 1 Employees 1 Employees 

1 1 1 1

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used. ...................

Electricity. .....................

Electricity and Natural Gas......

Electricity and Fuel Oil.........

Electricity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil.....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other............................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.. .......................

100..............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled.. .....................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99.........................

100.............. ................

161

600

1,939

319

207

133

363

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

q

648

700

553

660

644

624

2,290

1,075

583

620

1,331

919

496

499

ZD

544

672

752

991

595

1,473

q

660

730

612

1,182

867

510

462

10

35

5

10

1

15

1

5

14

56

7

17

20

31

92

,052

,496

,264

,542

,143

,082

,297

,498

,179

,699

,367

,783

,753

,770

1

4

1

1

5

2

2

1

2

66

,957

,780

847

493

389

783

632

,412

,415

,855

,938

,592

,098

,686

q

1,546

3,526

567

459

q

592

297

939

1,300

4,340

1,131

2,312

1,313

2,121

NC

2,118

9,309

864

711

q

1,417

q

1,485

2,504

10,635

1,601

4,194

3,058

5,954

q

1,321

5,254

557

554

q

1,127

q

480

1,204

7,150

1,107

2,314

1,604

3,839

NC

3,108

12,626

q

8,326

q

11,163

q

1,182

7,756

28,719

589

6,370

13,660

17,171

NC^No cases in sample.

ZD=Estimation procedure resulted in division by zero number of workers.

R-nata withheld either because the RSE was greater then BOX* or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*-)Jt.rmbers of fewer than 500 workers or 0.5 square feet per worker are rot/nded to zero.

note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use. Energy End Use Division) 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

74 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 13. Hours of Operation During a Typical Week, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

1

All Buildings...................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before. ...............

1901 to 1920. .................

19?1 to 1945. .................

19<>6 to 1960... ...............

1961 to 1970.. ................

1971 to 1973. .................

1974 to 1979.. ................

1980 to 1983. .................

Scr.iare Footage Category

5, COO or Less. ................

5,001 to 10,000. ..............

10,001 to 25,000. .............

25,001 to 50,000. .............

50,001 to 100,000.... .........

100,001 to 200,000. ...........

Over 200,000.. ................

Principal Activity Within

E>ui Idi ng

Assembly. .....................

Food Sales/Service. ...........

Health Car«... ................

Office.. ......................

Res identi al ...................

Warehouse. ....................

Other. ........................

Vacant. .......................

Census Region

Northeast. ....................

North Central. ................

South. ........................

West.. ........................

Metropolitan Status

Me t ropo 1 i t an ..................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days ICDO)

<2,000 CDO and >7,000 HDD.....

<2,00t> CDO and 5,500-7,000 HDD

<2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD

<2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD.....

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD.....

Number of Establishments in

Bui Iding

None.. ........................

Multi -Establishment. ....... .. .

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied. ..........

Not Government Occupied. ......

Fuels Used Alone or in

Combination

Electricity. ..................

Natural Gas. ..................

Fuel Oil..... .................

Purchased Steam. ..............

Other. ........................

Bui Idings 1

1

3,948

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

Number

1

39 or Fewer 1

Hours 1

1

740

68

103

160

179

110

23

79

18

510

119

71

28

9

2

2

255

42

q

q

q

69

34

41

83

32

162

97

232

339

72

336

404

68

186

248

136

q

118

571

51

57

663

622

306

108

54

4

40

of Buildings (thousands)

40 to 48

Hours

876

65

70

191

215

153

53

99

29

502

164

127

49

24

6

3

57

51

q

q

q

257

218

61

119

30

41

152

221

346

157

493

383

69

251

221

177

q

Q

700

173

102

774

863

544

146

48

10

62

1

1 49 to 60

1 Hours

1

693

72

99

175

213

138

49

111

36

445

195

154

55

28

11

5

52

41

47

17

q

342

189

36

116

25

24

161

299

311

123

539

355

110

253

233

136

162

Q

701

188

66

827

691

574

139

46

14

56

Operating Meekly for:

1

1 61 to 84

1 Hours

1

656

42

67

66

161

150

38

93

10

338

126

112

42

21

12

7

49

33

100

q

q

238

101

42

41

17

17

131

221

214

90

422

234

82

216

136

106

116

Q

534

122

48

608

654

440

111

43a

36

1

1 Over 84

1 Hours

I

782

40

49

114

178

170

46

148

37

452

121

104

49

25

IB

13

44

10

195

15

86

165

33

56

66

75

37

129

237

283

133

465

317

92

246

178

123

143

q

654

112

72

710

753

451

128

68

24

49

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 75
Table 13. Hours of Operation During a Typical Week, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

1 1 1 1 1

IA11 Buildings

Number

1 

39 or Fewer 1 

Hours 1 

1

of Buildings

40 to 48 

Hours

( thousands )

1 

1 49 to 60 

1 Hours 

1

Operating

1

1 

1 

|

Meekly

61 to 84 

Hours

1

1 

1

for:

Over 84 

Hours

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used. ................

Electricity. ..................

Electricity and Natural Gas...

Electricity and Fuel Oil......

Electricity) Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil..................

Electricity and Propane. ......

Other.... .....................

Percent Heated

Hot Heated.............. ......

1 to 50. ......................

51 to 99......................

100... ........................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ...................

1 to 50.......................

51 to 99......................

100. ..........................

161

800

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

116

178

258

63

32

38

55

206

55

71

408

425

102

54

159

q

164

460

82

43

30

84

59

143

136

539

271

267

121

217

5

191

481

57

58

16

sa

54

176

141

523

218

309

114

252

0

108

367

56

39

22

61

40

65

104

446

168

163

94

231

q

159

372

60

35

32

95

80

78

113

511

222

163

126

270

NC~Mo cases in sample.

Q=0ata withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note; Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information AdwinUtcation, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Us* Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Building* Energy Consumption Survey.

76 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 14. Number of Establishments in Building, 1983

All Buildings Buildings Containing the Following Number of Establishments:

One

I

Number of I

More than One

I

Number of I

None!Vacant)

I

Number of I

Building Characteristics

Number of

Buildings ISquare Feett Buildings ISquare Feetl Buildings (Square Feet I Buildings (Square Feet 

l( thousands (Kmillions) I (thousands ) I (mi 11 ions ) I (thousands ) I (mi llions ) I (thousands ) I (»i 11 ions I 

I_________I I_________I_________I______I_________I_________I_________

All Buildings...................... 5,948 52,325 3,160 35,227

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 2,940 209 1,812

1901 to 1920..................... 388 5,453 306 3,833

1921 to 1945. .................... 726 8,639 577 6,197

1946 to 1960..................... 946 9,612 782 7,273

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 604 6,827

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 170 2,452

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 413 4,490

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 100 2,342

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 1,925 4,077

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246 537 3,870

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912 408 6,563

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 166 5,710

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168 76 5,031

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642 32 4,222

Over 200,000..................... 29 11,757 16 5,753

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 406 4,352

Educational...................... 177 6,044 164 5,640

Food Sales/Service............... 380 2,051 339 1,751

Health Care...................... 61 2,277 56 2,053

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 94 1,819

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10,427 925 6,334

Office........................... 575 8,454 363 3,466

Residential...................... 236 2,454 172 1,307

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791 367 5,460

Other............................ 179 2,760 157 1,801

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 118 1,245

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 11,615 507 7,137

North Central.................... 1,211 16,059 966 12,203

South............................ 1,493 17,049 1,237 11,258

West............................. 574 7,602 431 4,629

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 1,758 24,373

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 1,402 10,853

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 5,725 319 4,207

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 16,965 921 11,807 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 13,793 833 8,847 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 7,496 553 5,262

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 535 5,103

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 264 5,703

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 2,896 29,524

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 51,359 3,081 34,926

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 37,090 1,835 24,588

Fuel Oil......................... 633 13,313 529 9,258

Propane.......................... 260 3,007 228 2,443

Purchased Steam.................. 60 4,594 50 3,237

Other............................ 245 3,997 213 2,828

645

69

63

111

127

101

38

105

33

227

165

148

50

26

17

12

51

q

42

5

13

145

212

63

59

21

22

144

186

193

122

420

225

84 

199 

150

88 

q

74

571

639

450

97

29

10

27

15,623

1,034

1,405

2,096

2,131

2,971

912

2,012

3,063

613

1,202

2,212

1,795

1,794

2,303

5,704

1,131

404

300

224

422

4,093

4,988

1,148

1,331

955

626

4,165

3,483

5,273

2,703

12,169

3,454

1,320

4,712

4,672

1,841

3,078

4,289

11,333

15,540

12,047

3,873

541

1,299

1,083

14Z

q 

20 

38 

37 

16q 

q

8

96q 

11

6

5

q 

1

142

19

38

63

q

76

66

q

33

34

37

q

q

134

62

28

q 

q 

Q

q

1,475

q

215 

346

q 

150

q

q

270

218 

q

137

187

342

q

300

1,471

313

374

518

q

1,045

431

q

446

273

393

165

q

1,368

893

455

182

q

q

q

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 77
Table 14. Number of Establishments in Building, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Number of

Buildings Containing the Following Number of Establishments:

One

I 

Number of I

More than One

I 

Number of I

None! Vacant (

I 

Number of I

Building Characteristics

Buildings (Square Feetl Buildings I Square Feetl Buildings (Square Feet I Buildings (Square Feet 

I(thousands)!(millions) I<thousandsU(mi 11 ions ) |(thousands)I(mi Hions) j(thousands ) I(Millions ) 

I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_________

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used. ...................

Electri ity. .....................

flpctri ity and Natural Gas......

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil.....................

Other............................

Percant Heated

Hot Heated.......................

1 to 50...... ....................

51 to 99.........................

100... ...........................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50.. ........................

51 to 99.........................

100....... .......................

161

eoo

1,939

319

207

138

363

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

935

6,518

24,861

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

6,266

35,175

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

76

659

1,545

277

151

118

333

298

441

445

1,976

1,054

815

390

901

293

4,459

16,373

2,243

4,502

631

6,726

1,621

4,457

5,173

23,975

7,241

12,420

5,954

9,611

q

118

369

37

55

18

43

34

70

Hi

429

131

177

116

221

q

1,773

8,193

615

2,356

99

2,524

416

1,356

2,999

10,652

1,440

3,772

4,250

6,161

79

23

25

q

q

q

Q

107

q

q

22

119

q

q

7

580

285

297

q

q

q

158

934

q

95

347

1,120

143

129

83

HC=Ho coses in sample.

q Data withheld either because the RSE Has greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

»-||i'mbers of fewer th»n 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data nay not sun to total* due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Us* Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

78 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 15. Government Owned and Occupied Buildings, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

ISquare

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ItmilBuildings Occupied by an Agency of'*

Government 

(Total)

ISquare

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l(milFederal 

Government

I

ISquare

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milState 

Government

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings KmilLocal 

Government

I

ISquare

Number of I Feet 

Buildings KmilBu i1d i ngs Owned 

by Government

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings KnilII thousands UlionslK thousands) I lions 11( thousands ) I lions ) I (thousands) I lions) I (thousands) I lions) II thousands) I lions) 

J________I I________i I________I I________I I________I I________I

All Buildings.............. 1,948 52,325 346 10,099 60 3,117 104 3,355 217 4,929 360 9,920

Year Constructed

1900 or Before........... 288 2,940 17 385 Q 9 Q 9 9 284 14 350

1901 to 1920............. 388 5,453 25 693 9 9 9 265 17 380 31 680

1921 to 1945............. 726 8,639 64 1,651 10 354 17 544 41 908 71 1,888

19<( 6 to 1960. ............ 946 9,612 78 1,810 13 624 30 645 42 818 79 1,737

1961 to 1970............. 721 9,947 65 2,077 7 438 19 694 44 1,236 70 2,164

1971 to 1973............. 209 3,442 19 713 1 155 Q 247 14 384 18 728

1974 to 1979............. 530 6,616 58 1,195 12 326 18 433 36 637 56 1,223

1980 to 1983............. 140 5,675 20 04 Q 5 Q 12 281 22 1,150

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less............ 2,248 4,908 153 327 24 53 33 58 104 228 155 310

5.001 to 10,000.. ........ 725 5,246 51 378 Q q 14 102 33 248 50 374

10,001 to 25,000......... 567 8,912 61 959 12 179 26 442 32 483 59 914

J5,001 to 50,000......... 222 7,692 39 1,356 5 176 15 549 22 765 46 1,586

50,001 to 100,000........ 107 7,168 23 1,551 3 215 9 633 15 997 30 2,026

100,001 to 200,000....... 50 6,642 11 1,636 2 215 3 459 8 1,123 13 1.872

Over 200,000.. ........... 29 11,757 8 3,893 4 <J 3 1,113 3 1,085 7 Z,

Principal Activity Within

BUTIding

Assembly. ................ 457 5,483 46 651 q Q Q q 35 417 50 1,150

Educational.............. 177 6,044 57 2,625 Q Q 18 728 43 2,031 85 4,007

Health 

Food Sales/Service....... 

Care.............. 

380 

61 

2,051 

2,277 13 

aaqQQQQQQ

552 q 158 Q 287 10 262 9 500

Lodging. ................. 106 2,241 Q 258 q Q Q 9 Q Q 9 296

Mercantile/Services...... 1,071 10,427 32 9 21 q 9 9 9 212 16 220

Office................... 575 8,454 79 2,197 14 1,054 30 861 46 722 59 1,308

Residential.............. 236 2,454 q Q Q QQ QQ QQ 9

Warehouse................ 425 6,791 20 373 q q Q q 13 149 20 225

Other.................... 179 2,760 57 1.282 q 9 20 566 39 742 61 1,361

Vacant................... 281 3,342 26 400 Q q q q 16 q 35 632

Onsus Region

Morthrast................ 670 11,615 61 2,245 15 609 15 882 39 1,009 62 2,133

North Central............ 1,211 16,059 99 2,917 9 442 27 951 70 1,734 102 3,070

Sout:i. ................... 1,493 17,049 127 3,555 26 q 40 1,037 74 1,397 132 3,171

West..................... 574 7,602 59 1,382 10 288 22 486 34 789 63 1,547

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan............. 2,255 37,587 191 6,957 30 2,053 58 2,470 123 3,405 201 7,181

llonmetropolitan.......... 1,693 14,738 155 3,142 29 q 46 886 94 1,524 159 2,739

Annual Heating (HDD) and 

Cooling Degree-Days (CDDI

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD 421 5,725 39 1,310 q 117 13 q 22 743 41 1,249

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-

7,000 HDD................ 1,153 16,965 113 3,218 22 546 27 1,239 77 1,702 113 3,292

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-

5,499 HDD................ 1,016 13,793 89 3,420 9 q 28 623 54 1,384 95 2,711

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD 678 7,496 58 1,106 9 351 18 540 37 663 57 1,175

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD 679 8,346 9 1,046 q q q q q 436 q 9

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

None..................... 142 1,475 q q q 99 99 9 16 231

Single Establishment..... 3,160 35,227 264 5,703 32 822 73 1,855 176 3,477 298 7,277

Multi-Establishment...... 645 15,623 74 4,289 23 9 31 1,483 37 1,428 46 2,412

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 79
Table 15. Government Owned and Occupied Buildings, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milBuildings Occupied by an Agency of:

Government 

(Total)

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings I(milFederal 

Government

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((nilState 

Government

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings I(milLocal 

Government

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milBuildings Owned 

by Government

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings IfmilHthousandslllionsHl thousands HlionslK thousands) IIionslH thousands )llions)l( thousands 111ions >I< thousands)11 ions) 

J________I I________I I________I I________I I________I I________I

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied...... 3-46 10,099 346 10,099 60 3,117 104 3,355 217 4,929 260 7,009

Not Government Occupied.. 3,602 42,225 -- -- 99 2,911

Fuels Used Alone or in

Combination

Electricity.............. 3,783 51,359 336 9,996 60 3,110 100 3,353 212 4,833 341 9,693

Natural Gas.............. 2,314 37,090 186 6,957 27 q 61 2,044 121 3,321 182 6,334

Fuel Oil................. 633 13,313 67 3,245 9 845 16 1,331 48 1,556 73 3,232

Propane.................. 260 3,007 20 366 Q Q q q 6 273 15 484

Purchased Steam.......... 60 4,594 18 1,576 2 521- 12 698 q 492 22 1,686

Other.................... 245 3,997 32 1,424 9 347 11 757 14 409 33 1,520

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used............ 161 935 q q q q q q q q 19 223

Electri ity.............. 800 6,518 77 1,059 13 196 18 283 52 738 83 1,094

Electri ity and Natural

Gas.... ................. 1,939 24,863 142 4,014 24 q 45 1,093 94 1,781 136 3,516

Electri ity and Fuel Oil. 319 2,911 33 366 q q 6 194 27 253 37 466

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. ............ 207 6,953 20 1,704 1 496 5 552 IS 957 22 1,468

Electricity and Propane.. 138 736 q q q q q q q q q q 

Other.................... 383 9,409 53 2,797 13 707 21 1,203 21 1,082 57 3,095

Percent Heated

Not Heated............... 440 2,971 37 327 q q q q 23 q SO 479

1 to 50.................. 517 5,913 34 569 q 171 q q 22 341 35 502

51 to 99................. 564 8,266 41 1,648 11 824 14 391 24 616 31 1,383

100...................... 2,427 35,175 234 7,556 35 q 75 2,801 148 3,724 244 7,556

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled............... 1,304 9,802 135 1,647 20 288 33 441 87 1,054 167 2,219

1 to 50.................. 1,004 16,335 68 2,580 9 316 22 1,068 45 1,445 71 3,105

51 to 99................. 510 10,333 51 2,497 10 949 17 746 33 1,187 40 2,002

100...................... 1,129 15,855 92 3,376 20 q 33 1,100 52 1,243 82 2,595

NC=No cases in sample.

q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings Here sampled.

*=Nurabers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not sum to totals because buildings may have multiple government occupancy. See Glossary for definition of terms used in

this report. ...

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

80 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 16. Energy Sources Supplied to Building, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Number of Buildings (thousands) Using:

Building Characteristics

I I 

I I

1 I I I I I

Ull BuildingslElectricitylNatural GaslFuel Oil I Propane I Steaa

| ___________ | ______ J _________ | _______ | ______ |

I I I

I Hood I Coal I Other

All Buildings...................... 3,946 1,763 £.314 633 260 60 134 55 105

Year Constructed

1900 or Before............. ...... 283 280 198 80 Q Q Q Q Q

1901 to 1920.............. ....... 388 370 266 79 24 7 q q 9

1931 to 1945..................... 726 689 481 140 35 17 q 15 18

1946 to 1960. .................... 946 882 54i 161 72 20 38 Q 18

1961 to 1970..................... 721 702 410 88 33 9 q Q 17

1971 to 1973..................... 809 207 106 30 24 Q Q Q Q

1974 to 1979. .................... 530 517 233 44 43 1 q Q 21

1980 to 1983. .................... 140 135 75 9 7 2 q Q 7

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less. ................... 2,248 2,120 1,155 306 168 Q 101 9 49

5.001 to 10,000.. ................ 725 704 481 124 42 Q Q Q 22

10,001 to 25,000. ................ 567 561 387 112 32 13 Q Q 16

25,001 to 50,000. ................ 222 216 158 40 9 13 Q Q 7

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 104 73 22 3 9 Q Q 5

100,001 to 200,000... ............ 50 49 39 15 4 5 Q 0 2

Over 200,000.. ................... 29 29 22 13 2 6 Q * 3

Principal Activity Mithin Building

Assembly. ........................ 457 452 271 97 51 8 q q 3

Educational...................... 177 177 115 37 7 8 NC 4 4

Food Sales/Service...... ......... 380 380 235 43 41 q q q Q

Health Car*..... ................. 61 59 37 14 Q Q NC q 2

Lodging.......... ................ 106 106 67 17 12 10 q q q

Mercantile/Services..... ......... 1,071 1,059 ._ 67* 194 75 3 51 Q 30

Office........................... 575 575 " 35^ 76 16 9 q q 17

Residential...................... 236 235 187 60 q q q NC q

Warehouse. ....................... 425 367 198 50 20 q q q q

Oth*-............................ 179 169 73 26 q 6 q q 15

Vacant............ ............... 281 183 103 q q 5 q q 8

Census Region

Northeast. ....................... 670 651 444 257 q 17 q q 29

North Central.... ................ 1,211 1,161 912 123 70 22 q 23 32

South. ........................... 1,493 1,420 6?0 206 144 11 55 24 28

West... .......................... 574 551 339 46 18 11 31 q 16

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..... ................ 2,255 2,175 1.5J5 324 70 51 27 4 46

Nonmetropoli tan. ................. 1,693 1,608 779 309 189 9 107 51 59

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Dpgree-Days (COD)

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 401 250 106 q 13 q q q

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 1,114 829 191 q 29 34 Q 34 

<2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 974 606 234 54 10 42 q 24 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 638 390 q q q q q 6

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 655 239 q 77 q q q q

Number of Establishments in

Bui Id ing

None. ............................ 142 62 28 q q q NC Q Q

Single Establishment.. ........... 3,160 3,081 1,835 529 228 50 125 50 82

Multi-Establishment. ............. 645 639 450 97 29 10 q q 18

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied. ............. 346 336 186 67 20 18 q 10 22

Hot Government Occupied. ......... 3,602 3,446 2,128 566 240 42 129 45 83

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity. ..................... 3,783 3,783 2,311 631 260 60 134 55 105

natural Gas. ..................... 2,314 2,311 2,314 230 40 28 37 17 57

Fuel Oil. ........................ 633 631 230 633 61 5 42 q q

Propane. ......................... 260 260 40 61 260 q q q 15

Purchased Steaai. ................. 60 60 28 5 q 60 NC q 6

Other. ........................... 245 245 100 56 41 6 134 55 105

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 81
Table 16. Energy Sources Supplied to Building, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

Percent Heated

51 to 99......................

Percent Cooled

1 

1

1

1

1 

1

1

1

Number of Buildings (thousands)

1 1

IA11 BuildingslElectricitylNatural Gas 1 Fuel

1

517

510

1

278

516

563

2 Apt

1,1<|0

1,129

| |

53

367

663

1 1

Oi 11 Propane t

1

248

128

|

q

168

92

67

Steam

q

48

18

19

14

Using:

1 1

1 Mood 1

1 I

Q

q

86

q

q

q

1

Coal 1

|

q

q

27

36

12

0

Other

17

73

30

23

rJC=No cases in sample.

Q-Data withheld either because the RSE Mas greater than 50Xi or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

*-Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not SUM to totals because of multiple energy sources in use. See Glossary for definition of terns 

used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

lha 1963 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

82 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Table 17. Fuel Oil Tanks and Total Tank Capacity, 1983

Building Characteristics

All Buildings 

( thousands )

Buildings with Fuel Oil as Energy Source*

Number of 

Buildings 

( thousands )

I 

I

I Number of Tanks 

I ( thousands I 

1

Total Tank Capacity 

(•illion gallons)

All Buildings. 3,946

Year Constructed

1900 or Before.

1901 to 1920... 

1921 to 1945... 

19'(6 to 1960. . . 

1961 to 1970... 

1971 to 1975... 

197* to 1979... 

I960 to 1983...

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.........

5.001 to 10,000.......

10,001 to 25,000......

25,001 to 50,000......

50,001 to 100,000. ....

100,001 to 200,000....

Over 200,000..........

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Educational......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodgi ng ..........................

Mercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region 

Northeast.....

Horth Central. 

South.........

West..........

Metropolitan Status 

Metropoli tan......

Nonme t ropoli tan...

Atw^ual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Dcgi ee-Dnys (COD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD......

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD.

'2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD.

'2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD......

•2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD......

Number of Establishments 

but Iding

Hone...................

Single Establishment...

Multi-Establishment....

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..... 

Not Government Occupied.

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Elcctricity......................

Natura1 Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

633 733 1,610

286

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

eo

79

140

161

68

30

44

9

306

124

112

40

22

15

13

97

37

43

14

17

194

76

60

50

26

Q

257

123

206

46

324

309

106

191

234

Q

Q

q

529

97

67

566

631

230

633

61

5

56

96

96

169

171

91

46

51

12

300

165

156

51

26

18

18

118

49

56

14

21

224

85

70

48

31

17

318

129

236

50

384

349

133

197

289

Q

q

q

602

124

76

658

733

251

733

91

3

68

104

215

255

495

222

63

149

107

214

248

329

170

246

169

235

138

298

26

105

q

208

282

97

130

156

47

794

291

376

150

994

617

334

508

558

115

q

23

1,217

370

420

1,190

1,606

899

1,610

140

q

154

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 83
Table 17. Fuel Oil Tanks and Total Tank Capacity, 1983 (Continued)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings 

( thousands )

Buildings with Fuel Oil as Energy Source*

Number of 

Bui Idings 

( thousands )

I 

I 

I Number of Tanks 

I ( thousands ) 

I

Total Tank Capacity 

(million gallons)

Fuel Combinations Used 

Ho Fuels Used.................... 

Electricity. .....................

Electricity and Natural 6as......

Electricity and Fuel Oil.........

Electricity, Natural Gas»

and Fuel Oil. ....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other ............................

Percent Heated

Hot Heated.......................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99.........................

100.............. ................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.........................

100...... ........................

161

800

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

--

—

319

207

—

107

0

87

100

441

246

180

77

1£8

--

—

367

231

—

136

Q

89

137

501

282

203

91

157

--

—

459

791

—

360

Q

111

851

1,211

488

496

302

324

HC=Ho cases in sample.

Q=Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

 -Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or tanks, or fewer than 500,000 gallons are rounded to zero. 

Note: Sec Glossary for definition of terns used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

84 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 18. Changes in Usage of Natural Gas Between 1979 and 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which Natural Gas Was: 

All Buildings _________________________ _____ _____

Constructed I I I 

No Later Than I I Dropped Since I

1979 I Used in 1979 (Added Since 19791 1979 I Used in 1983 

_____________I________________I___________I______________I________

All Buildings......................

fear Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1920.....................

mi to 1945.....................

1946 to 1960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

1974 to 1979.....................

Square Footage Category

5*000 or Less....................

5,001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over 200,000.....................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Educational......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodg i ng..........................

Mercant ile/S«rv i ces..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse.........,..,,,.,...,...

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.............................

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Nonmetropoli tan. .................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

'2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HOD........

Number of Establishments in 

BuiIding

(lone.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Not Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Natural Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

3,790

287 

38J 

742 

961 

713 

203 

502

2,195

699

529

205

94

45

23

447

167

367

57

102

1,043

543

235

403

158

267

654

1,171

1,424

541

2,147

1,644

403

1,121

994

648

625

126

3,050

615

334

3,457

3,632

2,241

624

241

59

240

2,184

200

285

498

515

395

108

183

1,100

447

369

148

67

34

18

260

107

212

34

56

641

321

179

159

65

149

426

876

567

315

1,476

708

238

807

579

366

194

68

1,712

404

183

2,001

2,130

2,021

202

30

31

90

220

q 

18 

47 

62 

33

7 

41

127

42

29

13

5

2

1

25 

Q

q

q

q

49

26

q

49

q 

q

39

60

90

31

109

111

13

50

65

46

q

q

179 

40

15

206

220

220

40

q

6

10

163

q

38

44

33

20

q

q

86

q

34

14

8

q

i

q q q q 

q

29

15

q

q

q

59

29

43

66

25

106

57

q

40

52

39

q

43

107

q

12

151

112

19

q

9

q

2,241

202

265

500

545

408

105

216

1,141

469

364

148

65

36

18

268

114

227

36

64

661

333

188

187

63

99

436

892

592

322

1,480

761

240

817

592

373

220

26

1,785

431

186

2,056

2,238

2,241

223

35

27

95

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 85
Table 18. Changes in Usage of Natural Gas Between 1979 and 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings 

Constructed 

No Later Than 

1979

Number of Buildings ( thousands )

1 1 

1 1 

Used in 1979 lAdded Since 19791 

1 1

in Which Natural

Dropped Since 

1979

1 

1 

1 

1

Gas Mas

Used in 1983

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used. ...................

Electricity and Natural Gas ......

Electricity) Natural Gas>

and Fuel Oil.....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other............................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50.. ........................

51 to 99.........................

100.. ............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.... .....................

100....... .......................

154

740

1,885

317

199

123

372

410

507

550

2,323

1,265

980

479

1,067

51

71

1,726

19

167

q

141

101

294

345

1,444

618

6B4

290

592

—

—

159

—

32

—

29

0

35

28

138

61

52

33

75

51

71

--

19

--

q

13

74

q

q

55

97

20

18

q

—

—

1,885

—

199

—

157

46

311

357

1,527

582

715

305

639

NC=No cases in sample.

q=Data withheld either because the RSE Mas greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

"^Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not sum to totals due to non-exclusive categories. Numbers in this table may show slight 

inconsistencies with other tables due to the use of longitudinally adjusted weights (see Appendix 61. See Glossary for 

definition of terms used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

86 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 19. Changes in Usage of Fuel Oil Between 1979 and 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

BuiIding Characteristic*

iI All Buildings 

I Constructed 

I No l*tcr than 

I 1979 

I ___________

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which Fuel Oil Has:

I I I 

I I Dropped Since I

Used in 1979 Udded Since 19791 1979 I Used in 1983 

_________I______________I______________I_____________

Ail BuiIdings ......................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before......;............

1<?01 to 1920. ....................

1921 to 1945.....................

1946 to 1960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 197J.....................

1974 to 1979.....................

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less....................

5.001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over ZOO,000.....................

Principal Activity Mi thin Building 

Assembly.........................

Educational......................

Food Seles/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodging..........................

Mercant ile/Servi CM..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.............................

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Nonmetropoli tan..................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (CDD)

'2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

-2,000 CDO and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

-,-,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 

<;,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

-?,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

Number of Establishments in 

Bu i1d i ng

Hone.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Not Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Natural Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

3,790

287

383

742

961

713

203

502

2,195

699

529

205

94

45

23

447

167

367

57

102

1,043

543

235

403

158

267

654

1,171

1,424

541

2,147

1,644

403

1,121

994

648

625

3,050

615

334

3,457

3,632

2,241

624

241

58

240

783

95

87

190

213

111

34

53

387

165

133

51

23

13

9

131

50

49

12

18

233

78

75

58

30

47

296

181

240

66

394

389

132

243

287

q

q

q

626 

128

82

701

760

302

568

74

14

71

56

q

q

q

17

14

q

2

31

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q

q 

q 

q 

Q q 22 

8 

q 

q 

q 

q

15

17

21

q

29

27

q

23

10

8

9

q

50

6

q 

48

55

36

56

Q

3

12

215

23

15

55

66

36

q 

q

114

49

29

15

5

2

1

37

15

q

q

q

60

18

q

15

q

q

52

78

62

23

107

107

q 

70 

69

q 

q

q

152 

40

26

169

192

115

Q 

12 

26

624

77

82

142

164

89

28

44

304

124

110

41

21

14

10

95

38

43

14

16

195

69

62

49

24

q

258

120

200

46

315

309

103

195

228

q

Q

q

524 

94

64

561

623

223

624

61

5

57

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 87
Table 19. Changes in Usage of Fuel Oil Between 1979 and 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings

Constructed 

Mo later than 

1979

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which Fu

1 1 

1 1 Dropped Since 

Used in 1979 (Added Since 19791 1979 

1 1

cl Oil Has:

1 

1 

1 Used in 1983

1

fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used. ...................

Electri i ty. .....................

Electri i ty and Natural Gas......

Electri ity and Fuel Oil.........

Electri ity. Natural Gas.

and Fuel Oil.....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other. ...........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated.. .....................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.......... ...............

100....... .......................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50... .......................

51 to 99.........................

100.. ............................

154

740

1,685

317

199

123

372

410

507

550

2,323

1,265

980

479

1,067

9

39

103

305

172

q

130

37

99

120

527

332

206

86

160

—

--

—

12

28

—

16

q

q

q

40

21

19

a

8

q

39

103

—

-_

q

38

34

24

23

134

106

45

IB

45

__

--

__

317

199

—

108

q

88

100

433

246

180

75

123

ther because the RSE was greater than SOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

 --Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero. ... , u, ,_. -u_Kt 

ttote: Columns do not sum to totals due to non-exclusive categories. Numbers in th,s table may show slight 

incogs levies with other table, due to the us. of longitudinally adjusted -eights (see Append.x 6,. See Glossary for

""'soured Ine^rrfor^ion^rslration, Office of Energy Market, and End Use, Energy End Us. Division, 

The 198S Nonresidential Building. Energy Consumption Survey.

88 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 20. End Uses of Energy Sources, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All 

BuiIdings

Number of Buildings (thousands I that Us* Energy for:

i i i i i

Space I Hater I I I Manufac- (Electricity 

Heating I Heating I Cooling I Cooking I turing (Generation 

________I_________I_________I_________I_________I_______

All Building*...................... 3,948 3,507 2,931 2,636 1,468

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 268 232 175 152

1901 to 1920..................... 388 355 892 247 168

1921 to 1945..................... 726 633 500 433 246

1946 to I960..................... 946 813 642 596 307

1961 to 1970.... ................. 721 649 554 530 249

1971 to 1973..................... 209 199 176 150 80

1974 to 1979..................... 530 466 414 391 207

1980 to 1983..................... 140 125 121 113 58

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 1,903 1,489 1,340 719

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 680 577 519 286

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 541 499 444 235

25,001 to 50,000. ................ 222 207 196 178 118

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 101 96 88 58

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 47 48 41 33

Over 200,000..................... 29 28 27 27 18

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 443 375 293 288

Education*-]....................... 177 177 158 130 108

Food Sales/Service............... 380 367 343 314 285

Health C»re...................... 61 61 57 55 27

Lodging. ......................... 106 102 102 79 81

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 982 701 659 160

Office........................... 575 566 509 524 170

Resident!*!...................... 236 235 229 164 195

Warehouse........................ 425 299 238 226 56

Other. ........................... 179 140 108 98 57

V*c»nt........................... 281 136 109 94 41

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 627 583 444 328

North Central.................... 1,211 1,113 942 801 463

South............................ 1,493 1,279 969 1,106 470

Hest............................. 574 489 437 285 206

Metropolitan Status

Hi thin SMSA'».................... 2,255 2,036 1,784 1,589 674

Outside SMSA's................... 1,693 1,471 1,148 1,047 594

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Hrgree-Onys (COD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 382 338 233 200

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 1,082 945 713 458 

<2,000 CDO and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 912 763 685 381 

<2,000 CDO and <4,000 HDD........ 678 553 422 441 203

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 579 463 564 225

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

Vocant........................... 142 35 30 23 q

Single Establishment............. 3,160 2,862 2,356 2,099 1,194

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 611 54S 514 271

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 306 269 210 134

Hot Government Occupied.......... 3,602 3,199 2,662 2,426 1,334

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 3,504 2,929 2,636 1,466

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 2,260 2,000 1,717 1,029

Fuel Oil......................... 633 627 520 384 280

Propane.......................... 260 251 179 166 127

Purchased Steam.................. 60 60 56 43 28

Other............................ 245 241 175 122 106

388

24

40

74

97

74

17

53

201

66

71

25

16

7

3

q 

7

30 

Q 

q

169

35

Q

66 

17 

10

74

132

112

69

255

133

q 113

97

61

q

NC

325

63

18

369

387

268

57

29

3

34

108

q

10

8

17

29

14

21

8

40

q

20

12

6

7

a

3

6

q

8

3

19

20

q

q

27

7

24

35

40

9

61

47

q

34

36

8

q

q

89

15

24

64

108

63

49

20

6

42

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 89
Table 20. End Uses of Energy Sources, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All 

Bui Idings

Number of Buildings (thousands) that

I 

Space I 

Heating I

I

Mater 

Heating

I 

I

I Cooling 

I

I 

I 

I Cooking 

I

Use Energy

I 

I 

I 

|

Manufac 

turing

for:

I 

I Electrici ty 

(Generation 

I

Fuel Combinations Used

Ho Fuel Used. ..................

Electri i ty. ....................

Electri i ty and Natural Gas.....

Electri ity and Fuel Oil........

Electri ity t Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. ...................

Electricity and Propane. ........

Other. ..........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. .....................

1 to 50........... ..............

51 to 99........................

100.............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. .....................

1 to 50.........................

51 to 99........................

100. ............................

161

600

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

—

587

1,691

315

205

132

377

—

517

564

2,426

921

973

504

1,109

—

459

1,661

235

195

81

302

68

351

473

2,039

692

619

448

972

—

554

1,456

171

149

91

216

55

358

435

1,788

—

1,004

510

1,122

—

187

822

100

121

54

184

26

128

261

1,052

340

387

264

476

—

q

227

25

20

q

46

31

92

48

217

123

159

36

70

—

—

19

13

17

q

56

q

13

7

88

35

26

16

31

NC~No cases in sample.

Q DoU withheld cither because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings Mere sampled.

 -|Kii«l)»rs of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero. .

Mote: Columns do not SUM to total, because of multiple end uses. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this

^Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets end End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 196} Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

90 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 21. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings 

that Provide 

(All Buildings! Heat 

J_________I____________

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Space Heating Mas Obtained from:

I I I I I I I

lElectricitylNatural Gasl Fuel Oil I Propane I Steam I Hood I Coal I Other

J_________I______I________I_______I I I I

All Building*...................... J.948

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288

1901 to 1920..................... 388

1921 to 19*5..................... 726

1946 to 1960..................... 946

1961 to 1970..................... 721

1971 to 1973..................... 209

1974 to 1979..................... 530

1980 to 1983..................... 140

Square Footage Category

5.000 or less.................... 2,248

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725

10,001 to 25,000................. 567

25,001 to 50,000................. 222

50,001 to 100,000................ 107

100,001 to 200,000............... 50

Over 200,000..................... 29

Principal Activity Hithin Building

Assembly......................... 457

Educational...................... 177

Food Sales/Service............... 380

Health Care...................... 61

Lodg i ng.......................... 106

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071

Office........................... 575

Residenti al...................... 236

Warehouse........................ 425

Other............................ 179

Vacant........................... 281

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670

North Central.................... 1,211

South............................ 1,493

West............................. 574

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COO)

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD........ 421

<S,000 COD and 5,300-7,000 HDD... 1,153 

<2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 

<2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 678

 2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679

Number of Establishments in

Bui Iding

None............................. 142

Single Establishment............. 3,160

Multi-Establishment.............. 645

Government OcCLlpancy

Government Occupied.............. 346

Hot Government Occupied.......... 3,602

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783

Natural Gas...................... 2,314

tuel Oil......................... 633

Propane.......................... 260

Purchased Steam.................. 60

Other............................ 245

3,507

268

355

633

813

649

199

466

125

1,903

680

541

207

101

47

28

443

177

367

61

102

982

566

235

299

140

136

627

1,113

1,279

469

2,036

1,471

382 

,082 

S12 

553 

579

35

2,862

611

308

3,199

3,504

2,260

627

251

60

241

1,105

41

71

146

214

248

81

242

62

589

217

167

60

29

15

8

138

52

121

18

54

244

231

49

104

50

44

116

203

604

183

590

515

88

209

244

207

Q

10

882

213

102

1,003

1,105

361

100

75

5

60

2,011

177

236

414

467

361

94

197

64

1,020

433

322

131

59

30

15

245

102 i

204

33

43 

603 '

309 T is2;-

173 '. 

60 

87

348

854

527

281

1,313

697

231

762

501

325

191

20

1,613

378

163

1,848

2,006

2,011

119

28

5

79

566

76

76

128

147

73

26

36

3

287

114

99

33

17

10

6

89 

34 

42

7

13 

182 

65 

53 

45 

18

q

241

105

179

41

283

282

99

172

214

Q

474 

86

58

508

564 

189 

566

55 

q

48

161

q 

Q 

q

45

20

q

28

q

125 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q

30 

q

Q

q 

q

59

q 

q

13 

Q

q

56

84

q

42

119

Q

Q

26

q

46

q

143

q

q

147

161

15

13

161

q 

q

ss

q

5

16

18

8

q 

1 

q

q 

q

13

11

8

5

6

21

9,: 

9

47

7

12

27

10

q

q

q

45

9

17

38

55

24

3

q

55

5

115 46

91

9

Q 

q 

q 

NC 

q

q 

NC

q 

NC

q 

49

q

q 

q 

q

q

q

46

q

q 

96

40

q 

q

NC 

109

q

q

113

115

34

36

q

NC

115

See footnotes at end of table.

q 

4 

q 

q 

q 

q 

Q 

NC

q 

q 

q

q

22 

q 

q

3

45

q

47

q

7

42

48

14

q

q

q

48

38

q

3

NC 

q

0

12

10

8

q

17

20

9

15 

q 

q 

q

q

30 

q

5

33

38

22

q

q

3

34

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 91
Table 21. Energy Sources Used for Space Heating, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristic* All Buildings

All Buildings

that Provide 

Heat

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Space Heating Mas Obtained from:

I I I I I I 

ElectricitylNatural Gas I Fuel Oil I Propane I Steam I Mood I Coal 

I I till

I 

I Other

Fuel Combination* Used 

No Fuels Used............ 

Electricity.............. 

Elec ricity and Natural G 

Elec ricity and Fuel Oil. 

Elec ricity. Natural Gas*

Elec ricity and Propane..

Other ....................

Percent Heated

Mot Heated...............

1 to 50..................

51 to 99................ .

100.. ....................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled...............

1 to 50. .................

51 to 99.................

100......................

........ 161 

........ 800 

ai...... 1,939 

........ 319

........ 207

........ 138

........ 383

........ 4*0

........ 517

........ 56*

........ 8,427

........ 1,304

........ 1,004

........ 510

........ 1,129

587 

1,891 

315

205

132

377

—

517

564

2,426

921

973

504

1,109

58S 

315 

59

22

45

79

--

174

189

742

181

243

216

466

1,788 

108

—

114

--

285

328

1,398

SOS

648

284

574

300 

172

—

93

—

80

93

393

233

161

64

108

-

110

50

—

27

q

112

61

41

q

44

--

—

55

—

q

9

44

16

18

8

13

-

—

115

--

Q

q

60

77

q

q

q

-

—

48

_-

q

q

24

32

q

q

q

-

—

36

—

q

8

29

q

11

6

3

NC-Ho cases in sample.

q-0»la withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled, 

 -numbers of fewer thon 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Mote: Columns do not sum to totals due to multiple fuels for space heating. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidentiel Building* Energy Consumption Survey.

92 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 22. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Mater Heating Has Obtained from:

Building Characteristics (All Buildings I that 

All 

Heat 

Buildings 

WaterlElectricitylNatural 

I 

Gas 

I 

I Fuel Oil 

III 

I Propane I Steam I Other 

I___________I____________I_________I________J________I_______I______I

All Buildings...................... 3,948

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288

1901 to 1980 ..................... 388

1921 to 1945..................... 726

19'iS to I960.. ................... 946

1961 to 1970..................... 721

1971 to 1973..................... 209

1974 to 1979..................... 530

1980 to 1983..................... 140

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less. ................... 2.|248

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725

10,001 to 25,000................. 567

25,001 to 50,000................. 222

50,001 to 100,000................ 107

100,001 to 200,000............... 50

Over 200,000..................... 29

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457

Educational...................... 177

Food Sales/Service............... 380

Health Care...................... 61

Lodging.......................... 106

hercantile/Services.............. 1,071

Office........................... 575

Residential...................... 236

Warehouse........................ 425

Other............................ 179

Vacant........................... 281

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670

North Central.................... 1,211

South............................ 1,493

West............................. 574

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693

Annual Heating (HDD) »nd Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421

'2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678

>2,000 CDO and <4,000 HDD........ 679

fkimber of Establishments in

BuiIding

None............................. 142

Single Establishmant............. 3,160

ttulti -Establishment. ............. 645

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783

Natural Gas...................... 2,314

Fuel Oil......................... 633

Propane.......................... 260

Purchased Steam.................. 60

Other............................ 245

2,931

232

292

500

642

554

176

414

121

1,439

577

499

196

96

48

27

375

158

343

57

102

701

509

229

238

108

109

583

942

969

437

1,784

1,148

338

945

763

422

463

30

2,356

545

269

2,662

2,929

2,000

520

179

56

175

1,382

84

124

183

260

293

97

263

77

750

16 Z

225

80

38

17

10

206

60

155

23

36

346

256

53

139

52

56

197

356

611

218

720

662

156

366

346

203

19

1,115

248

120

1,262

1,382

598

268

106

10

88

1,403

132

157

282

334

244

62

146

46

659

i.1Z

251

112

48

28

13

160

87 

174

32

51

328 ' 

232 

154

96

41

50

303

574

313

213

988

414

156

543

349

220

136

10

,107

265

127

1,276

1,400

1,403

128

24

14

58

148

15

20

38

33

20

q

9

1

59

25

34

13

8

5

3

10

17

q

4

11

29

22

20

q

q 

q

103 

9

29 

q

100

48

22

47

65

q

q

q

117

30

20

128

147

55

148 

Q

q

14

54

36 

«

q q q q 

q

q q q q q q q q q 

NC

q

q

29

q

q

46

NC 

49

q

q 

50

54

q 

q

54

NC

q

32

q

3

7

10

7

q l 

1

NC 

q 8 

6

6

3

4

7

10

8

6

26

q

q 

10

q

26

5

13

19

32

12

2

q

32

4

22

4

18

21

q

6

16

22 

6 

8 

Q 

2

21

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

93
Table 22. Energy Sources Used for Water Heating, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Mater Heating Mas Obtained from:

Building Characteristics

All Buildings I I III

Ull Buildings I that Heat MaterJElectricity{Natural Gasl Fuel Oil I Propane I Steam I Other 

I___________I____________I_________I_________I________1_______I______I_____

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used. ........... 

Electri i ty .............. 

Electri ity and Natural G 

Electri ity and Fuel Oil. 

Electri ity, Natural Gas, 

and Fuel Oi I .............

Electricity and Propane..

Other. ...................

Percent Heated

Mot Heated.. .............

1 to 50. .................

51 to 99. ................

100. .....................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ..............

1 to 50...... ............

51 to 99.................

100.. ....................

........ 161 

........ 800 

as...... 1,939 

........ 319

........ 207

........ 138

........ 383

........ 440

........ 517

........ 564

........ 2,427

........ 1,304

........ 1,004

........ 510

........ 1,129

459 

1,661 

235

195

81

302

68

351

473

2,039

692

819

448

972

458 

522 

168

48

55

132

33

185

243

921

309

325

221

527

1,187 

119

—

97

28

152

219

1.003

328

453

201

420

74 

SO

—

23

q

13

25

104

43

52

29

24

--

27

27

4

q

q

39

q

q

q

20

--

—

32

q

q

2

29

8

8

5

11

-

—

22

NC

q

q

17

q

4

q

q

NC-Ho cases in sample. . -, .- i j

(J Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 building* were sampled.

 -IKwbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero. ,_,., , < t _ ,«.H ir.

Mote: Columns do not sum to totals due to multiple fuels for water heating. See Glossary for definition of terms used in

'Soured Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy HarKets and End Use, Energy End use Division, 

The 198J Noiiresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

94 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 23. Energy Sources Used for Cooling, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristic* All Buildings

All Buildings 

That Cool

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Cooling Was Obtained from:

i i

Electricity I Natural Gas I Other 

___________I____________I_________

All BuiIdings......................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1920.....................

1921 to 19*5.....................

1946 to 1960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

1974 to 1979.....................

1900 to 1983.....................

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less....................

5.001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over 200,000.....................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Educational......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodg i ng..........................

Mercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.............................

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Nonmetropoli tan..................

ArtfHjal Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

•2,000 COO and 5,500-7,000 HOD...

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

>2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........

,-Jimiber of Establishments in 

BuiIding

None.............................

S i ngle Es tabli shment.............

ttulti-Establishment... ...........

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Not Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electrici ty......................

Natural Gas......................

fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Pvirchased Stean. .................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,246

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

2,636

175

247

433

596

530

150

391

113

1,340

519

444

178

88

41

27

293

130

314

55

79

659

524

164

226

98

94

444

801

1,106

285

1,589

1,047

233

713

685

441

564

23

2,099

514

210

2,426

2,636

1,717

384

166

43

122

2,515

166

241

413

564

506

143

377

104

1,282

499

424

166

81

39

24

262

123

303

53

77

640

488

154

208

97

69

417

755

1,079

264

1,502

1,012

222

665

651

420

556

20

2,006

486

201

2,313

2,515

1,602

374

163

38

115

141

q

Q 

26 

37 

29

7 

IB

8

74

27

18

12

7

2

2

q 7

20

1

q

26

42

q

19

q

q

26

51

32

31

106

34

q 

52 

32 

35

q

q

108

33

10

130

140

141

5

q 

q

2

21

14

7

q 

15

3

7

14

21

13

6

q

5

11

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 95
Table 23. Energy Sources Used for Cooling, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings 

That Cool

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Nhich 

Energy for Cooling Mas Obtained froTM:

I I 

Electricity I Natural Ba* I Other

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used. ...................

Electricity. .....................

Electricity and Natural Gas......

Electricity* Natural Gas*

arid Fuel Oil.....................

Other............................

Pp.rcont Heated

Hot Heated. ......................

1 to SO. .........................

51 to 99........ .................

100............. .................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled .......................

1 to 50... .......................

51 to 99.........................

100... ...........................

161

800

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

—

554

1,456

171

149

91

216

55

358

435

1,788

—

1,004

510

1,122

—

553

1,353

169

142

90

207

55

343

413

1,703

—

968

479

1,066

--

—

133

—

4

—

3

q

18

27

95

—

40

31

70

_-

—

--

0

2

Q

13

q

q

5

15

—

2

9

10

llr=Mo cases in sample.

q Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

" numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to *«ro.

Nnte: Columns do not sum to totals due to multiple fuels for cooling. See Glossary for definition of terms used 

in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Building* Energy Consumption Survey.

96 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 24. Energy Sources Used for Cooking, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings

MIth. Provision

for Cooking

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Cooking Has Obtained fro»:

I I I

Electricity I Natural Sas I Propane I Other 

____________I_____________I_____________I_________

All Bu iId i ngs......................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1920.....................

1921 to 1945. ....................

19<t6 to 1960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

197* to 1979.....................

1980 to 1983.....................

Sqviare Footage Category

5.000 or Less....................

5.001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to £00,000...............

Over 200,000.....................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Educa t i onal......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodg i ng..........................

Hercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse...................I..,,

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Korthenst........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.. ...........................

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Nonmetropoli tan..................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Drgree-Days (CDD )

<2,000 COO and >7,000 HOD........

>2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

MiM*l>«»r of Establishments in 

BuiIdtng

Hone.............................

Single Establishment.............

ttulti Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Hot Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Eiectrici ty......................

Natural Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

3,948

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,246

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

1,468

152

168

246

307

249

80

207

58

719

286

235

118

58

33

18

288

108

285

E7

81

160

170

195

56

57

41

328

463

470

206

874

594

200

458

381

203

225

q

1,194 

271

134

1,334

1,466

1,029

280

127

20

106

887

76

87

110

180

172

59

157

47

449

172

134

66

36

20

11

169

62

149

19

49

97

140

91

46

40

24

145

279

321

143

488

399

122

281

203

120

162

9

726

158

87

801

887

508

171

61

IS

69

656

77

90

148

136

96

19

73

17

296

130

110

61

29

19

13

105 

62

168 

12 

36 

71 

40

114 

IS 

13 

17

202

231

147

78

468

190

65

210

203

93

66

q

523 

135

57

601

656

656

105

10

15

30

80

Q 

Q

q

23q q Q 

9

29 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

a

q

q

50

9

19

61

q 

12

HC 

67 

13

t

74

80

q

34

80

q 

q

11

1

13

6

4

q

6

5

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 97
Table 24. Energy Sources Used for Cooking, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings

with Provision 

All Buildings 1 for Cooking 

1

Number of Buildings ( thousands 1 in Which 

Energy for Cooking Mas Obtained from:

1 1 1 

Electricity 1 Natural Gas 1 Propane 1 

1 1 1

Other

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used. ...................

Elrctri i ty. .....................

Elect ri i ty and Fuel Oil.........

Electri ity» Natural Gag r

and Fuel Oil.....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other............................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99... ......................

100..............................

Percent Cooled

(lot Cooled. ......................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99. ........................

100.. ............................

161

800

1,939

319

207

136

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

—

187

822

100

121

54

184

26

128

261

1,052

340

387

264

476

—

186

426

96

43

26

105

20

89

156

620

200

206

180

301

—

—

504

—

96

—

56

q

48

107

496

134

213

107

203

—

—

—

—

—

37

43

q

q

20

53

21

14

16

29

—

—

—

q

1

—

10

q

q

*

10

q

q

I

5

HC^Ho cases in sample.

Q-flata Mithheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

•-Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not sun to totals du« to multiple fuels for cooking. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration. Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Us* Division, 

The 198} Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

98 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 25. Energy Sources Used for Manufacturing, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings

with 

Manufacturing

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Manufacturing Mas Obtained from'-

I I 

Electricity I Natural Gas I Other

All BuiIdings......................

Yesr Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1°01 to 1930.....................

19£1 to 1945.....................

1946 to 1960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

1974 to 1979. ....................

1980 to 1983.....................

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less....................

5.001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over 200,000.....................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Educational......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Car*......................

Lodg i ng..........................

Mercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse........................

Other... .........................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West....................... ......

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Honmetropoli tan. .................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Drgrpe-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

<2,000 CDO and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

 3,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

>2.000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

Nvmtber of Establishments in 

Bu i1d i ng

None.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Not Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alon* or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Natural Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

O ther............................

See footnotes at end of table.

3,948

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

388

24

40

74

97

74

17

53

8

201

66

71

25

16

7

3

q

7

30 

q 

q

169 

35 

q 

86 

17 

10

74

132

112

69

255

133

q

113

97

61

q

NC

325

63

18

369

387

268

57

29

3

34

317

IS 

34 

58 

79 

61 

16 

43

164

53

58

21

13

6

q q q q 

q

148

32

q 71

13

8

49

116

94

57

198

119

Q

68 

82 

46

NC

269

47

15

302

317

209

38

21

2

30

62

q 

q

16

21

12

q

Q

44

q 

q

5

4

2

1

Z*

4

«

15

q 

q

26

28

10

17

66

16

7

35

16

15

q

NC 

 I

22

I

SO

82ez

9

q q 

q

26

NC q q q q q 

q

NC

7

q 

q

5

q 

16

q

NC 

25

q

24

24

8

16

8

q 

q

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

99
Table 25. Energy Sources Used for Manufacturing, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings

with 

Manufacturing

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which 

Energy for Manufacturing Mas Obtained from*

I I 

Electricity I Natural Gas I Other 

I I

Fuel Combinations Used

Mo Fuels Used....................

Electricity. .....................

Electricity and Natural Gat......

Electricity and Fuel Oil.........

Electricityt Natural Gasi

and Fuel Oil.....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other............................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.. .......................

100..............................

Percent Cooled

Hot Cooled. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.........................

100.... ..........................

161

800

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

—

q

227

25

20

q

46

31

92

48

217

123

159

36

70

—

q

163

21

9

9

39

q

76

41

174

102

133

25

57

—

—

69

—

a

—

5

9

12

9

52

24

29

12

17

—

—

—

Q

Q

0

9

NC

11

Q

14

q

11

q

q

HC=Ho cases in sample.

Q=0ata withheld either bec«u»e the RSE was greater than SO'/., or fewer than 20 buildings were tampled.

«=lkmbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Mote: Columns do not six to totals due to Multiple fuels for nanufacturing. See Glossary for definition of terns 

used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use> Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption survey.

100 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 26. Energy Sources Used for Electricity Generation, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings

with Capacity

to Generate

Electrici ty

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which Energy 

for Electricity Generation Mas Obtained fro*:

I

Natural Gas I Fuel Oil 

____________ I

Other

All Buildings......................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1930.....................

1921 to 1945.....................

19^6 to I960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

1974 to 1979.....................

1980 to 1983.....................

Square Footage Category

5*000 or Less....................

5,001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over 200,000.....................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly. ........................

Educational......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health C»re......................

Loclgi ng..........................

Mercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Res i dent i al......................

Warehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.............................

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan.....................

Nonratropoli tan..................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

•2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

Nuirber of Establishments in 

BuiIding

None.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Not Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Natural Ga». .....................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

3,948

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

108

Q 

10

8 

17 

29 

14 

21

6

40

q

20

12

6

7

8

3 

6 

Q 

8 

3

19

20

q 

Q 

27

7

24

35

40

9

61

47

q

34

36

8

q

q

89

15

24

108

63

49

20

6

42

Q q q 

q

14

q 

q

3

q

11

q

24

8

q 11 6 

q 

q

q

30

2

5

27

33

33q q q 

q

31

11

7

10

2

24

7

q

11a

3 

q

25 

q

10

20

31

17

31

q

2

4

45

q

7

q

q

16

q

15

21

4

1* 

31

q 11 

21

q

Q

q 

35

7

10

36

45

16

11

17

1

33

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 101
Table 26. Energy Sources Used for Electricity Generation, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings 

with Capacity

to Generate 

Electricity

Number of Buildings (thousands) in Which Energy 

for Electricity Generation Has Obtained from:

I I 

Natural Gas I Fuel Oil I Other 

I I

Fuel Combinations Used 

Ho Fuels Used. ...................

Electricity. .....................

Elec ricity and Fuel Oil.........

Elnc ricity» Natural Gas>

and uel Oil.....................

Elec ricity and Propane. .........

Other............................

Percent Heated

Hot Heated. ......................

1 to 50..........................

SI to 99........................ .

100. .............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99... ......................

100. .............................

161

600

1,939

319

207

133

383

440

517

564

2.427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

„

Q

19

13

17

Q

56

q

13

7

88

35

26

16

31

..

—

19

—

4

—

Q

q

q

i

29

Q

6

3

6

..

—

--

11

14

—

6

q

q

2

28

Q

7

9

11

„

—

—

—

—

q

40

q

Q

q

31

q

14

q

13

NT-No cases in sample.

q Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were tanpled. 

"-numbers of fcui-r than 500 buildings are rounded to zero. 

Mate: See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy MarKets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

102 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 27. Percent of Building Heated, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

BuiIdings

Square 

Feet

Number and Square Footage of Buildings in Which 

the Following Percent of the Building is Heated:

Not Heated

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings Itmil1 to 50 Percent

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmilI

51 to 99 Percent! 

.1

100 Percent

I I I

I Square I (Square

Number of I Feet I Number of I Feet

Buildings |(nil- I Buildings UmilI(thousands)I(mi 11 ions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions) 

I_________1________I_________I I_________I I_________I I_________I

All Buildings...................... 3,948 52,325 440 2,971 517 5,913 564 8,266 2,427 35,175

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 2,940 19 159 57 509 57 646 154 1,626

1901 to 1920..................... 388 5,453 33 337 65 954 75 1,015 216 3,147

1921 to 1945..................... 726 8,639 93 969 113 1,040 125 1,337 395 5,273

1946 to 1960..................... 946 9,612 133 463 135 1,062 101 1,373 576 6,713

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 72 319 68 977 85 1,553 495 7,098

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 Q q 23 401 26 527 150 2,436

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 64 337 44 567 79 1,117 342 4,596

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 15 289 12 402 15 699 98 4,285

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 345 621 254 551 271 691 1,378 3,044

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246 45 325 125 880 135 963 420 3,077

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912 26 391 86 1,325 104 1,598 351 5,599

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 15 512 31 1,024 31 1,084 146 5,072

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168 6 412 14 870 12 806 76 5,080

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642 2 282 5 598 7 890 36 4,873

Over 200,000.,................... 29 11,757 1 427 2 665 5 2,234 21 8,431

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 Q Q 23 258 49 695 370 4,477

Educational...................... 177 6,044 Q q Q q 22 690 149 5,256

Food Sales/Service............... 380 2,051 Q Q 39 216 76 420 251 1,393

HealthCare...................... 61 2,277 NC NC q Q Q 284 49 1,966

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 9 q q q 11 259 68 1,929

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10,427 89 380 165 1,069 190 2,043 627 6,936

Office. .......................... 575 8,454 q Q 44 452 105 1,972 417 5,997

Residential...................... 236 2,454 q q q q 43 436 186 1,970

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791 126 811 148 2,648 24 719 127 2,614

Other............................ 179 2,760 39 293 34 642 16 357 90 1,469

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 144 1,339 45 441 20 393 72 1,169

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 11,615 43 398 77 886 115 2,111 435 8,221

North Central.................... 1,211 16,059 97 641 148 1,642 160 2,163 806 11,612

South............................ 1,493 17,049 214 1,311 199 2,062 195 2,817 886 10,859

West............................. 574 7,602 85 621 93 1,323 95 1,176 301 4,482

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 218 1,834 288 4,110 323 6,168 1,426 25,424

Horimetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 221 1,086 229 1,802 241 2,098 1,001 9,751

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 CDO and >7,000 HDD........ 421 5,725 q 307 51 580 78 1,024 253 3,815

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 16,965 70 560 152 1,753 173 2,241 758 12,411 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 13,793 105 643 97 1,222 145 2,463 669 9,465 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HOD........ 678 7,496 125 661 111 1,237 93 1,288 349 4,111

•-2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 q 600 106 1,122 q 1,250 398 5,373

Number of Establishments in

BuiIdi ng

None............................. 142 1,475 107 934 q q q 95 22 347

Single Establishment............. 3,160 35,227 298 1,621 441 4,457 445 5,173 1,976 23,975

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 34 416 70 1,356 112 2,999 429 10,852

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 37 327 34 569 41 1,648 234 7,556

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 402 2,644 483 5,344 523 6,618 2,193 27,619

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 103
Table 27. Percent of Building Heated, 1983 (Continued)

Building Characteristics

All Buildings

Number of 

Bui Idings 

1 thousands )

Square 

Feet 

(millions)

Number and Square Footage of Buildings in Which 

the Following Percent of the Building is Heated:

Not Heated

1

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings Umil- 

( thousands) (lions) 

1

1 to 50 Percent

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings ((mil- 

( thousands )l lions ) 

1

51 to 99 Percent

1

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings l(mil- 

( thousands) (lions) 

I

100 Percent

1 

(Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings tfmil1 thousands) (lions) 

1

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electrici ty. ....................

Natural Gas. ....................

Fuel Oil. .......................

Propane .........................

Purchased Steam .................

Other...........................

Fuel Combinations Used

Ho Fuel Used. ..................

Electri i ty. ....................

Electri ity and Natural Gas.....

Electri ity and Fuel Oil........

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. ...................

Electricity and Propane. ........

Other...........................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. .....................

1 to 50.........................

51 to 99........................

100............ .................

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

161

eoo

1,939

319

207

138

383

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

51,359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

9,802

16,335

10,333

15,855

278

53

q

Q

q

q

161

213

47

q

q

q

q

383

q

q

20

2,036

502

q

q

q

q

935

1,425

480

q

q

q

q

2,431

354

q

120

516

309

87

39

q

40

—

101

266

46

23

25

56

159

337

9

q

5,899

3,849

1.100

387

q

356

—

1,133

3,010

432

373

134

830

1,352

4,210

155

q

563

367

100

43

9

48

—

92

308

50

30

16

67

129

139

277

19

8,258

6,117

2,385

489

773

778

—

888

3,918

491

1,261

q

1,600

990

2,056

4,933

288

2,426

1,585

441

168

48

154

—

394

1,318

219

151

91

254

633

497

218

1,079

35,165

26,622

9,767

2,089

3.581

2,848

--

3,073

17,455

1,950

5,303

458

6,936

5,029

9,715

5,179

15,252

NC~Mo cases in sample.

Q^Oata witliheld either because the RSE uas greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

«=Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

Th« 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

104 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 28. Percent of Building Cooled, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

Buildings I

Square 

Feet

Number and Square Footage of Buildings in Which 

the Following Percent of the Building is CooledNot Cooled

I

{Square

Number of I Fret 

Buildings llmil1 to 50 Percent

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings KmilI 

51 to 99 Percent I 100 Percent

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings |(milI

(Square

Nuirber of I Feet 

Buildings I(milI(thousands)I(mi11 ions)I(thousands)I lions)11 thousands)I lions)I(thousands)I lions 11(thousands)(lions) 

J_________I________I_________I I_________I I_________I I_________I

All Buildings...................... 3,948 52,325 1,304 9,802 1,004 16,335 510 10,333 1,129 15,855

Year Cons trueted

1900 or Before................... 238 2,940 112 934 100 1,042 32 566 44 398

1901 to 1920..................... 388 5,453 141 1,608 128 2,086 54 992 66 768

1921 to 1945..................... 726 8,639 293 2,419 225 3,377 83 1,405 125 1,439

1946 to I960..................... 946 9,612 347 1,827 242 3,662 101 1,795 256 2,328

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 190 1,278 155 2,798 111 2,225 265 3,645

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 59 452 43 901 26 801 81 1,288

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 136 818 84 1,346 62 1,565 228 2,689

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 27 466 27 1,123 21 985 65 q

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 903 1,831 424 1,056 235 559 686 1,461

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246 204 1,503 236 1,660 115 819 169 1,264

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912 124 1,856 199 3,149 89 1,399 155 2,508

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 44 1,511 82 2,828 33 1,167 63 2,187

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168 18 1,251 38 2,525 18 1,232 33 2,159

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642 8 1,099 16 2,117 11 1,502 14 1,924

Over 200,000..................... 29 11,757 2 752 9 2,998 6 3,655 9 4,352

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 161 1,184 81 1,210 52 826 163 2,264

Educational...................... 177 6,044 47 1,437 45 2,100 27 970 58 1,537

Food Sales/Service............... 380 2,051 66 352 74 448 92 494 148 757

Health Care...................... 61 2,277 q Q 20 653 10 751 25 858

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 28 399 7 284 21 628 51 930

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10,427 412 1,753 311 2,724 115 2,104 232 3,847

Office........................... 575 8,454 50 290 106 1,202 123 3,023 297 3,939

Residential...................... 236 2,454 72 604 84 952 24 425 55 474

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791 195 1,412 185 4,863 14 311 31 205

Other............................ 179 2,760 fll 573 38 1,261 21 458 39 468

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 187 1,784 52 638 12 344 30 S76

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 11,615 226 2,445 234 4,514 91 2,553 118 2,103

North Cantril.................... 1,211 16,059 407 2,912 344 5,846 155 3,206 305 4,096

South............................ 1,493 17,049 381 1,934 308 4,222 205 3,377 599 7,516

West............................. 574 7,602 290 2,511 118 1,753 59 1,197 107 0

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 662 6,313 626 11,684 311 8,334 656 11,256

Nonmctropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 642 3,489 378 4,651 199 1,999 473 4,599

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2.000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 5,725 188 1,483 135 2,058 43 1,041 Q q

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 16,965 438 3,823 316 6,474 146 3,130 253 3,539 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HOD... 1,016 13,793 332 2,443 272 4,054 128 3,055 285 4,241 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 7,496 235 1,509 137 2,115 97 1,539 209 2,334

>2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 q q 145 1,634 95 1,568 327 4,600

Number of Establishments in

Bui Idi ng

None............................. 142 1,475 119 1,120 Q 143 q 129 7 83

Single Establishment............. 3.160 35,227 1,054 7,241 815 12,420 390 5,954 901 9,611

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 131 1,440 177 3,772 116 4,250 221 6,161

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 135 1,647 68 2,560 51 2,497 92 3,376

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 1,169 8,155 937 13,755 458 7,836 1,037 12,478

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 105
Table 28. Percent of Building Cooled, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Number of 

Bui Idings

Square 

Feet

Number and Square Footage of Buildings in Which 

the Following Percent of the Building is Cooled:

Not Cooled

1 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings l(mil1 to 50 Percent

1 

1 Square 

Number of 1 Feet 

Buildings llnil51 to 99 Percent

1 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings (I nil100 Percent

1 

(Square 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milBuilding Characteristics I(thousands)I(mi 11i ons)I(thousands)I lions)11 thousands 11lions11(thousands)11 ions)I(thousands) 11ions ) 

J________I_______I________I I________I I________I I________I

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity... ..................

Natural Gas. ....................

Fuel Oil... .....................

Propane .........................

Purchased Steam. ................

Other. ..........................

Fuel Combinations Used

Ho Fuels Used. ..................

Electricity... ..................

Electricity and Natural Gas.....

Electricity and Fuel Oil........

Electricity* Natural Gas >

and Fuel Oil ....................

Electricity and Propane. ........

Other. ..........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. .....................

1 to 50. ........................

51 to 99........................

100.............................

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

161

800

1,939

319

207

138

333

440

B17

564

2,427

51,359

37,090

13,313

3,007

4,594

3,997

935

6,518

24,863

2,911

6,953

736

9,409

2,971

5,913

8,266

35,175

1,140

594

248

92

18

123

161

245

480

148

58

45

167

383

159

129

633

a

5

2

1

3

1

2

1

5

,859

,265

,111

537

707

693

935

,671

,595

866

914

192

,629

,431

,352

990

,029

1,004

732

180

64

19

54

—

132

596

65

82

32

96

q

337

139

497

16,323

12,577

4,742

1,174

847

1,352

—

1,291

8,633

892

2,429

200

2,690

354

4,210

2,056

9,715

510

324

77

37

10

27

—

Ill

266

33

32

22

46

q

9

277

218

10,326

7,781

3,462

468

1,443

903

—

1,173

4,163

450

2,139

162

2,246

q

155

4,933

5,179

1,129

663

128

67

14

41

—

313

597

73

36

38

72

20

Q

19

1,079

15,851

11,447

2,997

Q

1,596

1,049

—

2,382

8,472

704

1,471

183

2,643

120

Q

288

15,252

NC=No cases in sample.

Q-Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings Mere templed.

"-Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500.000 square feet are routvied to zero.

Note: Data way not *un to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terr* used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Market* and end Us*, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

106 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 29. Changes in Percent of Building Heated and Cooled Between 1979 

and 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

I 

I

(All Buildings 

I Constructed 

I No Later Than 

I 1979 

J___________

Number of Buildings in Which the 

Percent of the Building Heated Has:

I I

Increased I Decreased I Not Changed 

Since 1979 I Since 1979 I Since 1979 

___________I___________1___________

Number of Buildings in Which the 

Percent of the Building Cooled Has:

I

Increased I Decreased 

Since 1979 I Since 1979 

___________ I

I

I Not Changed 

I Since 1979 

I ___________

All Buildings.................... 3,790

Ye^r Constructed

1900 or Before................. 287

1901 to 1920................... 381

1QJ1 to 1945................... 7*2

19'.6 to 1960. .................. 961

1961 to 1970................... 713

1971 to 1973................... 203

197* to 1979................... 502

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................. 2,195

5.001 to 10,000................ 699

10,001 to 25,000............... 529

25,001 to 50,000............... 205

50,001 to 100,000.............. 94

100,001 to 200,000............. 45

Over 200,000................... 2J

Principal Activity Within

BuiIding

Assembly....................... 447

Educational.................... 167

Food Sales/Service............. 367

Health Care.................... 57

Lodging........................ 102

Mercant ile/Servi ces............ 1,043

Office......................... 543

Res i dent i al.................... 235

Warehouse...................... 403

Other.......................... 158

Vacant......................... 267

Census Region

Northeast...................... 654

North Central.................. 1,171

South.......................... 1,424

West........................... 541

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan................... 2,147

Nonmetropoli tan................ 1,644

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD...... 403

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD. 1,121 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD. 994 

'2,000 COO and <4,000 HDD...... 648

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD...... 625

Number of Establishments in

BuiIding

None........................... 126

Single Establishment........... 3,050

Multi-Establishment..... ....... 615

Government Occupancy

Governnent Occupied............ 334

Not Government Occupied........ 3,457

Fuels Used Alorw or in

Combinat i on

Electricity.................... 3,632

Natural Gas .................... 2,241

Fuel Oil....................... 624

Prnpane........................ 241

Purchased Steam................ 58

0 th«r.......................... 240

241

16

32

54

46

44

16

32

144

30

49

14

3

2

1

25 

q

26 

q 

Q

57

37 

Q

56

q

25

41

64

93

44

132

109

Q 

69 

45 

58

q

Q

191 

47

16

225

241

138

32

22

4

22

304

23

39

81

72

51

q

31

172

72

31

19

8

q

1

q 

q 

q 

q 

q

87

22

q

32

q

94

54

100

103

47

178

127

q

74

79

55

q

76

190

38

21

283

227

126

31

q

q 

16

3,245

245

312

607

843

619

179

439

1,879

598

449

172

83

42

21

404

162

322

50

98

899

485

222

316

139

148

559

1,007

1,228

450

1,837

1,408

335

977

870

535

528

48

2,668

529

296

2,949

3,164

1,978

561

208

54

202

370

28

49

86

89

52

21

46

203

68

68

14

12

4

2

49

q

44 

q 

9

86 

53 

20 

59 

7 

20

69

109

147

45

205

166

36

107

98

52

77

2

296

73

27

344

370

241

55

36

7

24

2B4

21

31

69

83

44

q

26

175

42

41

12

8

4

1

27

12

28

q

q

83

31

q

14

q

62

46

98

102

38

176

108

24 

76 

82 

46 

q

51

191

42

23

261

243

156

31

q

8

17

3,136

237

302

587

790

618

172

430

1,817

590

420

179

74

37

19

371

137

295

49

90

874

460

201

331

145

185

539

964

1,175

458

1,766

1,370

344

938

814

550

491

73

,563

500

284

2,852

3,020

1,844

539

196

44

200

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 107
Table 29. Changes in Percent of Building Heated and Cooled Between 1979 

and 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

I 

I 

I 

IA11 Buildings 

I Constructed 

I No Later Than 

I 1979 

1

Number of Buildings in Which the 

Percent of the Building Heated Has'

1 1 

Increased t Decreased 1 Not Changed 

Since 1979 1 Since 1979 1 Since 1979 

1 1

Number of Buildings in Mhich the 

Percent of the Building Cooled Has:

1 1

Since 1979 1 Since 1979 1 Since 1979 

1 1

Fuel Combi nations Used

Ho Fu 1 Used.. ................

Elect i ity............. .......

Fleet i ity and Natural Gas....

Elect i ity and Fuel Oil.......

Elect i ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. ..................

EJrctricity and Propane. .......

Other.. ........................

Percent Heated

Hot Heated.. ...................

1 to SO. .......................

51 to 99. ......................

100. ...........................

Percent Coolod

Not Cooled. ....................

1 to 50.. ......................

51 to 99.......................

100... .........................

154

740

1,885

317

199

123

372

410

507

550

2,321

1,265

980

479

1,067

NC

Q

119

16

12

0

27

--

40

74

127

74

59

52

57

77

73

105

Q

15

Q

24

1J6

97

72

--

179

65

36

0

77

609

1,661

293

172

113

321

274

371

404

2,196

1,012

836

J91

1,006

NC

70

208

16

19

17

41

8

54

60

248

—

136

85

150

40

54

129

Q

IS

Q

29

70

48

63

102

150

88

46

~~

114

616

1,549

290

165

100

302

332

405

426

1,972

1,115

756

348

917

11C --Ho cases in sample.

Q-Oata withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings Her* sampled.

 'tluinbers of fewer than 500 buildingm are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sun to totals due to Founding. Numbers in this table may show slight inconsistencies with other tables due 

to the use of longitudinally adjusted weights (see Appendix B). See Glossary for definition of term used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division! 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Coniumption Survey.

108 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 30. Heating Systems, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

I All Buildings Self Contained 

IA11 Buildingsluith Heating Units Only

I___________I________

Number of Buildings (thousands) that have:

Central System Only

or in Combination

with Self-Contained

Units

Total

I

I With Furnace

I or Boiler

I______

I Heat

(Passive Solar 

Pumps) Heating

All Buildings...................... 3,948 3,508

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 268

1001 to 1920..................... 588 355

1931 to 1945..................... 784 633

1946 to 1960............ ......... 946 813

1961 to 1970..................... 721 649

1971 to 1973..................... 209 199

1974 to 1979..................... 530 466

1980 to 1983.................... . 140 125

Square Footage Category

5.000 or less.................... 2,248 1.903

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 680

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 541

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 207

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 101

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 47

Over 200,000..................... 29 28

Principal Activity Mithin Building

Assembly.................. ....... 457 443

Educational...................... 177 177

Food Sales/Service............... 360 367

Health Care...................... 61 61

Lodging. ......................... 106 102

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 982

Office........................... 575 566

Residential...................... 236 235

Warehouse........................ 425 299

Other............................ 179 140

Vacant........................... 281 136

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 627

North Central.................... 1,211 1,113

South............................ 1,493 1,279

West............................. 574 489

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 2,037

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 1,471

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 382

<2,000 CDO and 5,500-7,000 HOD... 1,153 1,083 

<2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HOD... 1,016 912 

<2,000 CDO and <4,000 HDD........ 678 553

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 579

Number of Establishments in

Bu i1d i ng

None............................. 142 35

Single Establishment............. 3,160 2,862

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 611

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 309

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 3,199

583

22

49

116

159

101

24

98

15

385

94

65

24

9

6

1

37 

22 

61 

Q 

29 

232 

SO 

23 

66 

30 

28

66

107

312

98

310

273

22

126

146

164

125

q

505 

70

39

545

2,904

245

306

512

648

543

176

366

109

1,504

581

476

183

91

42

27

405

153

303

54

73

739

512

213

233

110

109

560

1,002

955

388

1,715

1,189

358

951

762

382

451

27

2,344

533

268

2,636

2,190

222

275

416

499

381

118

223

56

1,108

449

368

142

69

33

19

334

131

214

39

51

546

358

187

161

79

89

485

893

547

265

1,296

894

301

836

639

222

192

23

1,781

386

221

1,969

169

q 

q 

q

26

53

q

41

19

100

35

18

9

3

2

q

24

7 

q 

q 

q

26 

45 

q 

q 

q 

q

6

15

119

29

80

89

q 

17 

31q 

q

q 128

41

14

155

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 

q 12 

NC 

q 

q 

q

10

10

6

18

16

q 13

7

q 

q

q

1913

5

29

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 109
Table 30. Heating Systems, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

All Buildings

All Buildings 

Mi th Heating

Number of Buildings (thousands) that have:

Self Contained 

Units Only

Central System Only 

or in Combination 

with Self-Contained 

Units

I 

IWith Furnace 

Total I or Boiler 

I

Heat Pumps

Passive Solar 

Heating

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

El ectricity. .................

Natural Gas. .................

Fuel Oil... ..................

Propane ......................

Other.. ......................

Fuel Combinations Used

Mo Fuels Used.... ............

El PC tricity.. ................

Electricity and Natural Gas..

Electricity and Fuel Oil.....

Electricity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil... ..............

Electricity and Propane ......

Other. .......................

Fuel Used For Heating

El ectricity....... ...........

Natural Gas. .................

Fuel Oil. ....................

Prcpane ......................

Purchased Steam. .............

Other..... ...................

Percent Heated

Not Heated....... ............

1 to 50........ ..............

51 to 99. ....................

100..... .....................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ..................

1 to 50. .....................

51 to 99.....................

100.. ........................

.... 3,783

.... 2,314

.... 633

.... 260

.... 60

245

.... 161

.... 800

.... 1,93^

.... 319

.... 207

.... 138

.... 383

.... 1,105

.... 2,011

.... 566

.... 161

.... 55

.... 170

.... 440

.... 517

. . . . 564

.... 2,427

.... 1,304

.... 1,004

.... 510

.... 1,129

NC=tlo cases in sample. 

q^Data withheld either because the RSE was

•^Humbert of fewer than 500

Note: Columns may not sum

buildings are

3,504

2,261

627

251

60

241

—

587

1,892

315

205

132

377

1,105

2,011

566

161

55

170

__

517

564

2,427

922

973

504

1,109

greater than 50X,

rounded to zero.

to totals due to nonexhaustive an

583

312

29

54

q

38

—

185

284

14

q

44

48

276

282

q

40,

q

q

__

148

76

360

198

152

71

162

2,900

1,938

598

195

59

203

--

394

1,597

302

196

86

329

820

1,719

544

118

54

142

--

364

484

2,056

719

814

433

939

or fewer than 20 buildings

d overlapping categories of

2,186

1,642

558

141

39

142

-.

86

1,344

282

185

51

241

368

1,488

518

83

34

98

—

273

365

1,552

603

676

304

607

were sampled.

heating system.

169

35

13

q

q

q

--

110

30

q

q

q

14

159

18

q

q

q

q

--

22

31

116

q

27

39

94

34

20

2

q

q

9

—

9

14

q

*

q

9

19

18

1

q

q

7

--

q

4

23

q

7

3

13

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy Snd Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

110 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 31. Heat Distribution Systems, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics IA11 Buildings 

J__________

All Buildings 

with Heating

Number of Buildings (thousands) that have:

Air Forced

Through

Ducts

I

Baseboards t 

____________________________I Radiatorsi

I I I IConvectors, 

All I I I lor Heating 

Buildings I ElectriciHot MaterlSteaml Panels 

________I_______|_______I I_______

Other Heat

Distribution

Systems

All BuiIdings......................

Year Constructed

1900 or Before...................

1901 to 1920.....................

1921 to 1945.... .................

1946 to I960.....................

1961 to 1970.....................

1971 to 1973.....................

1974 to 1979.....................

1980 to 198J.....................

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less ....................

5.001 to 10,000..................

10,001 to 25,000.................

25,001 to 50,000.................

50,001 to 100,000................

100,001 to 200,000...............

Over 200,000.. ...................

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Edueati onal......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodging..........................

Hercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Res i dent i»l......................

Warehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region

Northeast........................

North Central....................

South............................

West.............................

Metropolitan Status

r'etropoli tan.....................

Nonmetropoli tan..................

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (C001

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

>2,000 CDD and -4,000 HDD........

Number of Establishments in 

Bu i1d i ng

None.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occiipi ed. .............

Mot Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Natural Gas......................

Fuel Oil. ........................

Pror-nne. .........................

Purchased Steaa..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end o< table.

3,948

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

19

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

3,508

268

355

633

813

649

199

466

125

1,903

660

541

207

101

47

28

443

177

367

61

102

982

566

235

299

140

136

627

1,113

1,279

489

2.037

1,471

382

1,083

912

553

579

35

2,862

611

309

3,199

3,504

2,261

627

251

60

241

1,858

120

165

239

414

406

131

287

96

928

384

319

120

59

27

21

287 

87

199 

37 

30

464

389 

86

ISO 

59 

71

251

677

670

260

1,128

730

193

592

467

264

341

17

1,469

371

153

1,704

1,657

1,256

322

108

28

92

538

52

47ea 

no

118

34

72

17

231

124

95

47

23

12

8

89

39

37

15

25

81

112

45

54

23

15

167

211

86

74

288

250

132

211

151

30

14

1

440

98

467

538

317

137

21

22

39

290

20

23

45

52

59

25

57

9

140

68

52

16

8

4

3

51

10

30q 

14

44

66

19

32

15

6

69

88

72

60

126

164

56

98

97

28

10

q

237

52

33

257

290

130

52

15

q

25

226

33

19

38

52

52

q

17

8

86

51

39

28

12

6

4

31

23

q

13 

12 

31 

46 

25 

23

q

7

97

102

13

q

135

91

66

103

52

q 

q

q

187

39

28

198

226

168

79

q

13

q

q 

6

9

12

10q q 

q

11

25

3 

q

32

7

15

16a 

q

q

31

6

12

27

39 

28 

13

q 

10

q

q

9

10

18

10

q 

4 

2

29

q

13

5

3

3 

Z

q

9 

q 

1 

q 

q 

10 

q 

q 

q 

q

13

26

15

q

39

20

13

24

10

q

q

q

51

6

14

44

59

42

18

q

5

3

401

29

22

78

94

85

32

45

15

244

69

53

17

8

7

3

49 

13 

55

q

15

128

55

q 

47 

13 

13

53

84

215

50

204

197

35

71

106

86

q

q

338 

60

27

374

401

213

58

51

4

49

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 111
Table 31. Heat Distribution Systems, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Number of Buildings (thousands) that have:

Baseboards

Building Characteristic*

Fuel Combinations Used

Electri ity» Natural Gas*

Fuel Used For Heating

Other ...........................

Percent Heated

51 to 99........................

Percent Cooled

1 to 50.........................

100.............................

Air Forced 

(All Buildings Through 

(All Buildingslwtth Heating Ducts 

1 1

161

eoo

1,939 

319

207 

138 

383

1,105 

2,011 

566 

161 

55 

170

440 

517 

564 

2,427

1,304 

1,004 

510 

1,129

587 

1,892 

315

205 

132 

377

1,105 

2,011 

566 

161 

55 

170

517 

564 

2,427

922 

973 

504 

1,109

289 

1,089 

184

86 

49 

161

590 

1,140 

290 

59 

26 

49

229 

298 

1,331

323 

479 

298 

758

1 

1 

iRadiators,

1 1 1 IConvectors, Other Heat 

All I I 1 |or Heating Distribution 

Buildings 1 Electric [Hot Hater 1 Steam 1 Panels System 

II II

96 

253 

78

40 

q 

67

553 

279 

122

q

22 

25

64 

80 

394

138 

178 

92 

131

95 

118 

35

8

q

30

222 

115 

45 

q 

q

21

36 

50 

204

83 

77 

51 

79

q

123

38

29 

q 

32

44 

149 

71 

q 

12

q

25 

29 

173

46 

97 

37 

45

q 

17

q

4 

NC 

11

q

21

11

q

9

q 

q

5 

32

q

13 

9

8

q 

31

q

8

q 

7

16 

36 

16

q

5 

q

q 

8 

41

14 

24 

6 

14

89 

174 

26

16 

36 

60

161 

190 

44 

39

3 

43

73 

55 

273

113

106 

65 

117

NC=No cases in sample.

q=0ata withheld either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

»=HuTbers of fewer thin 500 buildings are rounded to zero. ...

Note: Columns do not sum to totals because buildings may contain more than one type of system. See Glossary for definition of terms 

used in this report.

Source: Energy Informntion Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Noiiresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

112 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 32. Boilers and Fuels Used to Fire Boilers, 1983

Building Characteristics

All

BuiIdings 

(thousands)

Number 

of Boilers 

(thousands)

Number of

BuiIdings

ui th Boilers

(thousands >

Number of Buildings (thousands) 

that Fir« Boilers with*

I I

Natural Gas I Fuel Oil I Other Fuel 

__________I________I_______

AU Buildings ..................... 3,948

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288

1901 to 1920..................... 368

1921 to 1945..................... 726

m6 to I960.. ................... 946

1961 to 1970..................... 721

1971 to 1973..................... 209

1974 to 1979..................... 5JO

1980 to 1983..................... 140

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725

10,001 to 25,000................. 567

25,001 to 50,000................. 222

50,001 to 100,000................ 107

100,001 to 200,000............... 50

Over 200,000..................... 29

Principal Activity Hithin Building

Assembly......................... 457

Educational...................... 177

Food Sales/Service............... 380

Health Care...................... 61

Lodging.......................... 106

Mnrcant ile/Services.............. 1,071

Office........................... 575

Residential...................... 236

Ua rehouse........................ 425

Other............................ 179

Vacant........................... 281

Census Region

Horthenst........................ 670

North Central.................... 1,211

South............................ 1,493

West............................. 574

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255

Nonmetropoli tan.................. 1,693

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD........ 421

<e,000 COD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 

<2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 

<2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 678

>2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 679

Nurrber of Establishments in

BuiIding

None............................. 142

Single Establishment............. 3,160

Multi-Establishment.............. 645

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783

Natural Gas...................... 2,314

Fuel Oil......................... 633

Propane.......................... 260

Purchased Steam.................. 60

Other............................ 245

1,015

124

116

243

221

171

34

80

26

267

183

242

133

86

58

45

146

157

54

29

50

175

161

102

74

40

26

374

325

213

103

655

360

162

402

294

74

82

6

780

229

163

852

1,013

818

368

53

11

66

733

97

94

183

150

121

23

SI

16

227

156

169

90

49

27

14

116

83

42

15

31

133

128

87

53

25

19

263

251

138

82

473

260

128

302

200

50

54

3

570

159

105

628

731

593

238

29

5

50

497

61

62

116

103

94

11

36

13

159

105

109

62

32

19

11

85

60

27

10

23

83

88

59

33

16

13

132

222

79

64

343

154

84

228

109

42

34

2

386

109

67

430

495

497

49

3

2

15

216

34 

34 

62 

42 

22 

10 

10 

t

50

56

56

22

17

10

5

34

26

Q

6

8

49

32

26

15

7

4

132

23

46

9

119

97

44

67

84

q

q

168 

47

33

183

216 

103 

215

23 

q

21

48

Q

q

15

q 

4 

q 

7 

2

q 

q

15

7

5

3

1

Q

8

17

q

19

30

q 

15 

IS

2

q

Q

43

5

10

38

48

13

15

q

q

ai

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 113
Table 32. Boilers and Fuels Used to Fire Boilers, 1983 (Continued)

Building Characteristics

All

Bui Idings 

( thousands )

Number

of Boilers 

( thousands )

Number of 

Buildings

Mi th Boi lers 

( thousands )

Number of Buildings (thousands) 

that Fire Boilers with:

I I 

Natural Gas I Fuel Oil (Other Fuel 

I I

Fuel Combinations Used

Flp

Ele

Ele

Fir

Oth

tri

tri

tri 

Fue

r . .

Used ....................

; +w

ity and Natural Gas......

ity. Natural Gas, 

L Oil.....................

161

800

1,939

319

207

138

383

18

579

110

189

2

116

13

447

86

111

q

77

430

46

21

84

94

38

7

8

5

Q 

q

26

Percent Heated

Hot Heated. ..............

1 to 50... ...............

51 to 99........ .........

100.. ....................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled.............. .

1 to SO. .................

51 to 99.................

100. .....................

........ 440

........ 517

........ 564

........ 2,427

........ 1,304

........ 1,004

........ 510

........ 1,129

—

103

179

733

261

353

173

228

—

83

128

523

205

255

116

158

—

47

82

367

131

170

78

117

—

34

45

137

73

78

34

31

—

q

s

32

q

14

q

12

FfC=Ho cases in sample.

Q-0.->ta withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

»'-ll>m»bi»rs of fewer than 500 buildings or boilers are rounded to zero.

Nol«: Columns da not sun to totals due to multiple fuels for boilers. See Glossary for definition of terms used in 

this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidentil.} Puildingi Energy Consumption Survey.

114 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 33. Cooling Systems, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Number of Buildings (thousands) that have 

Air Conditioning Systems as Follows:

Building Characteristic*

All

All 

(Buildings I 

I with I

Central Systems

All

I I I

I (Built froml

I Factory (Individual! Both

Number of Buildings 

(thousand) that have:

Well Mater

iBuildingsl Cooling lUindoH UnitslMall UnitsiBuiIdingslAssembled I Components I Types iHeat Pumps I for Cooling 

J_______I_____I__________I________I_______I_______I________I I________I

All Buildings...................... 3.9*8 2.643

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288 175

1901 to 1920..................... 388 247

1921 to 19*5..................... 726 433

1946 to 1960..................... 946 599

1961 to 1970..................... 721 530

1971 to 1973..................... 209 150

1974 to 1979..................... 530 394

1980 to 1983..................... 140 113

Square Footage Category

5.000 or lei*,................... 2.248 1,345

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 521

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 443

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 17S

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 88

100,001 to 200.000............... 50 41

Over 200,000..................... 29 27

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 296

Educational...................... 177 130

Food Sales/Service............... 380 314

HealthCare...................... 61 55

Lodging.......................... 106 79

Mercantile/Services.............. 1.071 659

Office........................... 575 525

Residential...................... 236 163

Warehouse........................ 425 230

Other............................ 179 98

Vacant........................... 281 94

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 444

North Central.................... 1,211 804

South............................ 1,493 1,111

West............................. 574 284

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 1,593

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 1,050

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

<?,000 COD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 233

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 715 

<2,000 CDO and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 665 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 443

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 567

Number of Establishments in

ButIding

Hone............................. 142 23

Single Establishment............. 3,160 2,106

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 514

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 211

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 2,432

812

87

77

226

241

100

22

54

5

452

148

116

50

28

12

6

80

52

69

9

30

227

109

96

69

34

37

206

228

327

51

477

334

71

248

231

120

141

q

650

155

62

749

406

29

39

66

115

83

19

44

11

222

77

61

26

9

7

4

31

19

48

13

30

104

49

46

39

12

98

99

180

28

224

183

55

97

115

59

Q

q

329 

72

23

384

1,748

86

155

224

339

392

121

329

102

785

371

334

128

70

35

25

227 

£2

221 

42 

37

377

428 

62

152 

64 

57

227

560

755

206

1,094

654

131

466

426

311

414

16

,361

371

160

1,588

1,184

56

108

147

234

273

85

224

57

566

258

222

73

36

19

9

163

49

165

25

14

258

294

42

101

34

39

142

392

509

141

756

428

Q

309 

296 

218 

273

11

916

256

93

1,091

29

44

76

103

114

35

101

44

213

112

109

52

31

15

14

62

32

55

16

21

117

127

19

51

29

18

81

161

239

65

327

219

39 

152 

128

90 

q

5

430

111

64

482

12

q

14

4

Q 

15

q q 

q

26

53

q

41 

19

100

35

18

9

3

2

24 

7 

q 

q 

q

26

45

q

q

6

is

119

29

80

89

q

17

31

q 

q

128

41

14

155

q

q

12

9

9

q q 

q

23

q

q

20

25

5

15

15

9

0

q

39

6

6

39

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 115
Table 33. Cooling Systems, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Number 

Air

of Buildings (thousands) that have 

Conditioning Systems as Follows:

Central Systems

Number of 

(thousand)

Buildings 

that have.:

(Buildings) 

All 

1 

III 

(Built from) 

All 1 with 1 All I Factory (Individual! Both Hell Hater 

Building Characteristics 

III 

(Buildings! Cooling iMindow UnitslMall Uni tslBui Idings I Assembled (Components (Types (Heat Pumpslfor Cooling 

1 III II 1

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Other............................

Fuel Combinations Used

Electrici ty and Natural Gas...... 1,

Electricity, Natural Gas,

Percent Cooled

100.............................. 1,

Fuel Used for Cooling

763 

314 

633 

260 

60 

245

161 

800 

939 

319

207 

138 

383

304 

004 

510 

129

515 

141 

21

2,643 

1,720 

385 

168 

42 

122

556 

1,459 

171

149 

93 

216

1,004 

510 

1,129

2,514 

141 

21

812 

527 

184 

72 

15 

49

114 

414 

78

78 

49 

79

454 

143 

214

797 

12 

2

406 

231 

87 

26 

6 

q

103 

185 

39

34 

14 

31

172 

84 

149

396 

6 

4

1,748 

1,189 

205 

95 

32 

71

373 

1,026 

84

81 

43 

142

488 

362 

898

1,629 

135 

20

NC=Mo cases in sample. 

Q~Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings 

*-Huirbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero. 

Note: Columns do not sum to totals because buildings may contain more than one type of 

in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy 

The 1983 Nonresident ial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

1,184 

799 

128 

67 

13 

47

260 

698 

56

SI 

35 

83

333 

263 

588

1,104 

96 

9

546 

377 

74 

27 

17 

23

111 

317 

27

28

q 

56

154 

92 

300

507 

38 

10

were campled, 

system. See Glossary 

End Use Division,

18 

14 

3 

q 

2

q

q 

11 

q

2 

q

2

2 

6 

10

18 

q 

q

169 

35 

13

q Q 

q

110 

30

q

q 

q

14

27 

39 

94

159

q 

q

for definition of

45 

28 

11 

q 

q 

q

q 

22 

q

3

q

7

10 

11 

20

40 

q 

q

terms used

116 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 34. Buildings With Insulation or Special Glass, 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

BuiIdings

Square 

Feet

AH Buildings 

Hith Insulation 

or Special Glass

I

I

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings KinilBuildings that haveSpecial Glass

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings IfmilRoof/Ceiling 

Insulation

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milExterior Mall 

Insulation

I

(Square

Number of I Feet 

Bui1dings ((nilI (thousands 11 (mi 11 ions ) I (thousands ) I lions 111 thousands ) I lions ) l( thousands ) (lions ) I (thousands ) I lions ) 

I_______I________1_________I I_________I I_______I I_________I

All Buildings...................... 3,943 52,325 2,726 40,713 1,488 27,784 1,904 29,301 1,366

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 268 2,940 196 2,146 104 1,351 127 1,333 67

1901 to 1920..................... 388 5,453 216 3,553 124 2,123 135 2,276 100

I<?21 to 1945.. ................... 726 8,639 441 5,253 196 2,869 294 3,327 176

19'.6 to I960..... ................ 946 9,612 573 6,989 264 4,318 423 5,294 272

10(,1 to 1970..................... 721 9,947 548 8,470 292 5,497 388 6,404 262

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442 171 2,863 92 1,620 120 2,107 96

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616 450 5,975 311 4,613 312 4,558 267

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675 130 5,464 104 4,994 106 4,001 106

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908 1,450 3,326 689 1,706 1,029 2,376 752

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246 545 4,018 327 2,386 354 2,614 263

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912 421 6,639 259 4,137 297 4,688 219

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692 163 5,724 112 3,919 116 4,058 70

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168 84 5,674 54 3,641 62 4,222 35

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642 37 5,024 27 3,652 27 3,662 15

Over 200,000..................... 29 11,757 25 10,308 20 8,344 19 7,680 12

Principal Activity Mi thin Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483 359 4,658 236 3,503 246 3,582 162

Educational...................... 177 6,044 136 4,673 84 2,887 98 3,616 58

Food Sales/Service............... 360 2,051 280 1,711 168 1,093 186 1,184 153

Health Care...................... 61 2,277 55 2,159 32 1,892 46 1,948 34

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241 77 1,865 36 1,075 61 1,426 43

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10,427 665 7,874 310 4,665 479 5,412 290

Off ice........................... 575 6,454 488 7,478 299 5,939 333 5,320 274

Residential...................... 236 2,454 171 1,880 108 1,316 111 1,151 89

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791 223 4,346 90 2,600 153 2,702 112

Other............................ 179 2,760 110 1,767 51 1,282 73 1,327 63

Vacant........................... 281 3,342 162 2,281 74 1,533 116 1,633 89

Census Region

northeast........................ 670 11,615 464 9,130 253 6,218 310 6,339 233

North Central.................... 1,211 16,059 867 12,703 511 8,847 601 9,306 452

South............................ 1,493 17,049 1,001 13,158 480 6,631 712 9,631 478

West............................. 574 7,602 395 5,722 243 4,089 262 4,025 203

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587 1,552 29,248 911 20,616 1,039 21,129 719

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738 1,174 11,465 577 7,169 866 8,172 647

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD )

<S,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 5,725 327 4,617 207 3,306 221 3,535 204

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HPD... 1,153 16,965 833 13,497 479 9,588 602 9,702 417 

<2,000 CDO and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 13,793 661 10,165 342 6,236 458 7,130 347 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 676 7,496 411 5,008 195 3,567 272 3,185 181

>2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 493 7,226 9 5,067 351 5,749 216

Mvimber of Establishments in

BuiId ing

None............................. 142 1,475 74 1,003 40 732 53 737 33

Single Establishment............. 3,160 35,227 2,173 26,749 1,155 17,166 1,519 19,489 1,089

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 479 12,960 292 9,866 332 9,074 244

19,496

643

1,377

1,620

2,815

3,561

1,346

3,408

4,528

1,742

1,956

3,540

2,474

2,368

1,954

5,462

2,054

1,709

602

1,121

961

4,083

3,651

604

1,800

1,054

1,259

4,272

6,167

6,270

2,789

12,962

6,536

2,763

6,212

5,305

1,794

3,425

556

11,644

7,098

See footnotes at end of tnbl«

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 117
Table 34. Buildings With Insulation or Special Glass, 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

Buildings

Square 

Feet

All Buildings 

with Insulation 

or Special Glass

I Square

Number of I Feet 

BuiIdings I(mi 1-

Buildings that have!

Special Glass

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

Buildings llmilRoof/Ceiling 

Insulation

I

ISqus 

Number of I Feet 

Buildings ((milExterior Wall 

Insulation

I

I Square

Number of I Feet 

BuiIdings |(mi 1-

|(thousands) 11»i11ions >I(thousands ill)ons)1(thousands 111ions)I(thousands)Ilions)I<thousands ) 11ions ) 

J_________I________1_________I I_________I I_________I I_________I

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 248 8,297 126 5,773 178 5,994 118 3,939

Mot Government Occupied.......... 3,602 42,225 2,478 32,415 1,362 22,011 1,726 23,306 1,248 15,559

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 51,359 2,663 40,300 1,466 27,560 1,863 29,029 1,336 19,278

Natural 6as...................... 2,314 37,090 1,666 29,346 970 20,599 1,130 20,847 798 13,521

Fuel Oil......................... 633 13,313 438 10,739 223 7,442 319 8,235 190 5,156

Propane.......................... 260 3,007 192 2,375 87 1,501 138 1,723 104 1,148

Purchased Steam.................. 60 4,594 44 3,540 21 2,345 38 2,871 13 1,288

Other............................ 245 3,997 165 3,084 85 2,042 127 2,606 102 1,795

Fuel Combinations Used

tlo Fuel Used.................... 161 935 60 398 Q Q 40 q 30 q

Electri ity...................... 800 6,518 553 4,888 310 3,323 399 3,593 307 2,792

Electri ity and Natural Gas...... 1,939 24,863 1,393 19,605 807 13,735 938 13,228 683 8,997

Electri ity »nd Fuel Oil......... 319 2,911 206 2,170 69 1,278 151 1,472 96 1,264

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil..................... 207 6,953 143 5,733 89 4,051 98 4,464 52 2,496

Electricity and Propane.......... 138 736 96 606 33 264 71 483 54 353

Other............................ 383 9,409 275 7,313 140 4,922 208 5,802 14? 3,382

Fuel Used For Heating

Electricity...................... 1,105 15,905 873 13,469 522 10,027 642 9,348 517 6,404

Natural Gas...................... 2,011 29,057 1,463 23,066 850 15,907 987 16,832 718 10,553

Fuel Oil......................... 566 8,990 388 6,803 191 4,207 278 4,932 166 2,849

Propane.......................... 161 1,035 112 681 42 320 79 440 69 444

Purchased Steam.................. 55 4,339 41 3,331 18 2,191 35 2,708 12 1,206

Other. ........................... 170 1,675 102 1,123 48 731 65 946 67 647

Percent Heated

Not Heated....................... 440 2,971 168 1,323 58 696 114 855 67 498

1 to 50.......................... 517 5,913 321 3,512 153 1,981 220 2,445 152 1,554

51 to 99......................... 564 8,266 410 6,680 225 4,674 283 4,848 217 3,371

100.............................. Z.427 35,175 1,827 29,198 1,051 20,434 1,287 21,152 930 14,075

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled....................... 1,304 9,802 678 5,520 272 2,717 495 3,941 315 2,269

1 to 50.......................... 1,004 16,335 716 12,039 414 7,831 472 8,057 313 4,791

51 to 99......................... 510 10,333 404 8,925 237 6,445 282 7,046 221 4,684

100.............................. 1,129 15,855 928 14,229 564 10,791 656 10,256 518 7,753

NC=No cases in sample.

Q-'Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 50?, or fewer than 20 buildings Mere sampled.

x^Muribers of fcMer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not sum to totals because buildings may contain more than one feature. See Glossary for definition of terms used 

in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1963 Nonresidential Buildings Enmrgy Consumption Survey.

118 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 35. Combinations of Conservation Features, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

I I

iBuiIdings 

I with No 

JInsulat ion 

I or

All I Special 

(Buildings! Glass

Number of Buildings (thousands) having:

I I 

I I 

I I 

I I

Roof/CeilinglSpeciall Hall 

Insulation I Glass (Insulation

Only I Only I Only 

_________I______I______

I I

I Both I Both 

iRoof/Ceilingl Mall

Both I Insulation IInsulation

Roof/Ceilingl and I and All Three

and Mall I Special I Special Conservation

Insulation I Glass I Glass Features

All Buildings...................... 3,948 1,221 571 410 223 444

Year Constructed

1900 or Before. .................. 288 91 44 41 U 31

1901 to 1920..................... 388 172 40 44 27 24

1921 to 1945..................... 726 284 133 72 43 69

19*6 to 1960..................... 946 373 153 77 53 104

1961 to 1970. .................... 721 173 108 86 41 107

1971 to 1973..................... 209 38 28 22 16 35

1974 to 1979..... ................ 530 80 58 64 23 58

1980 to 1983..................... 140 10 6 5 Q 17

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2.248 798 335 186 146 280

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 180 105 104 43 71

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 146 77 64 23 62

25,001 to 50,000. ................ 222 59 26 30 8 18

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 22 18 15 3 9

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 12 7 8 Q 3

Over 200,000..................... 29 4 430 2

Principal Activity Hi thin Building

Assembly.. ....................... 457 98 58 68 q 45

Educational...................... 177 41 29 21 8 16

Food Sales/Service............... 380 100 45 39 26 42

Healthcare...................... 61 q 9 4 9 12

Lodging.......................... 106 29 19 5 q 15

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 406 185 110 51 119

Office........................... 575 67 81 63 42 67

Residential...................... 236 65 25 30 q 21

Marehouse........................ 425 202 62 34 21 49

Other............................ 179 69 19 17 q 28

Vacant........................... 281 119 40 19 q 30

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 207 97 73 41 73

North Central.................... 1,211 344 158 134 60 137

South............................ 1,493 492 257 131 98 165

West............................. 574 179 60 71 23 69

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 703 304 286 110 227

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 519 267 124 113 218

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD........ 421 94 39 54 20 62

•"2,000 CUD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 319 168 121 54 133

•2,000 COD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 355 144 76 73 102 

'2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 267 107 62 38 71

>2,000 COD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 186 114 q 38 77

Number of Establishments in

Bu i1d i ng

None............................. 142 68 22 q q q

Single Establishment............. 3,160 987 458 324 188 372

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 166 91 73 30 66

Govnrntrent Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 97 60 30 24 38

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 1,124 511 380 198 406

379

24

32

61

71

92

25

61

13

177

73

60

37

17

8

7

70

28

44

q

11 

81 

70 

28 

14 

10 

q

60

122

134

62

242

136

30

127

95

41

q

q

302

70

40

338

189

q 

q

34

20

34

14

51

16

90

45

37

10

4

2

q

25

9

29

q 

q

25

51

q

14

q

8

39

71

59

q

117

72

31 

57 

54 

18 

q

q

143 

43

16

173

27

39

30

96

81

31

136

71

237

105

97

35

18

9

8

72

25

56

17

16

95

115

38

27

16

33

80

183

155

91

265

245

90

173

116

53

75

q

386

105

40

470

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

119
Table 35. Combinations of Conservation Features, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

I 

I

(BuiIdings 

I with Ho 

{Insulation 

I or

All I Special 

(Buildings! Glass 

I_______I_____

Number of Buildings (thousands) having:

Roof/Ceiline

Insulation

Only

ig Sp.•eciall Wall 

Glass {Insulation 

Only I Only

_____I_____

I I 

I Both I Both 

I Roof/Ceiling I Mall 

Both I Insulation llnsulation 

Roof/Cei1ingI and I and All Three

and Mall I Special I Special Conservation 

Insulation I Glass I Glass Features 

_________I__________I______

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity... ................... 3,783 1,120 549 399 213 434

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 648 325 295 122 250

Fuel Oil......................... 633 195 120 52 39 56

Propane.......................... 260 68 48 18 22 35

Purch-ised Steam...... ............ 60 16 16 5 Q 7

Other.. .......................... 245 80 26 14 q 42

Fuel Combinations Used

Ho Fuel Used.................... 161 101 q q q q

Electri ity...................... 800 247 97 70 45 101

Electri ity and Natural Gas...... 1,939 546 267 246 104 215

Electri ity and Fuel Oil......... 319 113 66 19 22 29

Electri ity. Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil..................... 207 64 32 30 9 13

Electricity and Propane.......... 138 43 29 q q 20

Other.. .......................... 383 106 59 28 19 56

Fuel Used For Heating

Electricity...................... 1,105 232 133 99 61 157

Natural Gas...................... 2,011 548 278 256 113 221

Fuel Oil......................... 566 178 109 49 37 51

Propane.......................... 161 48 27 q q 29

Purchased Steam.................. 55 14 16 5 q 6

Other............................ 170 67 17 q q 31

Pei-cent Heated

Not Heated....................... 440 272 64 33 q 27

1 to 50.. ........................ 517 196 85 46 34 50

51 to 99...... ................... 564 154 78 59 38 69

100.............................. 2,427 600 345 272 132 298

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled....................... 1,304 6S7 198 92 58 151

1 to 50.......................... 1,004 268 149 144 66 67

51 to 99...... ................... 510 105 73 56 32 62

100.............................. 1,129 201 152 118 67 145

379

248

76

22

10

22

q 

q

198

25

29

q

43

125

211

65

q

9

12

q

38

55

281

73

110

55

141

188

120

28

15

1

12

q

39

105

14

6

q

20

71

107

25

q

1

q

q

21

30

136

34

34

34

87

501

307

67

33

5

37

q 

121

258

31

23

17

50

227

277

53

18

4

25

q

48

80

363

73

126

93

218

NC-No cases in sample.

Q=Data withheld either because the RSE Mas greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

ff^Muitbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not 5iim to totals due to roundirg error.See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1963 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

120 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 36. Selected Conservation Features Installed in Buildings Between 

1979 and 1983

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Uumber of 

BuiIdings

All 

BuiIdings

Tak i ng

Conservation

Actions

Buildings Taking the Following Conservation Actions 

Between 1979 and 1963:

Weather

Stripping or

Caulking

Roof 

Insulation

Mall 

Insulation Special Glass

{Number I Number I I Number I I Number I I Number I 

I of I of I I of I I of I I of I 

IBuiId-I Square IBuiId-I Square IBuiId-I Square IBuiId-I Square IBuiId-I Square 

I ings I Feet I ings I Feet I ings I Feet I ings I Feet I ings I Feet 

l< thou-I (mil- Hthou-Umil- I (thou- I (mil- I (thou- I (mi 1- I(thou-I(mi 1-

I< thousands)I(millions)I sands)I lions)I sands)I lions)I sands)I lions)I sands)I lions)I sands)I lions) 

I_________I________I I I I I I I I I I

Square 

Feet

All Buildings...................... 3,948 52,325

Year Constructed

1900 or Before. .................. 288 2,940

1901 to 1920...... ............... 388 5,453

1921 to 1945..................... 726 8,639

19'( 6 to 1960... .................. 946 9,612

1961 to 1970..................... 721 9,947

1971 to 1973..................... 209 3,442

1974 to 1979..................... 530 6,616

1980 to 1983..................... 140 5,675

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248 4,908

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725 5,246

10,001 to 25,000................. 567 8,912

25,001 to 50,000................. 222 7,692

50,001 to 100,000................ 107 7,168

100,001 to 200,000............... 50 6,642

Over 200,000..................... 29 11,757

Principal Activity Within Building

Assembly......................... 457 5,483

Educational...................... 177 6,044

Food Sales/Service............... 380 2,051

Health Care...................... 61 2,277

Lodging.......................... 106 2,241

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071 10,427

Off ice........................... 575 8,454

Residential...................... 236 2,454

Warehouse........................ 425 6,791

Other............................ 179 2,760

Vacant........................... 281 3,342

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670 11,615

North Central.................... 1,211 16,059

South............................ 1,493 17,049

West. ............................ 574 7,602

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan..................... 2,255 37,587

Nonmetropolitan.................. 1,693 14,738

1,541 23,248 1,237 18,989 401 5,597 251 3,179 401 6.76D

138

179

299

363

293

68

172

28

814

302

235

103

50

24

13

194

91

153

25

54

436

236

123

116

47

65

1,749

2,728

3,745

4,908

4,902

1,403

2,784

1,902

2,211

3,763

3,571

3,303

3,218

5,280

2,860

3,132

889

1,485

1,099

4,001

4,055

1,476

2,468

879

885

316 6,170

550 8,196

500 6,207

175 2,673

904 17,055

638 6,193

112

156

253

298

224

51

122

21

646

237

196

87

40

19

11

156

73

129

22

49

339

174

112

69

41

49

1,497

2,379

3,231

4,024

3,681

1,114

2,163

q

1,491

1,708

3,101

2,967

2,670

2,628

4,424

2,271

2,613

705

1,288

975

3,189

3,188

1,360

1,878

751

771

252 5,143

476 6,891

393 5,040

115 1,916

725 14,070

512 4,920

40

37

80

97

84

14

43

6

213

77

64

27

12

6

2

45 

26 

42 

Q 

14 

106 

63 

33 

28 

16 

23

210

191

413

598

879

1,586

1,316

319

421

65

514

588

1,047

890

751

792

1,014

656

974

290

334

209

986

822

311

493

270

254

77 1,670

140 2,020

128 1,328

56 580

3,800

1,797

36 

33 

SO 

53 

47 

15 

12 

4

24

10

31

q

q

71

45

27

20

q

10

420

480

465

666

667

201

172

108

148 356

46 332

32 541

15 547

5 358

3 354

2 692

217

292

144q 

q

569 

726 

314 

397 

Q 

176

61 985

96 1,274

69 660

25 260

119 2,124

132 1,055

34

60

70

87

86

22

37

5

194

82

19

27

q

14

246

156

480

1,141

1,090

1,637

1,369

298

649

101

461

599

72 1,204

29 1,033

13 858

7 950

4 1,660

66 1,053

27 888

57 250

7 513

12 241

80 955

83 1,308

430

636

234

258

85 2,093

108 1,812

136 2,080

72 781

5,007

1,758

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 121
Table 36. Selected Conservation Features Installed in Buildings Between 

1979 and 1983 (Continued)

All Buildings

Building Characteristics

Number of 

Buildings

BuiIdings

Taking

Conservation

Actions

I Number 

I of

Buildings Taking the Following Conservation Actions 

Between 1979 and 1983:

Weather

Stripping or

Caulk i ng

I

I Number I 

I of I

Roof 

Insulation

Hall 

Insulation Special Glass

I Number I 

I of I

I Number I 

I of I

(Number! 

I of I

IBuiId-(Square IBuiId-I Square!BuiId-I Square IBuiId-1 Square IBuiId-1 Square 

Square I ings t Feet I ings I Feet I ings I Feet I ings I Feet I ings I Feet 

Feet |(thou-l(mil- 11thou-I(mi 1- 11thou-l(mil- I(thou-I(mi 1- I(thou-l(mi 1-

l(thousands)I(millions)I sands)I lions)I sands)I lions)(sandsXlions>(sands Ml ions ) I sands ) I lions ) 

J_________I________I I I I I I I I I I

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 COO and >7,000 HDD........ Ml 5,785 175 2,619 143 2,033 9 701 9 462 47 602

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HOD... 1,153 16,965 527 8,583 435 7,235 146 Z, 164 92 1,441 125 2,313 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-$,<t99 HDD... 1,016 13,793 421 6,297 351 5,264 96 1,527 68 759 91 1,868 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678 7,496 184 2,427 137 1,703 50 495 31 236 61 1,051

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679 8,346 233 3,321 170 2,753 63 710 24 Q Q 931

Numbor of Establishments in

BuiIding

None. ............................ 142 1,475 29 287 27 278 9 Q q q 0) q

Single Establishment............. 3,160 35,227 1,24115,660 1,00612,940 322 3,885 207 2,036 312 4,386

Multi-Establishment.............. 645 15,623 271 7,301 204 5,771 69 1,605 43 1,091 89 2,323

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346 10,099 128 4,541 99 3,653 40 1,421 12 490 32 1,348

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602 4E.225 1,413 18,707 1,137 15,336 361 4,177 239 2,689 370 5,417

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783 51,359 1,52523,194 1,22218,936 396 5,589 251 3,179 400 6,763

Natural Gas...................... 2,314 37,090 1,01117,863 82914,590 259 4,384 150 2,401 266 5,169

Fuel Oil......................... 633 15,313 298 7,334 252 6.296 63 2,084 41 959 60 2,223

Propane.......................... 260 J,007 118 1,409 94 1,242 37 451 31 264 27 308

Purchased Stea*.................. 60 4,594 19 1,917 15 1,517 7 377 1 210 7 695

Other............................ 245 3,997 111 1,597 84 1,341 35 410 31 292 28 392

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used.................... 161 935 Q q q q Q Q NC NC Q q

Electri ity...................... 800 6,518 233 1,997 157 1,507 73 374 49 268 89 788

Electri ity and Natural Gas...... 1,939 24,863 826 11,096 675 8,832 212 2,556 125 1,512 215 3,032

Electri ity and Fuel Oil......... 319 2,911 131 1,212 112 1,051 18 251 q q 17 287

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

»nd Fuel Oil..................... 207 6,953 116 4,629 100 4,000 22 1,351 14 553 28 1,484

Electricity and Propane.......... 138 736 51 293 46 258 Q q q q q q

Other............................ 383 9,409 169 3,982 132 3,305 60 979 42 587 46 1,136

Percent Heated

Not Heated....................... 440 2,971 48 322 35 272 Q q q q Q q

1 to 50.......................... 517 5,913 173 1,955 126 1,478 31 417 28 343 48 433

51 to 99......................... 564 8,266 265 4,441 208 3,530 78 1,307 59 651 65 1,381

100.............................. 2,427 35,175 1,05516,530 86713,708 280 3,811 161 2,154 275 4,869

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled....................... 1,304 9,802 377 2,848 298 2,337 87 612 60 411 65 586

1 to 50.......................... 1,004 16,335 434 7,741 350 6,213 110 2,015 74 1,074 125 2,174

51 to 99......................... 510 10,333 247 5,635 209 4,654 77 1,780 45 915 70 1,999

100.............................. 1,129 15,855 483 7,024 379 5,786 127 1,191 72 779 141 2,006

NC=llo coses in sample.

Q=Data withheld either because the PSE was greater than 50X, or feuer than JO buildings were sampled.

a^Nvmibers of fewer than 500 buildings or 500,000 square feet are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not sun to totals because buildings may contain more than one feature. See Glossary for definition of terms 

used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

122 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 37. Maintenance and Control of Heating and Cooling Systems, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

t I 

I I 

I I 

Buildings! I

with I Buildings with I Buildings with 

Heating I Computerized I Regular

or I Control of (Maintenance of 

Cooli ng IHeati ng/Cooli ngIKeat ing/Cooli ng 

I All Buildings) Systems i System I System j_____i___i______i_____

Number of Buildings (thousands) 

that have:

I I I 

I Occupant I I Occupant 

(Control I IControl 

Heating I of I Cooling I of 

Systems {Heating I Systems I Cool ing 

_______I I_______I

All Buildings...................... 3,948

Year Constructed

1900 or Before................... 288

1901 to 1920..................... 388

1921 to 1945..................... 726

1946 to 1960..................... 946

1961 to 1970.. .................... 721

1971 to 1973..................... 209

1974 to 1979..................... 530

1910 to 1983..................... 140

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.................... 2,248

5.001 to 10,000.................. 725

10,001 to 25,000................. 567

25,001 to 50,000................. 222

50,001 to 100,000................ 107

100,001 to 200,000............... 50

Over 200,000............... ...... 29

Principal Activity Mi thin Building

Assembly......................... 457

Educational...................... 177

Food Sales/Service............... 380

Health Care...................... 61

Lodging.......................... 106

Mercantile/Services.............. 1,071

Office........................... 575

Residential...................... 236

Warehouse........................ 425

Other............................ 179

Vacant........................... 281

Census Region

Northeast........................ 670

North Central.................... 1,211

South............................ 1,493

West............................. 574

Metropolitan Status

Metropoli tan..................... 2,255

Nonmetropoli tan.................. 1,693

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........ 421

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD... 1,153 

<2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD... 1,016 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 678

>2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........ 679

Number of Establishments in

BuiIdi ng

None............................. 142

Single Establishment............. 3,160

Multi-Establishment.............. 645

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied.............. 346

Not Government Occupied.......... 3,602

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination

Electricity...................... 3,783

Natural Gas...................... 2,314

Fuel Oil......................... 633

Propane.......................... 260

Purchased Steam.................. 60

Other............................ 245

See footnotes at end of table.

3,556

268

360

639

833

654

201

473

128

,940

684

544

211

101

47

28

444

177

375

61

104

1,010

567

235

310

138

137

628

1,115

1,317

496

2,061

1,495

382

1,085

917

561

611

35

2,901

620

309

3,247

3,552

2,277

627

253

60

239

105

q

9

10

23

19

9

22 

12

29

q

20

15

13

10

7

12

17

13

3

8

15 

25 

Q 

2 

4 

3

24

36

27

18

79

26

14

28

30

20

81

23

21

84

105

71

17

6

9

6

2,914

224

292

513

664

558

172

374

116

1,497

582

472

194

94

47

28

389

160

318

54

85

774

481

187

250

108

106

534

931

1,054

394

1,700

1,214

314

904

760

454

482

27

2,389

498

266

2,648

2,911

1,899

551

207

56

176

3,508

266

355

633

813

649

199

466

125

1,903

680

541

207

101

47

28

443

177

367

61

102

982

566

235

299

140

136

627

1,113

1,279

489

2,037

1,471

382

,063

912

553

579

35

2,862

611

309

3,199

3,504

2,261

627

251

60

241

2,541

190

252

454

610

472

143

339

82

1,470

516

362

112

51

22

8

324

99

237

42

71

771

434

146

217

100

100

405

816

967

353

1,427

1,114

271

783

637

407

443

23

2,053

465

200

2,341

2,539

1,611

426

177

27

160

2,643

175

247

433

599

530

150

394

113

1,345

521

443

178

88

41

27

296

130

314

55

79

659

525

163

230

98

94

444

804

1,111

284

1,593

1,050

233

715

685

443

567

23

2,106

514

211

2,432

2,643

1,720

385

166

42

122

1,170

60

112

147

243

249

77

217

66

593

257

206

61

31

15

6

149

47

124

26

19

272

305

42

98

44

41

136

373

532

128

712

459

76

312

269

221

291

13

891

266

89

1,081

1,170

791

119

57

11

38

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 123
Table 37. Maintenance and Control of Heating and Cooling Systems, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

I I 

I I 

I I

Buildings! I 

with (Buildings with (Buildings with 

Heating I Computerized I Regular 

or I Control of (Maintenance of 

Cool i ng I Heat i ng/Cool ing I Heat ing/Cool i ng 

Systems I System I System 

I I

Number of Buildings (thousands) 

that have:

I I 

(Occupant I 

(Control I 

Heating I of I Cooling 

Systems (Heating I Systems

I 

(Occupant 

(Control 

I of 

(Cooling

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuels Used....................

Electrici ty. .....................

Electricity and Natural Gas......

Electricity and Fuel Oil.........

Electricity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. ....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other............................

Fuels Used For Heating

Electr ici ty. .....................

Natural Gas. .....................

Fuel Oil.. .......................

Purchased Steam ..................

Other............................

Fuels Used for Cooling

Electricity. .....................

Natural Gai. .....................

Other ............................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99.........................

100. .............................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50. .........................

51 to 99.........................

100..............................

161

SOO

1,939

319

207

138

383

1,105

2,011

566

161

55

170

2,515

141

21

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

—

619

1,907

316

205

132

377

1,099

2,010

566

160

55

168

2,515

141

21

57

508

564

2,427

913

1,004

510

1,129

—

17

57

6

6

Q

16

39

58

12

q

9

2

87

9

3

u

q

19

83

11

17

27

50

—

463

1,578

281

186

104

300

858

1,673

494

127

51

118

2,101

129

20

Q

396

471

2,007

697

817

434

967

—

587

1,892

315

205

132

377

1,105

2,011

566

161

55

170

2,460

141

21

—

517

564

2,427

922

973

504

1,109

—

470

1,373

232

126

98

242

861

1,455

392

113

25

117

1,781

101

12

—

406

390

1,745

674

695

364

808

—

556

1,459

171

149

93

216

924

1,506

333

100

39

68

2.514

141

21

57

357

435

1,793

—

1,004

510

1,129

—

268

700

53

48

28

Ti

458

699

103

33

10

18

1,090

95

11

Q

145

186

830

—

326

232

612

HC=No cases in sample.

q-Data withheld either because the RSE was greater than 5QX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

^-Numbers of fewer than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Columns do not sum to totals due to noncxhaustive and nonexclusive categories. See Glossary for definition of terms 

used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

124 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 38. Reduced Heating and Cooling When Building Not in Use, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings 

with

Systems

Bui Idings 

with 

Reduced

Off Hours

All Buildings 

with

Systems

Buildings 

with 

Reduced

Off Hours

I 

All Bui Idings I Buildings with 

with Portion I Reduced 

Vacant at I Heating/Cooling

3 Months I (At least 3 Months)

I

All Buildings. 3,948 3,508 3,010 2,645 2,302

Year Constructed

1900 or Before.

1901 to 1920...

1921 to 1945...

1946 to 1960...

1961 to 1970...

1971 to 1973...

1974 to 1979...

1980 to 1983...

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less.........

5.001 to 10,000.......

10,001 to 25,000......

25,001 to 50,000......

50,001 to 100,000.....

100,001 to 200,000....

Over 200,000..........

Principal Activity Within Building 

Assembly.........................

Educati onal......................

Food Sales/Service...............

Health Care......................

Lodg i ng..........................

Mercantile/Services..............

Office...........................

Residential......................

Warehouse........................

Other............................

Vacant...........................

Census Region 

Northeast.....

North Central. 

South.........

West..........

Metropolitan Status 

Metropoli tan......

Monmetropoli tan...

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling 

Df-gree-Days (CDD)

<2,000 CDD and >7,000 HDD........

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD...

'2,000 CDO and 4,000-5,499 HDD...

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD........

>2,000 CDD end <4,000 HDD........

Number of Establishments in 

BuiIding

None.............................

Single Establishment.............

Multi-Establishment..............

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied..............

Not Government Occupied..........

Fuels Used Alone or in Combination 

Electricity......................

Natural Gas......................

Fuel Oil.........................

Propane..........................

Purchased Steam..................

Other............................

See footnotes at end of table.

642 532

288

388

726

946

721

209

530

140

2,248

725

567

222

107

50

29

457

177

380

61

106

1,071

575

236

425

179

281

670

1,211

1,493

574

2,255

1,693

421

1,153

1,016

678

679

142

3,160

645

346

3,602

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

268

355

633

813

649

199

466

125

1,903

680

541

207

101

47

28

443

177

367

61

102

962

566

235

299

140

136

627

1,113

1,279

489

2,037

1,471

382

1,083

912

553

579

35

2,862

611

309

3,199

3,504

2,261

627

251

60

241

232

297

537

718

568

181

374

103

1,630

598

459

176

84

40

24

418

171

295

51

79

864

505

164

248

103

111

528

952

1,114

416

1,712

1,298

329

915

800

477

490

31

2,480

500

252

2,759

3,008

1,931

551

221

45

228

175

247

433

599

530

150

394

113

1,345

521

443

178

88

41

27

296

130

314

55

79

659

525

163

230

98

94

444

804

1,111

284

1,593

1,050

233

715

665

443

567

23

2,106

514

211

2,432

2,643

1,720

385

168

42

122

160

216

387

538

455

135

315

95

1,151

466

393

154

78

35

24

277

125

254

50

68

576

474

130

195

72

82

407

677

985

233

1,361

941

203

611

607

387

495

20

1,833

449

180

2,123

2,302

1,504

344

150

36

104

62

92

127

113

100

32

77

39

337

107

95

55

26

12

10

37

28

54

9

26

111

143

58

46

19

111

129

161

239

93

364

278

73

185

167

108

q

54

407

182

58

584

622

390

119

41

16

44

53

67

103

103

85

28

66

27

291

83

72

48

21

9

8

29

25

41

q

23

93

113

45

42

12

101

104

151

203

75

302

231

60

152

140

91

q

49

344

139

44

488

517

318

89

32

14

37

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 125
Table 38. Reduced Heating and Cooling When Building Not in Use, 1983(Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics All Buildings

All Buildings

with

Heating

Systems

Bui Idings

with

Reduced

Heating in

Off Hours

All Buildings

with

Cooling

Systems

I I

Buildings (All Buildings! Buildings with

with (with Portion I Reduced

Reduced I Vacant at I Heating/Cooling

Cooling in I Least I in Vacant Portion

Off Hours I 3 Months I (At least 3 Months)

1 I

Fuel Combinations Used

tlo Fuel Used. ...................

Electri ity......................

Electri ity and Natural Gas......

Electri ity and Fuel Oil.........

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oi 1 .....................

Electricity and Propane. .........

Other....... .....................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.........................

100............ ..................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled. ......................

1 to 50..........................

51 to 99.. .......................

100..............................

161

800

1,939

319

207

13S

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

—

587

1,892

315

205

132

377

—

517

564

2,427

922

973

504

1,109

—

489

1,608

288

172

115

338

--

453

474

2,083

794

842

421

954

—

556

1,459

171

149

93

216

57

357

435

1,793

—

1,004

510

1,129

—

463

1,285

160

US

82

187

q

326

381

1,552

—

893

4,45

963

17

134

306

38

sa

Q

74

58

121

114

350

192

196

93

161

—

119

252

32

44

q

62

44

102

100

286

156

164

81

13Z

HC-No cases in sample.

t) Data wittiheld either because the RSE was greater than 50X, or fewer than 20 buildings M«r* sampled. 

 -llvmtberi of fewer than 600 buildings are rounded to zero. 

Mote: See Glossary for definition of terns used in this report.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Erxirgy End Use Division. 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

126 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Table 39. Energy Audits, 1983

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All

All 

Buildings

Profes 

sionally

Buildings Professionally 

Audited by:

Private

Electric/Gas 

Company

I

I Buildings Not 

(Professionally Audited 

I and: 

I_________________ 

All I I 

Buildings! Audit I

(Measures Not (Available! Audit 

I Taken in Profes- I Froin (Unavailable 

Other (ResponseIsionally I Energy (From Energy

IBuildingsl Audited IContractorlRepresentative (Auditor I to Audit! Audited (Supplier I Supplier J_____I_____I_____I_______I I I_____I_____L

All Buildings................... 3,948 434 205

fear Constructed

1900 or Before................ 288 23 11

1901 to 1920.................. 388 37 IS

19C1 to 1945.................. 726 73 32

1946 to 1960.................. 946 83 44

1961 to 1970.................. 721 94 49

1971 to 1973.................. 209 38 17

1974 to 1979.................. 530 65 26

1930 to 1983.................. 140 22 10

Square Footage Category

5.000 or Less................. 2,248 151 68

5.001 to 10,000............... 725 96 42

10,001 to 25,000.............. 567 75 39

25,001 to 50,000. ............. 222 58 26

50,001 to 100,000............. 107 25 13

100,001 to 200,000............ 50 18 10

Over 200,000.................. 29 11 7

Principal Activity Hi thin

BuiIding

Assembly...................... 457 52 25

Educational................... 177 49 31

Food Sales/Service............ 380 44 19

HealthCare................... 61 18 10

Lodging. ...................... 106 24 6

Mercantile/Services........... 1,071 85 29

Office........................ 575 88 45

Residential................... 236 20 q

Warehouse..................... 425 30 15

Other......................... 179- 19 7

Vacant........................ 281 6 4

Census Region

Northeast..................... 670 81 37

North Central................. 1,211 120 70

South......................... 1,493 154 67

West.......................... 574 76 30

Metropolitan Status

Metropolitan.................. 2,255 285 132

Nonmetropolitan............... 1,693 149 73

Annual Heating (HDD) and Cooling

Degree-Days (COD)

<2,000 COD and >7,000 HDD..... 421 55 27 

<2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD 1,153 128 66 

<2,000 CDO and 4,000-5,499 HDD 1,016 83 53 

<2,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD..... 678 81 19 

>Z,000 CDD and <4,000 HDD..... 679 q 39

Number of Establishments in

Building

None.......................... 142 q q

Single Establishment.......... 3,160 342 166

Multi-Establishment........... 645 89 38

Government Occupancy

Government Occupied........... 346 67 44

Not Government Occupied....... 3,602 347 161

q 

18 

21 

26 

25 

IS 

27

6

53

36

23

22

7

4

2

23

11

Q q 9

32

29

q

10

q

a

26

34

53

34

100

47

19 

34 

23 

40 

Q

110

37

16

131

q

Q

19

14

20

6

q

5

q

q

12

11

5

4

2

e

7

q 

q

7

24

14

q q q 

Q

18

17

34

13

53

29

q 

28

7 

22

q

q 

66 

14

27

55

187

12

18

35

45

35

15

19

8

52

43

38

27

12

9

5

24

24

15

q

11

36

39

q

14

q

3

45

54

56

30

125

61

22

62

42

31

q

q

147

39

41

146

3,514

265

352

653

862

627

172

465

119

2,097

629

492

164

62

31

18

405

128

336

43

83

966

488

215

395

160

275

589 

1,091 

1,338

49*

1,970

1,544

366

1,025

933

597

593

140

2,318

556

259

3,255

1,761

151

167

283

423

325

99

232

76

999

335

260

89

48

19

11

198

78

151

31

42

475

278

107

189

85

128

321

513

655

271

1,060

681

227

521

340

307

366

70

1,386

305

141

1,620

1,753

114

165

365

439

302

72

233

43

1,099

294

233

75

34

12

7

207

50

185

12

41

511

210

109

206

75

148

267

577

683

225

890

663

140

504

593

290

70

1,432

251

118

1,635

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 127
Table 39. Energy Audits, 1983 (Continued)

(Thousand Buildings)

Building Characteristics

All 

Bui Idings

All

Buildings Profes 

sionally 

Audi ted

Buildings Professionally 

Audited by:

Private 

Contractor

Electric/Gas 

Company 

Represents t i ve

Other 

Auditor

Measures 

Taken in 

Response 

to Audit

All 

Bui Idings 

Hot 

Profes 

sionally 

Audi ted

Buildings Not 

Professionally Audited 

and:

I 

Audit I 

Available I Audit 

From (Unavailable 

Energy I From Energy 

Supplier I Supplier 

I

Fuels Used Alone or in

Combination

Electricity. ......... . ........

Natural Gas ...................

Fuel Oil.............. ........

Propane. . .....................

Purchased Steam. ..............

Other.........................

Fuel Combinations Used

No Fuel Used. ................

Electri i ty. ..................

Electri ity and Natural Gas...

Electri ity and Fuel Oil......

Electri ity, Natural Gas,

and Fuel Oil. .................

Other.........................

Percent Heated

Not Heated. ...................

1 to 50......... ..............

51 to 99......................

100.. .........................

Percent Cooled

Not Cooled... .................

1 to 50........ ...............

51 to 99.... ..................

100. ..........................

3,783

2,314

633

260

60

245

161

aoo

1,939

319

207

138

383

440

517

564

2,427

1,304

1,004

510

1,129

433

288

77

24

14

34

—

77

225

31

34

9

59

19

40

74

300

83

118

84

149

205

147

38

13

a

14

--

29

111

11

20

q

27

9

18

36

145

31

56

46

72

147

96

19

q

q

14

—

2S

80

Q

8

q

21

q

18

16

107

33

41

16

56

82

45

20

2

4

6

--

19

34

11

q

q

10

Q

q

22

49

19

21

22

20

187

132

40

11

7

16

—

24

98

16

17

q

30

q

23

32

130

37

54

33

63

3,349

2,025

556

236

46

211

111

724

1,714

288

174

129

324

421

477

490

2,127

1,221

887

426

980

1,705

1,074

225

108

28

98

54

393

917

96

83

59

159

183

241

262

1,075

554

465

227

514

1,644

952

331

128

18

113

107

331

797

192

91

70

166

238

235

228

1,052

666

422

198

466

NC=Ho cases in snirple.

Q=Data withhelct either because the RSE was greater than BOX, or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled. 

*=Numbers of fewpr than 500 buildings are rounded to zero.

Note: Data may not sum to totals due to rounding. See Glossary for definition of terms used in this report. 

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 

The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

128 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Primarily residential buildings, as shown here, are 

the oldest typeol commercial building; over 70 

percent were constructed before 1946.

Appendix A

How the Survey 

Was Conducted
Appendix A

How the Survey Was Conducted

Introduction

The Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Surveys (NBECS) have been 

designed by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to provide information 

concerning building characteristics, conservation practices, and energy 

consumption within the nonresidential/commercial building stock. Information 

concerning the building unit was collected through personal interviews in NBECS I 

(1979) and through telephone interviews in NBECS II (1983), by use of a national 

probability sample of nonresidential buildings. The NBECS II sample was designed 

to recontact all buildings in the NBECS I sample, complemented by a sample of new 

buildings constructed since NBECS I. Data concerning actual energy consumption 

were obtained from fuel records maintained by the buildings' energy suppliers 

using the mandatory Form EIA-788C, Nonresidential Building Energy Consumption 

Survey - Energy Supplier Forms. Westat Inc., a survey research firm, developed 

the sample design and conducted the interviews under the direction of the EIA, 

Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Energy End Use Division.

Sample Design

The NBECS II design consisted of two complementary samples: the multi-stage area 

probability sample selected in 1979 for the NBECS I building survey and a sample 

of new buildings drawn from the 1979-to-1982 lists of new construction compiled 

by the F.W. Dodge Division, McGraw-Hill Information Systems Company.

Original Sample

A majority of the sample buildings were selected by use of multi-stage area 

probability methods. The first-stage sample for NBECS I involved the selection 

of primary sampling units (PSU's). The approximately 3,100 counties and 

independent cities of the contiguous United States and the District of Columbia 

were grouped into about 1,900 PSU's by a procedure similar to the one used by the 

Census Bureau for its 1970 Current Population Survey. These PSU's consisted of 

individual counties or groups of counties, including those designated as Standard 

Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA). The 25 PSU's that had a 1970 population 

of more than 1.85 million were designated as self-representing; that is, they 

were chosen with certainty. The remaining nonself-representing PSU's were placed 

in strata on the basis of metropolitan status, Census region, rate of growth from 

1960 to 1970, percentage of black population, and a measure of socioeconomic 

status. There were 54 PSU's selected from these strata. These nonself-repre 

senting PSU's, together with the 25 self-representing PSU's, comprised the first 

stage sample of 79 PSU's.

Within their respective strata, the nonself-representing PSU's were not given 

equal probabilities of selection into the sample. Rather, they were selected 

with probabilities proportionate to sizes of their 1970 populations. Probability 

proportionate to size (PPS) sampling is commonly used to take advantage of 

knowledge about the sample units (i.e., their measures of size) in order to 

improve the reliability of estimates. For quantities which are positively 

correlated with these measures of size, estimates based on PPS sampling have 

lower variances than estimates based on equal-probability sampling. The 1970 

population of a PSU was considered to be a useful measure of size because of its 

relationship with commercial activity and energy consumption.

1 ^1 

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

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For the second stage of sampling, each PSU was divided into second-stage sampling 

units corresponding to ZIP Codes or groups of adjacent ZIP Codes. Procedures 

were designed to handle ZIP Codes that overlapped county boundaries and/or 

special ZIP Codes that were assigned to large commercial establishments or 

Government agencies. (In what follows, we use "ZIP group" to refer to a ZIP Code 

or group of ZIP Codes.) ZIP groups were selected with probabilities 

proportionate to a measure of size reflecting their commercial activity. Each 

ZIP group was assigned a measure of size based jointly on summary data from the 

1975 County Business Patterns (CBP) and on proprietary commercial data related to 

office machines. Within each ZIP group, the CBP data were used to derive counts 

of establishments by 2-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) group, 

weighted according to employment size. The final measure of size assigned to a 

ZIP group was an integer equal to the number of segments into which the ZIP group 

would be divided if drawn into the sample. These segment sizes were assigned in 

such a way that segments would contain an average of 120 establishments based on 

the CBP tabulations. After the measures of size were assigned, a sample of about 

five ZIP groups was selected in each PSU, with probabilities proportionate to the 

number of segments in each ZIP group, giving a total second-stage sample of 405 

ZIP groups.

The sample of third-stage units consisted of approximately 400 segments, usually 

with one segment selected from each of the sampled ZIP groups. The selection of 

the segments was made in such a way that 1 percent of all segments in the 

contiguous United States and the District of Columbia was included in the sample, 

each having an equal chance of being selected. In ZIP groups with measures of 

size six or more, the segments were geographically compact areas. It was 

feasible to define and sample area segments within these selected ZIP groups on 

the basis of previous completed field work. For ZIP groups with smaller measures 

of size (i.e., segments), it was less costly to bypass defining segments and 

directly list all buildings across the entire ZIP group. A count of potential 

segments would then still be available as a measure of size for these ZIP groups.

The fourth stage of sampling consisted of the selection of nonresidential 

buildings (excluding farm buildings). Buildings were selected from the sampled 

segment within ZIP groups of six or more segments. For smaller ZIP groups, 

buildings were selected from the list representing the entire ZIP group, but at a 

lower rate since these ZIP groups represented more than one potential segment. 

With a few exceptions, a nonresidential building was defined as a structure that 

was totally enclosed by walls, that extended from the foundation to the roof, and 

housed some type of nonresidential activity (see the "Glossary" for a complete 

definition of Nonresidential Building). The initial step in the fourth stage 

selection process was to conduct a field canvass to identify and list the 

addresses of all eligible nonresidential buildings within each sampled segment or 

ZIP group. As part of the listing procedure, the lister recorded very general 

preliminary descriptive information related to energy usage in a building, based 

on observation rather than inquiry. The information included the estimated 

square footage and apparent principal use. This information was used to 

categorize buildings for subsampling. About 75,000 buildings were listed from 

which approximately 5,800 buildings were selected for a personal interview. 

Subsampling fractions from the 1-percent sample of segments ranged from 1 in 1 

for buildings of 50,000 or more square feet as assigned by the lister, to 1 in 20 

for certain types of small buildings (less than 10,000 square feet). Thus, the

132 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
fourth stage consisted of placing buildings into different strata according to 

their square footage and general usage, then using equal probability sampling 

within these strata. Strata containing large buildings were sampled more 

intensely than strata of small buildings. Although not technically PPS sampling, 

this stratified sampling used a measure of size (square footage) in a different 

way to increase reliability of estimates.

Because of the measures of size used at various stages in the sample design, 

probabilities of selection were higher for larger commercial activities and 

building sizes. Thus, the sample design was more efficient for estimates of 

square footage and energy consumption (which is correlated with square footage) 

and relatively less efficient for estimates of counts of buildings in different 

categories.

To ensure adequate coverage of buildings which were significant energy users, the 

area probability sample of buildings within each PSU was supplemented by a sample 

from a list of "large" buildings. "Large" buildings were defined as: (1) those 

buildings with 250,000 or more square feet of enclosed floorspace in PSU's that 

are SMSA's and (2) buildings of 100,000 square feet or more in the remaining 

PSU's. The list of large buildings was compiled from existing lists of schools, 

hospitals, and Government-owned buildings, and also through inquiries with 

chambers of commerce and other local sources. Some of the large buildings listed 

were clusters of buildings, such as a university campus. About 3,200 buildings 

(or building clusters) were included on the Large Buildings List, and 

approximately 1,200 of them were included in the sample with probabilities of 

selection dependent on their sizes. In those cases in which the selected unit 

consisted of a cluster of buildings, the individual buildings were listed and 

subsampled. Large buildings sampled from the area sample list were checked 

against the Large Buildings List to identify duplicates and assign them 

appropriate selection probabilities.

A total of 549 sampled buildings were out-of-scope and, therefore, ineligible for 

interview. There were several reasons why buildings were designated as being 

ineligible for interview. Duplication occurred when a building was selected into 

both the area and large building samples. In these cases, adjustments were made 

to represent the building once.

Incorrect and multiple building listings were either deleted from the sample or 

subsampled. Structures which were demolished or which failed to meet the 

definition of a nonresidential building were deleted from the sample. Also 

deleted were buildings sampled from the Large Buildings List, but whose size did 

not meet the definition of "large." Finally, any buildings which had had 

additions made to them since NBECS I were deleted from the original sample and

Buildings covered by the area-sampling were listed by observation. 

Therefore, it was not possible to determine the exact scope of a building 

until the interviewing phase, when contact was made with a building 

owner/manager. The list of large buildings was obtained through 

telephone contacts and what was reported over the telephone to be one 

building frequently turned out to be a group of buildings.

•jqo

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
were considered eligible for coverage under the complementary sample of new 

buildings if (1) the addition was at least 10,000 square feet, and (2) the 

addition at least doubled the size of the building.

New Buildings Sample

The sample drawn by NBECS I in 1979 is referred to as the "original sample." 

For NBECS II, the original sample within each selected PSU was updated by 

selecting a stratified random sample of new construction records from the 

1979-to-1982 data files of the F.W. Dodge Division, McGraw-Hill Information 

Systems Company. This sample of new construction is referred to the "new 

buildings sample." Thus, the NBECS II sample involved recontacted buildings from 

the original sample, complemented by a new buildings sample.

Each Dodge file contained construction-project-specific information (see 

"Glossary" for the definition of project) on total square footage of the project, 

value of the project, month and year of construction start-up, type of structure, 

and whether the project was new construction, or an alteration or addition to an 

existing structure. Sampling from Dodge lists was performed within the PSU's 

selected for the original sample. The samples were drawn separately by the year 

of the Dodge file and at varying rates, depending on the project square footage 

and type of structure. The overall sampling fractions employed for the selection 

of the new buildings sample were approximately twice as large as the rates used 

to select the original 1979 building sample and ranged from 1 in 600 for 

buildings with less than 5,000 square feet to 1 in 1 for buildings exceeding 1 

million square feet. This resulted in a sample of new construction that was 

approximately twice as large as would have been obtained had the 1979 sampling 

rates been used. New construction was oversampled to allow separate analysis of 

this building cohort.

Apartment buildings with five or more dwelling units comprised a special class of 

buildings, which were sampled separately from other building types. Apartment 

buildings were considered in-scope if part of the building was used for 

nonresidential purposes, but information on such use was not available in the 

Dodge file. With minor exceptions, these buildings were expected to be used 

solely for residential purposes and, therefore, were sampled at one-eighth the 

rates used for the other Dodge construction. If those selected for the sample 

were later found through telephone screening to have some commercial activity in 

the building (e.g., retail or service establishments), they were considered 

within the scope of the study and were administered the indepth interview. This 

treatment of residential buildings in NBECS II was consistent with the definition 

of in-scope residential buildings used in the 1979 NBECS I survey.

Prior to conducting the indepth telephone surveys, a subsample of project 

listings, coded by Dodge as being (1) nonbuildings, (2) alterations, or (3) 

additions, was reviewed to determine whether the project from these categories 

could be omitted from the sample process without further screening to verify 

eligibility. Out of this review, records coded as nonbuildings were found to be 

structures such as bridges, highways, sewer treatment facilities, and similar

134 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
out-of-scope structures. Thus, all records coded as nonbuildings were deleted 

from the sample without further screening. Alterations were also deleted from 

the sample since in none of the cases examined did the alterations involve a 

conversion of residential space to nonresidential space, although this 

possibility might still exist in the complete F.W. Dodge lists. The effect of 

omitting such conversions from the survey was trivial. Finally, additions were 

screened to determine whether an addition was more than 10,000 square feet and, 

if so, whether the addition had more than doubled the original size of the 

building. The purpose of this determination was to assign a probability of 

selection more closely reflecting the current size of the building, rather than 

the original size. Since additions of less than 10,000 square feet would have 

little effect on the probability of selection, these were deleted from the new 

buildings sample, and the buildings receiving these additions were considered to 

have had their chance for selection under the original sample. On the other 

hand, buildings with additions exceeding 10,000 square feet and which had more 

than doubled their original size were retained in the new buildings sample. 

These buildings were assigned probabilities of selection reflecting the size of 

the additions.

Application of the sampling rates yielded a total sample of 2,429 project 

records: 688 project records for 1979; 617 for 1980; 683 for 1981; and 441 for 

1982. The sample for 1982 excluded new construction that was started after 

November 1982, since the listings were not available at the time of sampling. 

These rates exclude nonbuildings and alterations.

During the initial screening, it was determined that of the 2,429 sample project 

records, 1,461 contained at least one building that might be eligible, 850 did 

not contain an eligible building, and 118 were records for which eligibility 

could not be determined. Of these 118 records, 104 were records for which it was 

not possible to contact the building because F.W. Dodge could not supply any 

information about the project (Table Al). Because a project could contain more 

than one building, the 1,461 eligible projects represented 1,706 eligible 

buildings.

•10C

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Table A1. Number and Percent Distribution of Dodge Project Records by 

Eligibility Status as Determined During Initial Screening

Percent of 

Eligibility______________Number________________All Records

Total Records ............ 2,429 100.0

Not Eligible for

Interview .............. 850 35.0

Possibly Eligible

for Interview .......... 1,461 60.1

Eligibility Not

Determined ............. 118 4.9

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets 

and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey.

A special screening operation was used to deal with the possible overlap between 

the original sample buildings constructed in 1979 and that portion of the new 

buildings sample drawn from the 1979 Dodge list. The goal was to identify those 

buildings for which construction began in 1979, but was not completed in time to 

have been covered by the original sample. A building was likely to have been 

field-listed for NBECS I if construction was at least 25 to 50 percent complete. 

The larger the building, the more time that was required for completion. Using 

this information and data from the Bureau of the Census's Construction Reports, a 

rule was developed for assigning buildings to either the original sample frame or 

the new building sample frame. This approximate "bounding" rule took into 

account the square footage of the building and the approximate construction 

start-up date. For example, buildings of less than 10,000 square feet selected 

from the 1979 Dodge file were retained in the new building sample only if the 

start-up date was July 1979 or later. On the other hand, all buildings with more 

than 1 million square feet were retained in the new building sample if the 

building had been started any time during 1979, because there was little chance 

that these buildings could have been sufficiently completed for inclusion in the 

original sample.

Data Collection

The total NBECS II sample consisted of 8,479 buildings—6,773 from the original 

sample, complemented by 1,706 from the new buildings sample. Of these, 8,018 

buildings were eligible to be interviewed—6,561 from the original sample and 

1,457 from the new buildings sample (Table A2).

136 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Table A2. Number and Percent Distribution of NBECS II Sample Buildings by 

Building Disposition

Building Disposition

Number Percent of Percent of Percent of

of all Eligible Interviewed

Buildings Buildings Buildings Buildings

Total Sample

Total ........................... 8,479

Not Eligible for Interview ... 461

Eligible for Interview ....... 8,018

Interviewed ................. 7,140

With Waiver ............... 6,420

Waiver Not Required3 ...... 130

Without Waiver ............ 590

Not Interviewed ............. 878

Original Sample

Total ........................... 6,773

Not Eligible for Interview .... 212

Eligible for Interview ........ 6,561

Interviewed ................. 5,845

With Waiver ............... 5,278

Waiver Not Required ...... 117

Without Waiver ............ 450

Not Interviewed ............. 716

New Buildings Sample

Total ........................... 1,706

Not Eligible for Interview .... 249

Eligible for Interview ........ 1,457

100.0

5.4 

94.6

100.0

3.1 

96.9

100.0

14.6

85.4

100.0

89.1

10.9

100.0

89.2

10.8

100.0

89.9

1.8

8.3

100.0

90.3

2.0

7.7

100.0

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

137
Table A2. Number and Percent Distribution of NBECS II Sample Buildings by 

Building Disposition (Continued)

Building Disposition

With Waiver ............ o

Waiver Not Required

Number 

of 

Buildings

1 9QS

.... 1,142

. ... 13

. ... 140

Percent of

all 

Buildings

_

__

Percent of 

Eligible 

Buildings

88.9

_

Percent of 

Interviewed 

Buildings

100.0

88.2

1.0

10.8

Not Interviewed ............. 162 — 11.1

a

Buildings without energy. 

"—" = Data not applicable.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, 

Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.

The Interview

The building interviews were conducted between March and August 1983. Initial 

contacts with the building owners and managers were made through a letter signed 

by the EIA Administrator. The letter introduced the survey contractor, stressed 

the importance of cooperation, and assured the confidentiality of responses. The 

interviews were conducted by means of the survey contractor's Computer Assisted 

Telephone Interviewing (CATI) system. With the respondent on the phone, the CATI 

system led the interviewer through the questionnaire, automatically following the 

correct skip patterns and recording the responses on computer files. For the 

buildings that had been in the original sample, certain information from the 

previous survey was coded into the program so that changes in the building could 

be verified. For instance, if the building respondent provided a square footage 

response that was significantly different from the 1979 response, the computer 

program provided a prompting which queried the respondent as to whether any 

alterations or renovations had occurred that led to this change. If not, a 

series of questions was asked to determine if the correct building had in fact 

been contacted. Although the CATI procedure reduced initial coding and editing 

time by reducing interviewer skip errors, it was still necessary to call back 

respondents. Some call backs were necessary when a respondent did not know the 

answer to certain crucial items, such as square footage. Other call backs were 

necessitated by problems with the CATI system itself: it was a new system and 

there were programming problems that became apparent only during the review of 

the final tape. Some of these errors resulted in buildings being recontacted and 

reinterviewed.

138 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Respondents were asked about the building as a whole rather than individual 

establishments located within the building. The interviews covered structural 

and operational building features; types of heating, cooling, and ventilation 

systems; fuels used for various purposes; conservation practices; and a 

description of the activities found in the building. Respondents in buildings 

from the original sample were asked about changes that had occurred to these 

features since the 1979 interview. At the conclusion of the interview, 

respondents in both samples were asked to whom a waiver should be sent to 

authorize the survey contractor to obtain fuel consumption records from the 

building's fuel suppliers.

The average CATI interview lasted 27 minutes for the original sample and 34 

minutes for the new buildings sample. By comparison, the in-person interviews 

for the 1979 NBECS I averaged 45 minutes. A machine edit check of CATI data 

files was made for reasonableness of responses, proper skip patterns, and logical 

inconsistencies in response patterns. Certain items in the building 

questionnaire, such as size, building activity, and the names and addresses of 

fuel suppliers were designated as being crucial. If any of the key items were 

missing or in need of verification, a call back was made to obtain this 

information and, at the same time, any other missing data.

The Interviewers

Interviews were conducted by telephone with building owners/managers. 

Approximately 25 interviewers worked regularly throughout the data collection 

period. They were trained at one of four, three-day training sessions. 

Interviewers were provided instruction in the operation of the CATI system and 

interviewing techniques. A variety of training techniques were used. Training 

materials included: an annotated manual; interactive lectures; role-playing 

exercises; audio-visual presentations of the interview techniques; and slides 

relating specific building types to the questionnaire.

Minimizing Nonresponse

Extensive efforts were made to minimize nonresponse in both the building survey 

and the collection of fuel supply waivers. This section describes the procedures 

used to ensure adequate levels of response.

Prior to conducting the telephone interview, it was necessary to have available 

correct telephone numbers for all eligible buildings. Telephone numbers were 

available for most building respondents interviewed in the original sample. 

However, telephone numbers were unavailable for 1,265 original sample buildings 

as a result of demolition, vacancy, relocation of establishment, incorrect or 

nonexistent listing, etc. In addition, telephone numbers had not yet been 

compiled for nonrespondents from the original sample or for the entire new 

buildings sample.

To obtain telephone numbers, the survey contractor used directory assistance, 

criss-cross directories (listings by address), 1979 listing sheets for telephone 

numbers of neighboring buildings, calls to regulatory agencies, post offices,

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
fire departments, and tax assessor offices. Field agents made site visits to the 

addresses of the unlocatable buildings. Telephone numbers for the new buildings 

sample were obtained by contacting the contractors, architects, or building 

owners recorded on the Dodge project records. Overall, only 2 percent of the 

total eligible buildings were not interviewed because of inability to locate 

them.

Potential respondents for approximately 900 buildings initially refused to be 

interviewed or were not available during the initial interviewing phase. In July 

and August 1983, a nonresponse conversion effort was undertaken to minimize the 

nonresponse. The nonresponse conversion effort resulted in a 33 percent 

conversion rate. Characteristics of nonrespondent buildings appear in 

Appendix B, "Data Quality."

The waiver survey was designed to obtain legal authorization from building 

respondents to collect energy consumption and expenditures data from their energy 

suppliers. A two-phase effort was used to minimize nonresponse to the waiver 

survey. Within at least 1 week (but usually 1 day) of the conclusion of the 

building survey, a waiver request package was mailed to the person identified 

during the CATI interview. The waiver request package included: an unsigned 

waiver authorization form; a pamphlet entitled "Highlights from the (1979) 

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey"; an introductory letter from 

the EIA Administrator; and a cover letter from the survey contractor. If the 

signed waiver was not received within 2 weeks, a followup telephone call 

was made to determine if the waiver request package had been received.

If necessary, a second waiver request was mailed within 1 week (but usually 1 

day) of the followup telephone call. This package was identical to the first 

and, in addition, for the original sample, a "special table" was promised if the 

signed waiver authorization form was returned. The table compared the building's 

1979 energy consumption with other buildings in the same Census region. A total 

of 4,947 signed waivers were received as a result of using these methods, and 

there was a mail response rate of 71 percent.

In October 1983, field agents were sent to buildings from which a signed waiver 

had not been received in an attempt to obtain a signed waiver. This effort 

resulted in obtaining 1,473 additional signed waivers and boosted the overall 

NBECS II waiver response rate to 92 percent. Percentages of waivers returned are 

given in Table A2 for the original and new buildings samples. Table A3 

illustrates the relative effectiveness of the mail and field visit efforts to 

obtain waivers. When signed waivers were received, a letter was mailed thanking 

participants for their cooperation.

140 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Table A3. Response to Request for Waivers Authorizing Collection of Energy 

Consumption and Expenditure Data from Building Energy Suppliers

Request for 

Waivers

Number of 

Sample Buildings

Percent of 

Total Eligible

Total Eligible for 

Waiver Survey .....

Total Signed Waivers

Obtained by Mail . 

Obtained by Field

Total Waivers Not Signed ....

Refused by Mail .... 

Refused by Field ... 

Returned from Field 

Without Signature ..

7,010

6,420

4,947

1,473

590

235

159

196

100

92

71

21

8

3

2

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets 

and End Use, Energy End Use Division, 1983 Nonresidential Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration

141
Three percent of all commercial buildings were 

demolished between /ate-79 79 and mid-1983.

Appendix B

Data Quality

Appendix B

Data Quality

Introduction

Survey estimates derived from the 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy 

Consumption Survey (NBECS II) are subject to sampling error and nonsampling 

biases.

Sampling Error is random variability resulting from surveying a sample of 

buildings rather than the entire building stock. That is, if the survey were to 

be conducted repeatedly in a given year, different statistics would result from 

each survey since different buildings would be sampled in each survey. Because 

probability sampling was used for NBECS II, estimates of sampling error could be 

computed for survey statistics, given the single sample of buildings. These 

estimates were computed by use of a balanced half-sample replication procedure 

described later in this appendix.

Nonsampling Errors are measures of variability in survey data resulting from the 

conduct of the survey. The major types of nonsampling error include respondent 

and/or interviewer errors, coding/keypunching errors, noncoverage, nonresponse 

bias and systematic respondent errors. A bias is a nonrandom type of error; that 

is, if a survey were to be conducted repeatedly, a biased survey statistic would, 

on the average, be either too low or too high. Appendix A, "How the Survey Was 

Conducted," details how the survey was designed and conducted to minimize all 

forms of nonsampling error. Interviewer and coding/keypunching errors were 

minimized through careful wording and format of the questionnaire, careful 

selection and training of interviewers, and quality control built into the data 

collection and data processing operations.

Nonresponse Bias

There are two major types of nonresponse bias: unit nonresponse, and item 

nonresponse. A unit nonresponse is defined as any eligible sample building for 

which no information was obtained. This was due mostly to a refusal to cooperate 

or to the unavailability of a building representative. Item nonresponse refers 

to a building representative's inability to answer specific questionnaire items, 

usually due to a lack of knowledge. The next two sections describe these types 

of nonresponse and how they were handled.

Unit Nonresponse

In both the original and new buildings samples, approximately 11 percent of 

eligible buildings were unit nonrespondents (Table Bl). This rate was slightly 

higher than the 8 percent nonresponse rate experienced in the 1979 NBECS I. This 

increase may have been the result of the collection of data by telephone in NBECS 

II rather than by personal interview as in 1979. However, the NBECS II 

nonresponse rate is still low relative to many surveys of this nature. Buildings 

which were nonrespondents in NBECS I were 5 times more likely to be 

nonrespondents (as opposed to respondents) in NBECS II.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Table Bl contains nonresponse rates associated with various categories of 

buildings from each of the original and new buildings samples, although it should 

be kept in mind that new buildings nonresponse rates are based on small numbers 

of buildings. Nonresponse was highest in the Northeast Census region of the 

original sample and in the Northeast and South Census regions of the new 

buildings sample. Large metropolitan areas tended to have higher nonresponse 

rates than other areas for the original sample, but not for the new buildings 

sample. Among original sample buildings, nonresponse was highest for 

mercantile/personal service type buildings and open space types, such as 

warehouse, assembly, and vacant buildings. A similar, but less pronounced, 

pattern of nonresponse rates occurred in the new buildings sample. Nonresponse 

was highest in the smallest square footage category for the original buildings 

sample, although no distinct relationship between nonresponse and size was 

evident for larger size categories.

The highest nonresponse rate occurred in the largest size category of the new 

buildings sample.

Unit nonresponse bias in the survey statistics was reduced by the method of 

weight adjustment. The NBECS II sample was designed so that survey responses 

could be used to estimate characteristics of the entire nonresidential buildings 

stock in the contiguous United States and the District of Columbia. This was 

accomplished by calculating basic sampling weights (base weights) that relate the 

sampled buildings to the entire nonresidential buildings stock. Statistically, a 

base weight is the reciprocal of the probability of a building being selected 

into the sample. This is equivalent to saying that a base weight is the number 

of actual buildings represented by a sampled building. Thus, a building with a 

base weight of 1,000 means that the sampled building represents itself and 999 

similar, but unsampled, buildings in the total building stock. To reduce unit 

nonresponse bias in the survey statistics, an upward adjustment of respondent 

building base weights was performed so that the respondent buildings also 

represented nonrespondent buildings in addition to unsampled buildings. 

Respondent building base weights were multiplied by the adjustment factor "A," 

defined as follows:

* - I

where W is the sum of the base weights over all eligible buildings and R is the 

corresponding sum over all respondent buildings.

As illustrated in Table Bl, nonrespondents tended to fall into certain 

categories. Thus, to reduce nonresponse bias to the extent possible, adjustment 

factors were computed independently within subgroups created by sorting according 

to the building characteristics in Table Bl. Additional, but less important, 

sorting characteristics were heating fuels used, heating and cooling degree-day 

categories, age of building, number of workers, and percentage of floorspace 

heated and cooled. The more characteristics used when sorting, the more detailed 

the subgroups and the lower the nonresponse bias. However, this sorting also 

resulted in higher weight adjustment factors, which tended to increase survey 

statistic standard errors. The weight adjustment factors were calculated by 

using as many sorting characteristics as possible while still resulting in an

146 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Table B1. Building Survey Response and Nonresponse Rates of the Original 

and New Buildings Samples by Region, Building Location, Building 

Type, and Building Size (Percent of Eligible Buildings)

Characteristic

Response Rates 

New

Original Buildings 

Sample Sample

Nonresponse Rate

Original Sample New Buildings Sample

Refuse

Unable to 

Contact/ 

locate Other

Total Nonresponse^ Refuse

Unable to

Contact/

Locate

Total NonOther response

Total .................... 89.1 88.9 7.1 2.2 1.6 10.9 10.1 — 1.0

Census Region 

Northeast .............. 86.9 87.7 7.9 2.9 2.3 13.1 11.8 — 0.5

North Central .......... 88.7 92.4 7.7 2.0 1.6 11.3 6.7 — 0.9

South .................. 90.0 87.5 6.8 2.1 1.1 10.0 11.0 — 1.5

tfest ................... 91.4 88.5 4.7 1.9 2.0 8.6 10.9 — 0.6

location Type 

SMSA Certainty ......... 84.7 87.3 9.3 3.3 2.8 15.3 11.9 0.8

SMSA Noncertainty ...... 91.2 89.8 6.0 1.3 1.5 8.8 9.0 1.2

Non-SMSA ............... 90.8 88.4 6.2 2.2 0.8 9.2 10.5 1.1

Building Type3 

Retail/Personal 

Services ............... 86.4 89.0 9.3 2.1 2.2 13.6 10.5 — 0.5

Open Space ............. 86.8 87.7 8.0 3.5 1.8 13.2 11.0 — 1.3

Office ................. 92.2 89.1 6.0 0.9 0.9 7.8 10.6 — 0.3

Other .................. 91.9 91.6 5.1 1.4 1.6 8.1 6.3 — 2.1

Building Sizeb

Less than 10,000 ....... 86.2 91.0 7.5 4.0 2.4 13.8 7.3 — 1.7

10,000- 24,999 ....... 90.2 93.4 6.3 1.9 1.6 9.8 6.0 0.7

25,000- 49,999 ....... 90.4 90.4 6.5 1.2 1.9 9.6 9.0 0.6

50,000- 99,999 ....... 89.1 85.1 7.7 1.5 1.7 10.9 13.5 1.4

100,000-249,999...... 89.2 88.6 9.9 0.9 0.0 10.8 10.5 0.9

250,000-499,999...... 94.2 87.6 5.2 0.2 0.2 5.8 11.2 1.2

500,000-999,999...... 94.4 92.8 4.7 0.0 0.9 5.6 6.2 1.0

1,000,000 and over ..... 88.2 82.6_____9.9 0.7 1.3 11.8_____17.4 0.0

11.1

12.3

7.6

12.5

11.5

12.7

10.2

11.6

11.0

12.3

10.9

8.4

9.0

6.7

9.6

14.9

n.4

12.4

7.2

17.4

Tased on lister observation for the original sample and Dodge records for the new buildings sample. (See Appendix C for 

definitions of the building types.)

The first five categories represent lister estimates of total square footage for buildings selected in the area sample 

portion of the original sample; the remaining categories were used for the list sample portion of the original, sample. For 

the new buildings, sample size was estimated from total project value using $50 per square foot as the conversion factor.

" " Data not applicable. Data may not sum to totals due to independent rounding.

Source: friergy Information Administration, Office of Energy >!arkets and End Use, Energy Bid Use Division, 1983 

Nonresidential Buildings Ehergy Consumption Survey.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983

147
adjustment factor smaller than some arbitrarily chosen value. The preliminary 

analyses of different sets of adjusted weights indicate that the relative 

standard errors of estimates show no increase across a range of maximum allowable 

adjustment factors ranging from two to four. Therefore, adjustment factors as 

high as four were allowed to permit the use of more detailed weight adjustment 

subgroups. Even with such a high allowable adjustment factor, only 2 percent of 

the adjustment factors calculated in this manner were higher than two. 

Individual weight adjustment subgroups varied in the number of sorting 

characteristics that could be employed and depended upon the point at which the 

constraint came into play for those individual subgroups.

Respondent weights remained nonzero after weight adjustment, whereas 

nonrespondent weights were set to zero because they were accounted for by the 

upward adjustment of respondent weights. Because the original buildings sample 

and the new buildings sample represented nonoverlapping portions of the total 

nonresidential buildings stock, weight adjustments for unit nonresponse were 

performed on each sample separately, as described below.

Unit Nonresponse Adjustments for the Original Buildings Sample

The weight adjustment procedure for the original buildings sample was designed to 

produce two final weights for each respondent building. The first set, called 

cross-sectional weights, was used to derive estimates of characteristics of the 

1983 nonresidential buildings stock from the NBECS II original buildings sample.

The second set of weights, the longitudinal weights, allowed buildings that were 

respondents in both 1979 and 1983 to be used to estimate changes that occurred in 

that part of the 1983 building stock that was in scope in 1979. Only buildings 

that responded to the survey in both 1979 and 1983 had a longitudinal weight 

greater than zero. All other buildings from the original buildings sample had a 

longitudinal weight of zero.

Prior to the cross-sectional and longitudinal weight adjustments, unit 

nonrespondents in 1983 were adjusted for out-of-scope cases among the 

respondents. This adjustment corrected the base weights of unit nonrespondents 

for any out-of-scope buildings they might represent and allowed estimation of how 

much of the 1979 nonresidential buildings stock had been removed from that stock 

by mid-1983.

Unit Nonresponse Adjustments to the New Buildings Sample

Weight adjustment for unit nonresponse for the new buildings sample required only 

cross-sectional weights, because the sample consisted of buildings constructed 

after the 1979 survey (i.e., longitudinal weights did not apply). Weight 

adjustment cells for these buildings were defined by Census region, building 

square footage category, and building use category. This weight adjustment 

procedure was performed by Westat Inc., the survey research firm that 

administered the survey.

148 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
The cross-sectional weights in the new buildings sample and the cross-sectional 

weights in the original buildings sample were used to estimate characteristics of 

the total 1983 nonresidential building stock as of mid-1983.

Item Nonresponse

Nonresponses to several items in otherwise completed questionnaires were treated 

by a technique known as "hot-deck imputation." Hot-decking consisted of 

assigning to the item nonresponse the same value for the missing item that was 

recorded for an appropriate "donor" building. Only buildings which were similar 

to the nonrespondent in characteristics correlated with the missing item could 

could serve as donors to that nonrespondent. The characteristics used to define 

"similar" buildings depended on the item to be imputed. The most frequently used 

characteristics included building type, square footage category, year built 

category, and Census region. Other characteristics, such as type of heating fuel 

and presence of furnace or boilers, were used for specific items. The procedures 

used for NBECS II were identical to, or modifications of, the item imputation 

procedures used for the 1979 NBECS.

Three sets of imputation procedures were required to adjust NBECS II building 

characteristics for item nonresponse: the first, for double respondent buildings 

in the original sample, the second, for original sample buildings that responded 

only in 1983, and the third, for buildings in the new buildings sample. Three 

separate imputation procedures were developed because different information was 

available for matching nonrespondents with appropriate donors in each of these 

three groups of buildings.

1. Item Imputation Procedures for Original Sample Buildings Responding in 

Both 1979 and 1983

Hot-decking was used to impute for missing items among the double 

respondent buildings in 1983. These hot-decking procedures 

incorporated NBECS I information from 1979, using as donors those 

buildings that were similar to the nonrespondent buildings and for 

which both donor and nonrespondent had the same 1979 value for the 

missing item.

2. Item Imputation Procedures for Original Sample Buildings Responding 

Only in 1983

Hot-deck item imputation procedures used for original sample 

buildings that responded only in 1983 identical to the procedures 

used for hot-decking in 1979 and are described in NBECS I reports. 

(See References 1 and 2.)

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 149 

Energy Information Administration
3. Item Imputation Procedures for the New Buildings Sample

Hot-deck item imputation procedures used for these buildings are 

very similar to the procedures used for hot-decking in 1979. 

However, these procedures were modified to utilize the information 

from the Dodge construction project slips and for categorizing donor and 

recipient buildings. The changes involved using Dodge construction slip 

information to develop the imputation cells for the hot-deck imputation for 

the number of floors and square footage. Table B2 contains the item 

nonresponse percentages for building characteristics used in this report.

150 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Table B2. Item Nonresponse Frequencies for Interviewed Buildings by 

Selected Building Characteristics

Overall By Sample

The Original Sample

The New

Buildings

Sample

Building 

Characteristics Frequency Percent

Interviewad

in 1979 and

in 1983

Interviewed 

Only in 

1983

Intervievred 

Only in 

1983

Total Number of Cases 7140

*Square footage ............................... 842

*Nuriber of workers ............................ 765

Insulation in roof or celling ................ 379

"Utility audit available ...................... 364

*Total fuel oil tank capacity3 ................ 239

*Year built category .......................... 231

*Ehergy audit by a professional auditor ....... 209

Building heat decreased in off hours ......... 182

Conservation glass ........................... 174

*Number of fuel oil tanks ..................... 145

Building cooling decreased in off hours ...... 142

*Hburs of building operation (overall) ....... 130

Conservation response to audit ............... 106

Building heating and cooling decreased in

the vacant portion ......................... 87

Aided weatherstripping or caulking

since 1/1/80 .............................. 85

*Number of workers category ................... 84

*Type of professional auditor used ............ 70

Added roof insulation since 1/1/80 ........... 70

*Nuniber of boilers ............................ 67

Bnployee control of heating temperature ...... 66

Aided wall insulation since 1/1/80 ........... 50

Aided conservation glass since 1/1/80 ........ 43

*Number of occupants .......................... 41

Bnployee control of air-conditioning

temperature ................................ 38

*Boilers present .............................. 36

*Percent glass ................................ 35

*Local Government occupied .................... 32

*State Government occupied .................... 27

*Federal Government occupied .................. 25

Part of the building vacant for more than

3 months last year ......................... 23

^Government owned ............................. 22

11.8

10.7

5.3

5.1

3.4

3.2

2.9

2.6

2.4

2.0

2.0

1.8

1.5

1.2

1.2

1.2

1.0

1.0

.9

.9

.7

.6

.6

.5 

.5 

.5 

.4 

.4 

.4

.3 

.3

5563

776

566

327

238

118

160

128

107

105

37

83

105

81

56

62

56

54

50

48

43

31

36

34

23

26

16

20

17

15

13

13

282

30

32

16

15

11

65

13

4

5

7

2

5

4

8

3

4

11

6

1

9

1

1

0

2

0

3

2

1

2

0

1295

36

267

36

111

110

6

68

71

64

101

57

20

21

65

15

25

12

9

13

22

10

6

6

15

8

19

9

8

9

8

9

See footnotes at end of table.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983 151
Table B2. Item Nonresponse Frequencies for Interviewed Buildings by 

Selected Building Characteristics (Continued)

Overall By Sample

Sample

The NEW

Buildings

Sample

Building 

Characteristics Frequency Percent

Interviewed

in 1979 and

In 1983

Interviewed 

Only in 

1983

Interviewed 

Only In 

1983

*Number of floors .......................

Ftoel oil fires boilers .................

Other fuel fires boilers ...............

Natural gas fires boilers ..............

*Percent heated .........................

*Percent cooled .........................

*Square footage category ................

Fbel oil/kerosene brought into building

*New boilers present since 1/1/80 .......

*Number of boilers since 1/1/80 ......... c All other fuels brought into building .

Natural Gas brought into building ......

Fuel oil fires new boilers .............

Natural gas fires new boilers ..........

Other fuel fires new boilers ...........

Electricity brought into building ......

16

15

14

1A

9

9

8

8

7

7

3

1

0

0

0

.2

.2

.2

.2

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

14

13

12

12

3

5

2

8

7

7

3

1

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

1

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

1

5

4

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

* Item imputations were performed for these variables.

Item imputations rates for tank capacity are the frequencies of sampled 

buildings that did not respond to this question for at least one kerosene or 

fuel oil tank.

Overall item imputation rates for building hours are the frequencies of 

sampled buildings that did not respond to this question for at least 1 day of the 

week.

Q

Percentages of item imputation are the same for purchased steam, purchased 

chilled water, coal, propane, purchased hot water, wood, solar, and other fuels; 

therefore, the rate has been listed only once.

— = Not Applicable.

Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End 

Use, Energy End Use Division, The 1983 Nonresidential Buildings Energy 

Consumption Survey.

152 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 

Energy Information Administration

1983
Noncoverage Bias

Sampling frame incompleteness or noncoverage is also a potential source of bias. 

The F. W. Dodge construction files did not compile records for construction of 

buildings costing less than $25,000. This will affect estimates for very small 

buildings (i.e., 5,000 square feet or less). The low percentage of small 

buildings of 1980 to 1983 vintage apparent in Tables 1 through 39 may be, in 

part, the result of a true size trend in the construction of commercial buildings 

and/or an underestimate of buildings costing less than $25,000 to construct. At 

this time, it is not clear what the reason is for the small building count.

Computation of Sampling Errors

One component of total survey error that can be estimated is sampling error or 

variance. However, NBECS is a list-supplemented, multi-stage area sample design 

of such complexity that it is virtually impossible to construct an exact 

algebraic expression for estimating variance. The method used to estimate 

sampling variances for this survey was balanced half-sample replication (see 

References 3 and 4). This is a numerical method which involves the pairing of 

primary sampling units (PSU's), together in strata so that differences between 

the members of each pair can be used to build an estimate of sampling variance. 

The 79 PSU's were grouped into 37 strata. Nineteen of these strata consisted of 

nonself-representing PSU's belonging to the same Census regions, with one or more 

PSU's comprising each member of a pair. The remaining 18 strata were each 

comprised of one or more self-representing PSU's; that is, they consisted of 

large metropolitan areas that came into the sample with certainty. In each of 

the latter strata, all of the PSU's were treated as a composite "PSU," while the 

segments within the composite "PSU" were segregated into two groups representing 

the two members of a pair.

Half-sample replication involved the repeated drawing of pair members from the 37 

strata. Each replication is called a "half-sample" because only one member of 

the pair within each of the 37 strata is selected. The sampling weights of 

buildings in any selected member are adjusted upward so that they represent not 

only themselves but all buildings in the stratum. In this way, each half-sample 

can produce unbiased survey statistics based on roughly one-half of the data. 

Using different combinations of members from the 37 pairs, a total of over 137 

billion unique half-samples are possible. Although desirable for good variance 

estimation, a large number of half-samples would be computationally infeasible. 

However, by the method of balanced half-sample replication (Reference 3), each 

half-sample is constructed by using an orthogonal matrix adapted from Plackett 

and Burman (Reference 5) to control the selection of pair members from strata. 

Balancing allows a small number of half-samples (approximately equal to the 

number of strata) to produce estimates of variance which are identical to 

estimates based on all possible unique half-samples for linear survey statistics. 

Thus, for NBECS, 40 balanced half-samples were used in variance estimation.

See Appendix A, "How the Survey was Conducted."

150

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
The variance estimate for the survey estimate X 1 of characteristic X is 

given by:

where X' is the i half-sample estimate of X. The standard error of X 1 

is given by:

The relative standard error percent of X' is given by:

SX' 

RSE (X1) = -- x 100

The RSE's for Tables 1 through 39, percentages for Tables 1 through 39, and RSE's 

for the percentages can be found in Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption 

Survey; Characteristics of Commercial Buildings, 1983; A Supplemental 

Reference (DOE/EIA-MOQ8), available from National Technical Information Service, 

5285 Port Royal Road, Virginia 22161 (Telephone: 703-487-4650).

Generalized Variance Equations

A general relationship exists between estimated number of buildings, total square 

footage, or total number of workers, and the RSE's of the estimates: RSE's tend 

to decrease as the size of the estimates increase. Given an estimate, this 

relationship provides an opportunity to approximate its corresponding RSE. 

Functional relationships between estimates in Tables 1 through 39 and their 

corresponding RSE's were derived by linear regression. The resulting equations 

can be used to compute the RSE's for various estimates from Tables 1 through 39.

The estimated relative standard errors of statisics that give the aggregate 

number of buildings, square footage, or number of workers can be computed using 

the equations shown on page 155. Equations 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were obtained using 

a least squares regression analysis. Equation 2 was obtained using a least 

absolute value regression. The RSE's used as dependent variables in the 

regression procedures were obtained using the half-sample variance estimating 

procedure discussed in the previous section on computations of sampling errors.

Confidence intervals given with the survey statitsics in the text of this report 

were computed individually using Balanced Repeated Replication rather than 

generalized variance equations. Generalized variance equations provide a 

convenient approximation of RSE's and are presented here for use with estimates 

from Tables 1 through 39 and derived statistics.

154 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Equations

1. All tables except Table 8, Table 10, and row items for Census region or climate zone in other tables 

a. Building counts:

log lo(RSE) = 1.679 - .261 x \oglo(COUNT). (1) 

b. Aggregate square footage:

log lo(RSE) = 1.765 - .116 x \og lo(COUNT x SQFT). (2) 

c. Aggregate number of workers:

loglQ(RSE) = 1.890 - .211 x loglo(WORKERS). (3)

2. Table 8, Table 10, and row items for Census region or climate zone in all other tables. 

a. Building counts:

log, 0(J?S£) = 1.734 - .241 x \og lo(COUNT). (4) 

b. Aggregate square footage:

log, 0(/ZS£) = 1.730 - .093 x log10(C0C/AT x SQFT). (5) 

c. Aggregate number of workers:

log lo(RSE) = 1.890 - .211 x logw(WORKERS). (6) 

Notes:

RSE = relative standard error (percent)

logic = logarithm base 10

COUNT = aggregate number of buildings (thousands)

SQFT = aggregate square footage (million square feet)

WORKERS = aggregate number of workers (thousands)

Confidence Interval Estimation

A 95-percent confidence interval is an interval around a population estimate, 

which, by its method of construction, "contains" the true, but unknown, value of 

interest for 95 percent of all possible samples. For purposes of this report, 

estimates are assumed to be approximately normally distributed. Thus, an

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
interval of two standard errors on each side of the estimate closely corresponds 

to a 95-percent confidence interval. For example, Table 1 indicates a total of 

3.95 million commercial buildings in the contiguous United States and District of 

Columbia, with an RSE of 5.5 percent (generalized variance from Equation 1). The 

95-percent confidence interval requires the computation of two times the standard 

error as 3.95 x 0.055 x 2 = 0.43. According to the notation used throughout this 

report, the 95-percent confidence interval would then be expressed as 3.95 

(±0.43) million buildings. The confidence interval, or the doubled standard 

error in parenthesis, serves as a measure of the level of variability in the 

survey estimate. The wider the confidence interval, the higher the sampling 

variability of the survey estimate.

Two types of estimates or statistics that can be constructed from Tables 1-39 are 

(1) percentages, and (2) ratios. Following is a discussion on how RSE's and 

confidence intervals are estimated for such derived survey statistics.

(1) Percentages

A percentage statistic is P' = N'/D' x 100, where N' = the numerator estimate and 

D' = the denominator estimate. N' is "contained" in D', or is a subset of D' 

(that is, N' is D 1 restricted by some additional characteristics). The following 

approximate formula can be used to obtain an estimate of sampling error:

RSE (/") = J[RSE(N')]2 ~ [RSE(D')]2

RSE(N') and RSE(D') can be obtained from the regression equations on page 155. 

For example, Table 16 indicates that of an estimated 3.95 million commercial 

buildings in the contiguous United States and District of Columbia, 2.31 million 

of them use natural gas. The RSE's for these survey statistics are 5.5 and 6.3 

percent, respectively.

The percentage of buildings using natural gas is 2.31/3.95 x 100 = 58.6 percent, 

with the following RSE:

RSE (58.6) = V(6 - 3) 2 - ( 5 - 5 ) 2 = 3 - ! percent

Two times the standard error is 58.6 x 0.031 x 2 = 3.6, and the 95-percent 

confidence interval is expressed as 58.6(±3.6).

However, the RSE formula given above is only an approximation based on Taylor 

series expansion. The RSE of 3.1 percent, computed from the approximate formula, 

compares with the value of 5.3 percent computed directly by balanced half-sample 

replication. The approximate formula for RSE's of percentages assumes simple 

random sampling. The consequences of its use for complex multistage surveys, as 

opposed to simple random samples, have been investigated (Reference 6). For the 

statistics investigated, the approximate formula became inaccurate for small 

sample sizes, high percentage values, or low- resulting RSE values. Therefore, 

approximate RSE's derived from NBECS percentage statistics should be used with 

care. In certain cases, use of this formula may lead to taking the square root 

of a negative number. This can occur when the estimated RSE of the numerator is

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
smaller than the estimated RSE of the denominator. In this case, an alternative, 

yet conservative approach, is to use the estimated RSE of the denominator as the 

RSE of the percentage.

(2) Ratios

As mentioned earlier, in a percentage statistic, the numerator constitutes a 

subset of the denominator. This is not necessarily the case for a ratio 

estimate. An example of a ratio estimate is the estimated number of square feet 

of building space in the West Census region divided by the estimated number of 

buildings in the West Census region. This division yields an estimated number of 

square feet per building for the West. Another example would be the ratio of 

buildings with electric heat to those using gas heat. If X' and Y' are two 

survey statistics from Tables 1 through 39, and R 1 = X'/Y' is their ratio, an 

approximate RSE can be computed as follows:

RSE (/?') = J[RSE(X')]2 + [RSE(Y')]2

For example, Table 8 shows a total of 574,000 commercial buildings in the West

Census region with an RSE of 11.7 percent (generalized variance from Equation 4).

In addition, Table 8 shows a total square footage of 7,602 million square feet in 

the West with an RSE of 13.0 percent (generalized variance from Equation 5). The

ratio of number of square feet per building in the West is 13,244 square feet per

building, with the following RSE:

RSE (13,244) = V( n - 7) 2 + ( 13 -°)2 = 17 - 5 percent

Two times the standard error is 13,244 x 0.175 x 2 = 4,635, and the 95-percent 

confidence interval is 13,244 (±4,635) square feet per building. However, the 

RSE formula given above is only an approximation based on Taylor series 

expansion. The amount of error incurred by its use depends on the correlation 

between X' and Y'. This correlation is likely to be positive for many 

statistics, in which case the approximation produces an overestimate of the true 

variance. The approximate formula yielded an RSE of 17.5 percent for the number 

of square feet per commercial building in the West, compared with the more exact 

RSE of 18.1 percent for the same statistic, as computed directly from balanced 

half-sample replication.

Statistical Tests of Hypotheses

The previous sections showed how RSE's and confidence intervals can be used as a 

measure of reliability of the individual survey statistics presented in or com 

puted from Tables 1 through 39. This section examines how RSE's can be employed 

to statistically test the validity of statements or "null hypotheses" about 

commercial buildings. Examples of null hypotheses are:

1. "The number of heated buildings was not significantly different between 

metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas."

2. "There were no significant differences in demolition rates among Census 

regions."

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 157 

Energy Information Administration
These hypotheses can be expressed as differences between certain survey 

statistics. In order to statistically test the significance of the difference 

between the estimates X' and Y', the following "test statistic" is computed which 

is assumed to be approximately normally distributed by appeal to the Central 

Limit Theorem:

(X1 - r)100

+ [Y'RSE(Y')]2

The null hypothesis that there is no difference between X' and Y 1 is rejected if 

the absolute value of Z , , is greater than some critical value G. In this 

report, as is commonly done, G is set at 1.96 so that the probability of 

incorrectly detecting a significant difference is 0.05. This means that out of 

100 hypothesis tests performed, 5 of them (on average) will erroneously detect 

significant differences when such differences do not in fact exist. Thus, it is 

impossible to know for certain whether a particular difference is in fact 

significant. However, the method of testing provides that 95 percent of such 

detected differences will be in fact significant.

Using null hypothesis No. 1 as an illustration, estimates from Table 21 for the 

numbers of heated buildings was 2.04 million in metropolitan areas and 1.47 

million in non-metropolitan areas. RSE's were 6.5 and 7.1 percent, respectively 

(generalized variances from Equation 1).

The test statistic is computed as follows:

i (2.04 - 1.47)100 _

•2(2.04, 1.47) ~ , , =? - 3.38 V/[(2.04X6.5)]2 + [(1.47)(7.1)]2

Since 3.38 is greater than 1.96, the hypothesis that there is no significant 

difference in the numbers of heated buildings between metropolitan and 

non-metropolitan areas is rejected. The conclusion is that there is, in fact, a 

significant difference between the two numbers.

Hypothesis No. 2 can be broken down into a "family" of all possible pairwise 

comparisons of Census regions. The number of possible pairwise comparisons among 

the 4 Census regions is the combinatorial („) =6. For each of the 6 hypothesis 

tests performed alone, the probability of erroneously detecting a difference when 

none exists is 0.05. On the other hand, when all tests are performed, the 

overall probability that one or more of the tests erroneously detect a difference 

is greater than 0.05 since the error probabilities accumulate.

However, a multiple comparisons technique based on the Bonferroni inequality (see 

References 7 and 8) allows for the simultaneous testing of two or more 

hypotheses, while still maintaining an overall error probability not greater than

158 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

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0.05. The technique calls for dividing the desired overall error probability of 

0.05 by the number of hypotheses to be simultaneously tested. In the above 

example, 0.05/6 = 0.0083, which yields a critical test of G = 2.64 from tables of 

cumulative standard normal distribution. If the absolute value of the test 

statistic Zy , , for any pairwise comparison exceeds G, then a significant 

difference has'Been detected for that pair.

The statistics for testing all possible pairwise comparisons for number of 

demolished buildings among Census regions were computed from Table S3. The 

resulting Z , v , are presented below.

A ,1

Northeast North Central South West

Northeast

North Central 1.08

South -1.08 2.35

West 0.47 0.25 1.26

Since the absolute value of no test statistic exceeds the overall critical value 

of G = 2.64, then no significant differences in demolition rates were detected 

among the four Census regions.

Again, it should be stressed that the formula for computing Z , , the test 

statistic for an hypothesis test is approximate, with an error determined by any 

correlation between the two groups being tested. The Bonferroni approach to 

simultaneous tests is conservative in that the overall probability of erroneously 

detecting significant differences when none exist will be at most 0.05 and will 

likely be less than 0.05.

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References

1. Energy Information Administration. March 1981. Nonresidential Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey; Building Characteristics.DOE/EIA-0246. 

Washington, D.C.

2. Energy Information Administration. March 1983. Nonresidential Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey; 1979 Consumption and Expenditures. Part 1: 

Natural Gas and Electricity.DOE/EIA-0318/1.Washington, D.C.

3. National Center for Health Statistics. April 1966. "Replication: An

Approach to the Analysis of Data From Complex Surveys." Vital and Health 

Statistics. Public Health Service Publication No. 79-1269, Series 

2 - No. 14, Washington, D.C.

4. National Center for Health Statistics. January 1969. "Pseudoreplication: 

Further Evaluation and Application of the Balanced Half-Sample Technique." 

Vital and Health Statistics. Public Health Service Publication No. 73-1270, 

Series 2 - No. 31, Washington, D.C.

5. R. L. Plackett, and J. P. Burman. 1946. "The Design of Optimum 

Multifactorial Experiments," Biometrika 33, pp. 305-325.

6. I. M. Shimizu. 1981. "Accuracy of Difference Method for Approximating 

Sampling Errors for Proportion Estimates From a Complex Sample," 

Proceedings of the American Statistical Association, Survey Research 

Methods, pp. 204-208.

7. R. G. Miller. 1966. Simultaneous Statistical Inference. New York: 

McGraw-Hill Book Co.

8. National Center for Health Statistics. 1974. Manual on Standards and

Procedures for Reviewing Statistics Reports. (Internal Document: National 

Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health & Human Services, 

Hyattsville, MD.)

160 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

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Health care buildings, such as this hospital in 

Maryland are the largest building type, averaging 

3 7,600 square feet.

Appendix C

Building Types
Building Types

The principal building activity classification system is based on the primary 

business, commerce, or function carried out by the occupants of a building. The 

building type categories were designed to group buildings having similar patterns 

of energy consumption. Often, more than one activity is carried on in a 

building. In this survey, a building type category was assigned on the basis of 

the predominant use of floor space. Each building type is described below.

1. Assembly refers to large buildings used for the gathering of 50 or 

more persons for social, recreational, or religious activities. 

Included in this category are the following building types:

Social/Public/Civic Assembly (fixed seating): (meeting hall/lodge 

hall, convention hall/assembly hall, town hall, auditorium, 

lecture hall, student union, etc.)

Religious Assembly: (Church, chapel, synagogue, mosque, etc.)

Recreational Facility:

Gymnasium/YMCA or YWCA/indoor racket sports, recreation

center/athletic facility

Poolroom

Amusement arcade

Skating rink

Bowling alley

Indoor pool

Other

Entertainment Building:

Archive/library/museum/art gallery/exhibit hall

Observatory/planetarium

Concert hall

Coliseum/arena (enclosed)

The a t e r/movi e/c inema

Radio/TV studio or station

Nightclub

Other

Other Enclosed Assembly Building: 

Passenger terminal 

Armory 

Other

Nonenclosed or Partial Structure: 

Stadium 

Grandstand 

Other

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 163 

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2. Education buildings house academic or technical instruction. 

This category includes:

Preschool

Elementary

Junior High

Senior High

College or University

Vocational School

Specific Building Types (on school campuses):

Administration (see Office)

Auditorium (see As sembly)

Dormitory (see Lodging)

Gymnasium (see Assembly)

Infirmary (see Health Care)

Library (see Assembly)

Museum (see Assembly^

Student Union (see Assembly)

School for mentally retarded (see Health Care)

Stadium (see Assembly)

3. Food Sales and Service buildings include: 

Cafeteria

Full-Service Restaurant: (Diner—limited menu, bar and grill— 

limited menu, coffee shop—limited menu, full menu service, bar, 

etc.)

Carry-Out Service: (Caterer, pizza parlor, sandwich shop, fast 

food, etc.)

Retail Food Sales: 

Supermarket 

Specialty food store 

Meat/seafood store 

Retail bakery

Farmer's market, fruit/vegetable market 

Other

4. Health Care buildings house diagnostic and treatment facilities for 

both in- and out-patient care. In-patient facilities treat the 

mentally or physically ill. Buildings for overnight care are also 

included. This type includes:

Medical Care Hospital: General medical and surgical; 

chronic disease; medical infirmary (connected with 

institution); tuberculosis/other respiratory disease; 

orthopedic; maternity; ear, eye, nose and throat, etc. 

Mental Facility: (Psychiatric, mental retardation)

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Rehabilitation: (Narcotic/drug addiction, physical therapy,

alcoholism, etc.)

Veterinary: (Hospital, kennel)

Out-patient care may be medical, dental, or psychiatric. A 

building housing out-patient veterinary practices also falls 

into this category. Buildings of this type include:

Medical Clinic: (Abortion; ear, eye, nose, and throat;

general)

Mental Health Clinic 

Dental Clinic 

Veterinary Clinic

5. Lodging facilities refer to buildings offering multiple

accommodations for long- or short-term residents. Included are;

Short-Term Residence: 

Shelter home 

Motel

Tourist home 

Hotel

Convention hotel 

Inn 

Other

Long-Term Residence: 

Boarding house 

Orphanage

Home for the aged, nursing home 

Convent/monastery 

Dormitory/sorority/fraternity 

Other

6. Mercantile Sales and Personal Services buildings are those 

housing sales and displays of goods or services (excluding 

food). Included are:

Shopping Mall

Strip Shopping Center

Retail Sales (Single establishment):

Building materials, hardware, garden supply stores

Department stores, apparel stores

Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores

Drugstores

Multi-retail establishments

Other retail stores

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 165 

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Wholesale Goods (except food) 

Services (except food):

Laundry/dry cleaner/car wash

Post office

Personal service

Multi-service establishment

Other service

Automotive Sales and Service Buildings include: 

Gas Stations 

Automobile Dealers 

Motor Vehicle Repair/Service

7. Office buildings are used for general office space,

professional offices, and administrative offices. Included 

are:

Professional Office Building: (Management, consulting,

engineering, medical, law, corporate, administration of an

institution, mixed professional)

Financial Office Building: (Bank, insurance, securities, 

brokerage firm, real estate, etc.)

Data Processing:

Computer center 

Other data processing

8. Residential buildings serve as living quarters and have 

individual kitchen facilities.

Multi-Family:

High-rise apartments 

Low-rise apartments

Single-Family: 

Detached 

Duplex 

Triplex 

Quadriplex 

Townhouse/rowhouse

Mobile Homes

9. Warehouse and Storage buildings are used for the storage of goods, 

merchandise, raw materials, or manufactured products. Included are;

Agricultural

Warehouse—nonrefrigerated

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Refrigerated storage 

Other

10. Vacant buildings are those with a predominant proportion of floor 

space unused at the time of the survey. A vacant building may 

contain occupants who are using small portions of floor space.

11. Other buildings are those that do not fit into any of the previous 

categories. Included are:

Crematorium 

Parking garage 

Hangar 

Telephone exchange

Also included in the "Other" category are the building types 

Laboratory and Public Order and Safety

Laboratory buildings house equipment for experimental testing or 

for analysis. Included are:

Mechanical/Electrical

Medical/Dental

Agricultural

Other

Public Order and Safety buildings house establishments engaged in 

the preservation of law and order or in public safety.

Fire station 

Police station 

Jail

Reformatory 

Penitentiary 

Courthouse 

Sheriff's Office 

Other

1 fi7 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

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Metropolitan areas such as New York City contain 

over half of all commercial buildings.

Appendix D

U.S. Weather 

Zone Map
170
Appendix D

U.S. Weather Zone Map

iather Zones

3 Zone 1 is less than 2,000 CDD and greater than 7,000 HDD.

[] Zone 2 is less than 2,000 CDD and 5,500-7,000 HDD.

^ Zone 3 is less than 2,000 CDD and 4,000-5,499 HDD.

3 Zone 4 is less than 2,000 CDD and less than 4,000 HDD.

D Zone 5 is greater than 2,000 CDD and less than 4,000 HDD.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

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171
In 7 £83, the South had the highest concentration 

of small commercial buildings, while the Northeast 

had the highest concentration of large buildings.

Appendix E

Census Region 

Map
Glossary

Active Solar Heating Systems - Use mechanical pumps/fans to circulate heat-laden 

fluids or air throughout the building and solar collectors. These systems 

contain three components:

(1) Solar Collecting Panels — one or more flat, sun-oriented boxes with 

transparent covers, and containing water tubes or air baffles under a 

blackened heat absorbant panel.

(2) Insulated Heat Storage Tank — containing water, or rocks where air is 

the heat-carrying medium, to serve as a source of heat on cloudy days.

(3) Distribution System — radiators or other convectors, or air ducts. 

Often adapted from existing conventional heating systems.

(See Passive Solar Pleating Systems, Solar Water Heating Systems, Solar AirConditioning Systems, and Solar-Assisted Heat Pump.)

Additions— see Large Additions

Air-Conditioning — Cooling of air by a refrigeration unit. These units operate 

by allowing high pressure liquid refrigerant (e.g., Freon) to expand and vaporize 

inside a coiled tube unit called an "evaporator", with a subsequent adiabatic 

drop in temperature. The cool vapor takes up heat from the building space. This 

heat is released and vented outdoors as the vapor becomes liquefied in a 

"condenser" or in an "absorber vessel." Two major types of air-conditioners are 

"vapor-compression" and "absorption" types, which differ in the way the 

refrigerant vapor is liquefied. Not included under air-conditioning is cooling 

by fans, blowers, or evaporative cooling systems which are not connected to a 

refrigeration unit. Air-conditioning units that are not currently in working 

condition or are not used, but are in place in the building, are included in this 

survey. (See Solar Air-Conditioning Systems, Heat Pump, HVAC, and Well Water For 

Cooling.)

Air Forced Through Ducts — Is heated, cooled, or ventilated air which is 

distributed throughout the building through ducts by the use of fans or blowers. 

(See Self-Contained Heating Units, Wall Unit, Window Unit, Central 

Air-Conditioning Systems, Central Heating System, HVAC, and Heat Pump.)

Boiler — Boilers burn natural gas, fuel oil, or coal to produce hot water or 

low-pressure steam for space heating. High-pressure steam boilers are used for 

electric power generation or industrial processes. "Firetube" boilers pass hot 

combustion gases through tubes submerged in the boiler water to produce up to 

25,000 pounds of steam per hour. "Watertube" boilers circulate boiler water 

inside of tubes surrounded by hot combustion gases to produce up to 500,000 

pounds of steam per hour. Boiler efficiency depends in part on carefully 

controlled fuel/air mixture. (See Furnace, Central Heating Systems, and HVAC.)

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Bounding Rule — A procedure used to identify those buildings or large additions 

to buildings listed in F.W. Dodge Information Division's 1979 file of new 

construction but which had no probability of being selected into the 1979 

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey. For example, Dodge may have 

listed a project in 1979, but the building was still under construction at that 

time and could not have been included in the 1979 survey. According to the 

bounding rule, the project would be considered part of the "New Buildings Sample" 

in the current survey. (See Dodge, Building, New Buildings Sample, Original 

Sample, Projects, and Nonresidential Building.)

Building — A structure totally enclosed by walls that extend from the foundation 

to the roof. It is used for some purpose other than just as a residence. The 

nonresidential use is visible from the sidewalk in the form of a sign or other 

advertising medium which indicates the building is not used solely for 

residential purposes.

According to this definition, a private residence is included in the survey if it 

contains an office or business, such as a doctor's office. Other structures that 

are included as buildings are parking garages that may not be totally enclosed by 

walls and a roof and structures erected on pillars so that the first fully 

enclosed level is elevated with open sides at ground level.

Excluded are: structures not totally enclosed by walls and a roof, such as an 

oil refinery, steel mill, or water tower; buildings located on farms, such as 

silos, grain elevators, and barns; buildings on military bases or reservations; 

mobile homes and trailers, even if they house nonresidential activity; and oil 

storage tanks. For this report, industrial buildings have been excluded. Also 

excluded are nonbuildings which are consumers of energy, such as street lights, 

pumps, bridges, swimming pools, and construction sites.

Campus or Complex — Refers to a well-defined geographic area containing a group 

of separate buildings that are operated as a unit, such as a college or 

university campus. (See Multibuilding Establishment.)

Census Region —An area consisting of various States selected by the U.S. Bureau 

of Census according to population size and physical location. The States are 

grouped into four regions:

Northeast - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode 

Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and 

Pennsylvania

North Central - Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, 

Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, 

North Dakota, and South Dakota

South - Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, Virginia, West 

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 

Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, 

Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas

West - Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, 

California, Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona

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(Note: Alaska and Hawaii are normally considered parts of the western region but 

were not included in the sample for this survey.)

Central Air-Conditioning System — Employs a central chiller or chillers which 

produce and deliver cooled air/fluid to all areas of the building that are airconditioned. Such systems may be factory assembled or built up from individual 

components. Central air-conditioning systems are often built in conjunction with 

central heating systems and utilize common air ducts or mixing boxes (e.g., 

terminal reheat, multizone, or dual duct systems.) (See Air-Conditioning, HVAC, 

Heat Pump, and Well Water for Cooling.)

Central Heating Systems — Refers to a centrally located heating plant, such as a 

furnace/boiler or electric resistance unit, which produces heated air or water. 

This heated air or water is then distributed to desired areas of the building 

through a system of ducts or pipes. The central heating plant may be located 

within or outside of the building. Central heating systems are often built in 

conjunction with central cooling systems and utilize common air ducts or mixing 

boxes (e.g., terminal reheat, multizone, or dual duct systems). (See HVAC, 

Boiler, Furnace, Heat Pump, and Solar Energy.)

Climate Zone — Seven distinct areas designated by the American Institute of 

Architects (AIA) for the U.S. Departments of Energy and Housing and Urban 

Development; they are used to classify housing units or buildings based on 

long-term weather conditions. The zones were determined according to the annual 

sum of heating and cooling degree-days, averaged over 45 years as follows:

Cooling Heating 

Zone Degree-Days Degree-Days

1 Less than 2,000 More than 7,000

2 Less than 2,000 5,500 to 7,000

3 Less than 2,000 4,000 to 5,499

4 Less than 2,000 2,000 to 3,999

5 Less than 2,000 Less than 2,000

6 More than 2,000 Less than 2,000

7 More than 2,000 2,000 to 3,999

Zones 4 and 5 have been combined, and zones 6 and 7 have been combined for this 

report. A building was assigned to a climate zone on the basis of its geographic 

location. (See Heating Degree-Days. Cooling Degree-Days, and NOAA Division.)

Cogeneration — A procedure for generating both electric power (or shaft 

horsepower) and useful heat from a single installation. Cogeneration is common 

in industrial operations. The heat can be used for industrial processes, space 

heating or cooling, or water heating. With steam-driven generators, exhaust 

steam is utilized. With gas-turbine or diesel-powered generators, exhaust gases 

are utilized by waste-heat boilers. Although in the demonstration stage of 

development at this time, Cogeneration in commercial buildings will involve 

packaged units utilizing natural gas internal combustion engines. Cogeneration, 

when the primary purpose of the system is electric power generation, is often 

called Waste Heat Recovery. However, some respondents may also have considered 

other forms of waste heat recovery to be "cogeneration." (See Electricity 

Generation, Boiler, and Waste Heat Recovery System.)

181 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

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Combination Air-Conditioning Systems — Are air-cooling systems utilizing both 

self-contained units (e.g., window or wall-mounted air-conditioners) and a 

central cooling system. (See Air-Conditioning, Central Air-Conditioning Systems, 

and Heat Pump.)

Commercial Buildings — Are those buildings whose principal building activity is 

nonresidential and nonindustrial. Commercial buildings include, but are not 

limited to, stores, offices, schools, churches, gymnasiums, libraries, museums, 

hospitals, clinics, warehouses, and jails. Government buildings are included 

except buildings on military bases or reservations. Industrial buildings have 

been excluded from this report. For a more complete list, see Appendix C, 

"Building Types." (See Building, Principal Building Activity.)

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) — A telephone interviewer reads 

the survey question as it appears on a screen and enters the response via a 

keyboard connected to a computer. The computer software controls the skip 

patterns of questions, so that only appropriate questions are displayed on the 

screen. The system also checks responses against allowable codes.

Computerized Building Automation System — An Energy Monitoring and Control 

System (EMCS) which employs mini/microcomputers, instrumentation, control 

equipment, and software designed to manage a building's use of energy for 

heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting, and processes. This survey is 

concerned only with the use of such systems for improving efficiency in heating 

and air-conditioning. Not included are clock timers or thermostats.

Conservation Practices — Refer to actions that building owners or occupants may 

initiate, manually or automatically, to reduce the amount of energy consumed by 

a building's heating, ventilation, air-conditioning (i.e., HVAC) or lighting 

systems. The actions include reducing heating, cooling, or lighting during 

periods when the building is not in full use, and having a regular maintenance 

program for the HVAC. (See Reduced Cooling, Reduced Heating, and Computerized 

Building Automation System.)

Cooling — See Air-Conditioning.

Cooling Degree-Days — A quantity used to estimate demand on building cooling 

systems. Normally, cooling is not required in a building when the outdoor 

average daily temperature is below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooling degree-days 

are determined by subtracting the base of 65 from the daily average temperature. 

For example, a day with an average temperature of 85 degrees has 20 cooling 

degree-days (85-65 = 20), while one with an average temperature of 65 degrees or 

lower has no cooling degree-days. (The average daily temperature is the mean of 

the maximum and minimum temperatures for a 24-hour period). Cooling degree-days 

are thus computed for each day, then summed over any desired number of days in 

the season. (See NOAA Division, Climate Zone, and Heating Degree-Days.)

Demolition — In this survey, demolition refers to the intentional destruction of 

buildings, as well as destruction by fire or other natural hazards. These 

structures are no longer present in the building stock, and were not included in 

the survey. (See Out-of-Scope.)

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Dodge — F.W. Dodge Information Division of McGraw-Hill Inc. compiles lists of 

new construction projects, including new buildings, building alterations, and 

large additions, among other things. The Dodge lists were used in the current 

survey to facilitate the sampling of buildings or large additions constructed 

since the 1979 Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey. These "New 

Buildings," together with "Old Buildings," comprise all buildings in the current 

survey. (See New Buildings Sample, Original Sample, Projects, Bounding Rule, 

Large Additions, Nonresidential Building, and Building.)

Electricity — In this survey, "electricity consumption" refers to the electric 

power supplied to a building by a central utility via underground or above-ground 

powerlines. It does not refer to electric power generated onsite for exclusive 

use within the building. In the latter case, the fuel used for the generation 

would be indicated as "fuel used to generate electricity." (See Electricity 

Generation.)

Electricity Generation — In this survey, electricity generation refers to the 

onsite production of electricity from mechanically rotated electricity 

generators. Most generators are driven by steam turbines, where fossil-fuels are 

burned to produce boiler-steam. In some systems, hot combustion gases from light 

fuel oil drive the turbines. In others, diesel engines drive the turbines. 

Utility-owned electric generating plants, which produce electric power for sale 

to other buildings, were not included in this survey. NBECS included commercial 

buildings having the capacity to generate their own electric power on a regular 

basis or on an emergency basis. (See Electricity, Boiler, and Cogeneration.)

Energy Suppliers — Are the companies that provide electricity, natural gas, fuel 

oil, coal, or other forms of energy to the buildings and to the individual 

customers within the buildings.

Establishment — As defined by the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, is 

"an economic unit, generally, at a single physical location where business is 

conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed." 

Establishments are not synonymous with buildings. (See Multi-establishment 

Building, Single-establishment Building, Multibuilding Establishment, and 

Building.)

Fuel Oil — Is a liquid petroleum product less volatile than gasoline that is 

burned to generate heat. In order of increasing viscosity and decreasing 

volatility, there are "distillate fuel oils" (No. 1, No. 2, No. 4) and "residual 

fuel oils" (No. 5 or No. 6). Kerosene falls into the category of No. 1 heating 

oil. No distinction is made between kerosene and fuel oil in this survey.

Furnace — An enclosed chamber where fuel is burned or electrical resistance heat 

is generated to provide building heat, which is distributed as hot air, hot 

water, or steam. Furnaces which are used for industrial processes can produce 

very high temperatures, as in the melting of metal ores. (See Boiler, Central 

Heating System, and HVAC.)

Glass as a Percentage of Exterior Surface — Refers to the proportion of the 

exterior wall surface which is composed of glass.

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 183 

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Government Occupancy — Occupancy of a building by federal, state, or local 

government agencies. The buildings may be occupied by agencies of more than one 

government and may also be shared with nongovernment establishments.

Heat Pump — A system which takes up environmental heat and delivers it into the 

building during the heating season, and transports building heat to the 

environment during the cooling season. Heat pumps are vapor-compression 

refrigeration systems whose indoor/outdoor coils are used reversibly as con 

densers or evaporators, depending on the need for heating or cooling. Outdoor 

coils exchange heat with ambient air or, more efficiently, with water (e.g., 

solar-heated water, heat distribution water, or cool well water). The former are 

called air-to-air heat pumps, while the latter are called hydronic heat pumps. 

Some heat pumps are used to transport heat from one part of a building (e.g., the 

computer room) to a cooler part (e.g., the lobby). The number of heat pumps 

reported in this survey represents a conservative estimate, since counts were 

obtained from open-ended questions about heating and heat distribution systems 

not mentioned in the questionnaire. (See Air-Conditioning, Central 

Air-Conditioning Systems, Central Heating System, HVAC, Solar- Assisted Heat 

Pump, Boiler, and Well Water for Cooling.)

Heating Degree-Days — A quantity used to estimate demand on building heating 

systems. Normally, heating is not required in a building when the outdoor 

average daily temperature is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Heating degree-days 

are determined by subtracting the average daily temperature below 65 degrees from 

the base 65. For example, a day with an average temperature of 50 degrees has 15 

heating degree-days (65-50 = 15), while one with an average temperature of 65 or 

higher has none. (The average daily temperature is the mean of the maximum and 

minimum temperature for a 24-hour period.) Heating degree-days are thus computed 

for each day, then summed over any desired number of days in the season. (See 

NOAA Division, Climate Zone, and Cooling Degree-Days.)

Hours of Operation for a Typical Week — Refers to the number of hours per week 

that a building is used for any nonresidential activity or activities and 

excludes hours when the building is occupied only by maintenance, security, or 

other support personnel. Many buildings do not maintain the same hours of 

operation during the year. For this survey, "hours of operation" refer to the 

schedule followed most often. Other buildings that do not have any regular 

schedule of hours are open intermittently or by appointment only, or are open 

without being staffed. (This last category includes automatic bank tellers and 

roadside rest stops.) These buildings were recorded as having zero operating 

hours, according to the definition given by the questionnaire, even though they 

were not vacant.

Hot-Deck Imputation — Is a statistical procedure in which the building file is 

sorted by variables related to the missing item. A building which has the same 

value on the matching variables is then selected and this "donor" building 

supplies the value for the missing item. (See Imputation.)

184 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

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HVAC — Is an abbreviation for "Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning" 

system, the system or systems which condition air in buildings. Sometimes 

heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning are accomplished by use of separate 

systems, although often a single system is designed to accomplish all of these 

functions. For example, "Terminal Reheat," "Single Zone," and "Multi-zone" 

systems each use a single set of ducts for delivering fan-forced air, which is 

heated or cooled as it passes through coiled-tube units. (See Central Heating 

Systems, Central Air-Conditioning Systems, Furnace, Boiler, and Heat Pump.)

Imputation — Is a statistical method used to estimate the response to specific 

questions for which answers are missing. There are many techniques for 

accomplishing this, including "Hot-Decking," "Multiple Regression," etc. (See 

Hot-Deck Imputation.)

In-Scope — Buildings which contain at least some nonresidential activity and are 

eligible to be in the survey. (See Out-of-Scope, Nonresidential Building, Dodge, 

Large Additions, and Building.)

Industrial Buildings — Nonresidential buildings where industrial/ 

manufacturing activities occupy more of the total square footage than any other 

type of activity. Examples include manufacture of automobiles, plastic and 

rubber goods, assembly of furniture and electronic equipment, etc. (See 

Nonresidential Building, Commercial Buildings, Building, and Projects.)

Insulation — Refers to any material which, when placed between the interior of 

the building and the outdoor environment, reduces the rate of heat loss to the 

environment or heat gain from the environment. Examples include glass wool fill 

and foam board. (See Special Glass and Weatherstripping or Caulking.)

Kerosene — Is a petroleum distillate having properties similar to No. 1 fuel oil 

and is used primarily in space heaters, cooking stoves, and water heaters. For 

this survey, no distinction is made between kerosene and fuel oil. (See Fuel 

Oil.)

Large Additions — In this survey, additions larger than 10,000 square feet that 

at least doubled the total square footage of an existing building and made that 

building eligible for sampling as a "New Building." "New Buildings" and "Old 

Buildings" are the two mutually exclusive categories that comprise all buildings 

in the current survey. (See Building, Projects, and Dodge.)

Large Buildings List — See Special Building List.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG — Is any gas fuel supplied to a building in 

liquid form. It is usually delivered by tank truck and stored near the building 

in a tank or cylinder until used. LPG can contain propane, propylene, butane, 

butylene, ethane-propane mixtures, etc.

Master-Metering — Is the method used by utility companies (i.e., electricity and 

natural gas) to collectively measure the total volume of energy used by several 

individual customers. (See Separate Metering.)

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 185 

Energy Information Administration
Median — A measure of central tendency intended to express a "typical" value for 

an attribute. The median is different from the simple arithmetic average in that 

its value is not influenced much by extremes. For example, average square feet 

per building would be affected by the inclusion of a few very large buildings and 

would not express square footage for a "typical" building. However, the median 

square feet per building would not be so affected. Medians are computed by 

listing all values in ascending order. The value which divides the list in half 

is the median.

Metropolitan — Refers to buildings located within Standard Metropolitan 

Statistical Areas (SMSA's) as defined in the 1970 Census. Except in New England, 

an SMSA is a county or a group of contiguous counties that contains at least one 

city of 50,000 inhabitants or more or "twin cities" with a combined population of 

at least 50,000. The contiguous counties are included in an SMSA if they are 

essentially metropolitan in character and are socially and economically 

integrated with the central city. In New England, SMSA's consist of towns and 

cities rather than counties. "Nonmetropolitan" refers to buildings not located 

within SMSA's as defined in the 1970 Census. Beginning with the 1980 Census, the 

term "Metropolitan Statistical Area," or "MSA," is used. However, MSA 

definitions based on the 1980 Census were not available at the time of this 

survey. (See Primary Sample Unit or PSU.)

Multibuilding Establishment — An establishment which operates in more than one 

building at a single location. Examples include college campuses, large 

manufacturing complexes, etc. In this survey, the building represents the 

interviewed sample unit which could have resulted in some parts of an 

establishment being sampled and others not. (See Establishment, Campus or 

Complex, Multi-establishment Building, Single-establishment Building, and 

Building.)

Multi-establishment Building — A single building which houses more than one 

establishment. Examples include enclosed shopping malls and office suites. In 

this survey, the building represented the interviewed sample unit. (See 

Establishment, Single-establishment Building, Multibuilding Establishment, and 

Building.)

Multiple-building Unit — Is a single building address that at the time of the 

interview was discovered to be two or more separate buildings.

Multi-stage Area Probability Sampling — A sample design which minimizes survey 

expense while maintaining nationwide coverage. This is accomplished by sampling 

in stages and by selecting "clusters" of sample units at each stage. The cost of 

travel among sample units within a cluster is lower than among widely dispersed 

units. In this survey, a nationwide distribution of 79 Primary Sample Units, or 

PSU's, were selected at the first stage. Each PSU was composed of a cluster of 

ZIP code areas. At the second stage, an average of 5 ZIP Code units was selected 

from within each selected PSU. At the third stage, one segment (120 establish 

ments) was selected from each ZIP Code area. At the final stage, buildings were 

selected from each segment. (See Appendix A, "How the Survey was Conducted.") 

(See also Primary Sample Unit or PSU, SMSA, Weight, and Establishment.)

186

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 

Energy Information Administration
Natural Gas — Is hydrocarbon gas (mostly methane) supplied to individual 

buildings by pipelines from a central utility company. It does not refer to 

privately owned gas wells operated by a building owner.

New Buildings Sample — Refers to buildings or large additions constructed since 

1979 which were sampled from within the PSU's by use of Dodge lists of new 

construction. A New Buildings Sample was drawn to make inferences about all "New 

Buildings" at large. New Buildings together with Old Buildings comprise all 

buildings in the current survey. (See Original Sample, Dodge, Primary Sample 

Unit or PSU, and Multi-stage Area Probability Sample.)

NOAA Division — One of the 344 weather divisions designated by the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) encompassing the 48 contiguous 

States and District of Columbia. These divisions usually follow county borders 

to encompass counties with similar weather conditions. The NOAA division does 

not follow county borders when weather conditions vary considerably within a 

county such as is likely to happen when the county borders the ocean or contains 

high mountains. A State contains an average of seven NOAA divisions; a NOAA 

division contains an average of nine counties. (See Climate Zone, Cooling 

Degree-Days, and Heating Degree-Days.)

Nonmaintenance Employee Control — Indicates that employees who are not employed 

to maintain or operate the building are able to control the heating or cooling 

equipment where they work.

Nonresidential Building — Is a roofed and walled structure that is used for some 

purpose other than just residential. Examples of nonresidential buildings 

include industrial plants, office, health care, retail sales/service, etc. The 

scope of this definition is quite broad and includes some buildings that are 

primarily residential (as well as commercial and industrial buildings). For 

example, a residential building, such as an apartment building, which also 

contained some obvious nonresidential activity, such as a store or an office, was 

considered a nonresidential building for the purposes of this survey. 

Nonresidential buildings comprise two groups: commercial and industrial. (See 

Commercial Buildings, Industrial Buildings, Building, Residential Building, 

Principal Building Activity, and Appendix C, "Building Types.")

Number of People Working in the Building — Is the normal number of people 

working in the building during a typical workday or during most of the year.

Number of Floors — Is the count of building levels in the tallest section of the 

building, including parking areas, basements, or other floors below ground level.

Original Sample'— Refers to buildings which were sampled during the 1979 

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey and reinterviewed in the 1983 

survey. The 1979 survey employed a Multi-stage Area Probability Sample design. 

Together with the buildings which were sampled from lists maintained by F. W. 

Dodge, they comprise all buildings covered by the current survey. (See New 

Buildings Sample, Multi-stage Area Probability Sampling, and Dodge.)

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 187 

Energy Information Administration
Out-of-Scope — Buildings containing no nonresidential activity or that did not 

meet all of the conditions defining a "Building." Out-of-scope buildings were 

not included in the survey. (See In-Scope, Building, Projects, New Buildings 

Sample, Dodge, Large Additions, Bounding Rule.)

Package Units — Refers to air-conditioning units which are built and assembled 

at a factory and installed as a unit to cool all, or portions of, a building. 

Package units are in contrast to unique units built up from individual components 

for use in a given building. (See Air-Conditioning, Window Unit, and Wall Unit.)

Passive Solar Heating Systems — Operate without pumps, blowers, or other 

mechanical devices. The building is an integral part of the system design. 

Convection is relied on to circulate building air past a solar-heated surface, 

such as a thick masonry "thermal storage wall," which is situated behind large, 

sun-oriented, double glass panels. (See Active Solar Heating Systems, Solar 

Air-Conditioning Systems, and Solar Water Heating Systems.)

Primary Sample Unit or PSU — In multi-stage area probability sampling, the 

sample units selected at the first stage are called PSU's. A PSU typically 

consists of one to several contiguous counties; for example, a metropolitan area 

with surrounding suburban counties. The approximately 3,100 counties and 

independent cities of the contiguous United States were grouped into about 1,900 

PSU's by a procedure similar to the one used by the Census Bureau for its Current 

Population Survey. For the Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey, 

79 of these PSU's were selected with probabilities proportionate to their 1970 

population. PSU's can be composed of one or more SMSAs or can be composed of 

rural counties. (See Multi-stage Area Probability Sampling, SMSA, Metropolitan, 

Weight, and Appendix A, "How the Survey Was Conducted.")

Principal Building Activity — A building categorization based on the primary 

business, commerce, or function carried out by the occupants of a building. The 

building type categories were designed to group buildings having similar patterns 

of energy consumption. Often more than one activity is carried on in a building. 

In this survey, a building type category was assigned on the basis of the 

predominant use of floor space. Examples of various building types include 

Office, Health Care, Lodging, Mercantile Sales/Service, etc. (See Appendix C, 

"Building Types.")

| Professional Energy Audit — An inspection which determines where a building uses

I energy and identifies energy conservation opportunities. (See Conservation

! Practices.)

Projects — All construction represented by a single record of the F.W. Dodge 

Information Division's file of new construction (e.g., new buildings, building 

alterations, and additions to buildings); a project is generally associated with 

a building or buildings, but not always. (See Dodge, Large Add it ions, Bounding 

Rule, and Building.)

Propane — A gaseous petroleum product which liquefies under pressure, and is a 

major component in Liquefied Petroleum Gas or LPG.

Purchased Steam — See Steam Energy Source.

1 RR 10 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Reduced Cooling — Refers to the manual or automatic reduction in cooling 

produced by the air-conditioning system during the hours a building is not in 

full use. Buildings without air-conditioning systems or with only window 

air-conditioning units are reported as "Not Applicable." (See Air-Conditioning, 

Central Air-Conditioning Systems, Window Unit, Heat Pump, and Conservation 

Practices.)

Reduced Heating — Refers to the manual or automatic reduction in the heat 

produced by the heating system during the hours a building is not in full use. 

Buildings that do not have heating systems are reported as "Not Applicable." 

(See Central Heating Systems, Self-contained Heating Units, Heat Pump, and 

Conservation Practices.)

Regular Maintenance — Refers to a systematic program for checking the heating 

and/or air-conditioning equipment on a regular basis (at least once a year), even 

if there are no apparent problems. (See HVAC, Central Heating Systems, Central 

Air-Conditioning Systems, Air-Conditioning, Heat Pump, Self-Contained Heating 

Units, and Window Unit.)

Residential Buildings — The term "residential" applies to structures where the 

primary activity is that of a dwelling for one or more households. Residential 

buildings were within the scope of the survey if they showed evidence of some 

kind of commercial or industrial activity. For example, a residential building, 

such as an apartment building, which also contained some obvious nonresidential 

activity, such as a store or an office, was considered a nonresidential building 

for the purposes of this survey. For a private residence to have been selected 

for this survey, it had to have a sign (large enough to be visible from the 

street) advertising the presence of some commercial or industrial activity. (See 

Nonresidential Building, Commercial Buildings, Industrial Buildings, Building, 

Principal Building Activity and In-Scope.)

Self-Contained Heating Units — Are units installed either in the building or on 

the roof that generate and deliver heat only to a local zone within the building. 

(See Central Heating Systems.)

Separate Metering — Refers to the method by which utility companies (i.e., 

electricity and natural gas) measure the quantity of energy consumed by 

individual customers in the building. (See Master-Metering.)

SIC — Is an abbreviation for Standard Industrial Classification codes developed 

by the U.S. Bureau of the Census which categorizes businesses into groups with 

similar economic activities. (See Principal Building Activity and Appendix C, 

"Building Types.")

Single-establishment Building — A building which houses only one establishment, 

for example, when a building is dedicated to the offices of a single corporation. 

(See Establishment, Multi-building Establishment, Multi-establishment Building, 

and Building.)

SMSA — Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. (See Metropolitan.)

NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983 189 

Energy Information Administration
Solar Air-Conditioning Systems — Most commonly used are "evaporative coolers" 

whereby air is drawn through a moist, porous medium. A major drawback is that, 

although the air is cooled, its humidity is increased. A practical alternative 

uses an "absorption refrigeration unit" driven by solar-heated water. Absorption 

coolers use heat energy rather than mechanical compressors. (See Active Solar 

Heating Systems, Passive Solar Heating Systems, Solar Water Heating Systems, and 

Air-Conditioning.)

Solar-Assisted Heat Pump — A heat pump which draws heat primarily from solarheated water rather than from outdoor air during the heating season. (See Heat 

Pump, Active Solar Heating Systems, and Solar Water Heating Systems.)

Solar Energy — Refers to the radiant energy of the sun, which can be converted 

into other forms of energy, such as heat or electricity. Solar radiation is most 

often used in buildings for space heating and water heating. (See Active Solar 

Heating Systems, Passive Solar Heating Systems, Solar Water Heating Systems, 

Solar Air-Conditioning Systems, and Solar-Assisted Heat Pump.)

Solar Water Heating Systems — Use solar collecting panels to heat water which is 

then stored in a tank for use in personal hygiene or general cleaning, as opposed 

to space heating. "Thermosiphons" are passive systems using only convection to 

move heated water between the collecting panels and storage tank. Active systems 

use pumps to maintain flow. (See Active Solar Heating Systems, Passive Solar 

Heating Systems, Solar Air-Conditioning Systems, and Solar-Assisted Heat Pump.)

Special Building List — Part of the sampling procedure entailed locating "large" 

buildings within the selected Primary Sample Units (PSU's). "Large" buildings 

were defined as those with 250,000 or more square feet of enclosed floorspace in 

PSU's that are in Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas. In the remaining 

one-third of the PSU's, buildings of 100,000 square feet or more were listed. 

The special building list was used to select large buildings for the 1979 

Nonresidential Buildings Energy Consumption Survey. These buildings make up part 

of the original sample in the 1983 survey. (See Primary Sample Units, Building, 

Nonresidential Building, New Buildings Sample, Original Sample, and 

Metropolitan.)

Special Glass — Includes tinted, reflective, insulated, or thermal pane types of 

glass that, when installed in the exterior windows of a building, serve to reduce 

the rate of solar penetration into the building or the rate of heat or cold loss 

to the environment. Such forms of glass may have been installed at the time of 

construction or since construction (retrofitted). (See Insulation and 

Weatherstripping or Caulking.)

Special ZIP Codes — Are allocated by the U.S. Postal Service to business 

establishments, government agencies, or buildings that have a high mail volume.

Square Feet — Refers to all the space enclosed within the exterior walls of the 

building, including any indoor parking facilities, basements, hallways, lobbies, 

stairways, and elevator shafts. (See Total Square Footage.)

190 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Steam Energy Source — Applies to buildings that purchase steam from steam 

generation and distribution companies serving municipal areas, such as natural 

gas distributors. Many of these distributors are electric utilities which sell 

exhaust steam from their generator turbines. Steam energy source does not apply 

to buildings that use purchased fuels to generate their own steam for use in the 

building or other buildings in a campus/complex situation.

Structure Type — Refers to whether the building is detached (stands alone), 

attached to other buildings on one or more sides, or is part of a shopping mall.

Tank Capacity — Is the amount of fuel oil or kerosene a tank can hold. In this

survey, "Tank Capacity" does not refer to storage of liquefied petroleum gas or

propane. (See Fuel Oil and Kerosene.)

Total Square Footage — Floor square footage summed or aggregated over all 

buildings in a category, such as all office buildings in the United States. In 

the survey, aggregate square footage was estimated by multiplying each building's 

square footage by an appropriate weight, then summing over all sample buildings 

of interest to represent nationwide totals. (See Square Feet and Weight.)

Waiver — Is a signed authorization form instructing energy-supply companies 

serving the buildings to release the volumes and costs of energy the buildings 

consumed over a specified period.

Wall Unit — Wall unit air-conditioners are self-contained units that are 

installed in a wall, with their heat-radiating condensers exposed on the outdoor 

surface of the wall. (See Air-Conditioning, Central Air-Conditioning Systems, 

and Window Unit.)

Waste Heat Recovery System — An energy conservation system whereby space or 

water heating is achieved by use of by-product heat that would otherwise be 

rejected into the environment. In nonresidential buildings, sources of waste 

heat include refrigeration/air-conditioner compressors, manufacturing or other 

processes, data processing centers, ventilation exhaust air, lighting, and the 

building occupants themselves. For this survey, a waste heat recovery system was 

said to exist if there was equipment for the specific purpose of collecting and 

redistributing waste heat. For example, air ducts or heat pumps might be 

installed to redistribute waste heat within a building, or heat from chillers 

might produce hot water for heating coils in air handling units. Not considered 

was the passive use of radiant heat from lighting, workers, motors, ovens, etc., 

where no special heat collecting and redistributing systems existed. The number 

of waste heat recovery systems reported in this survey represents a conservative 

estimate, since counts were obtained from responses to open-ended questions 

concerning heating and heat distribution systems not mentioned in the ques 

tionnaire. (See Cogeneration, Air-Conditioning, Heat Pump, HVAC, and Water 

Heating.)

Waste Incineration — The burning of otherwise discarded combustible materials to 

produce energy for space heating, electric power generation, etc. Waste 

undergoes size reduction in shredders, grinders, or hammermills. Noncombustible 

materials, if any, are removed. Waste is then dried and burned alone or in 

combination with fossil fuels.

191 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
Water Heating — In this survey, hot water used mostly for personal hygiene and 

general cleaning. Not included is production of hot water or steam in boilers 

for use in space heating, electric power generation, or industrial processes. 

(See Solar Water Heating Systems and Boiler.)

Weatherstripping or Caulking — Refers to any material that is placed between the 

door or window, and the door or window frame in order to reduce the rate of heat 

or cold loss. (See Insulation and Special Glass.)

Weight — The weight associated with each sample building is an "inflation" 

factor by which a building attribute, such as square footage, is multiplied, when 

using sample values to estimate the values of the population at large. A weight 

is the number of actual buildings that a particular sample building is meant to 

represent. Summing over weighted sample values, thus, provides estimates of 

nationwide totals. Statistically, the weight of a building is the reciprocal of 

that building's probability of being selected into the sample and is known as a 

"basic weight". When an interview is unobtainable for a particular building, the 

basic weights of other similar sample buildings must be adjusted so that they 

collectively represent this nonrespondent. Basic weights then become "adjusted 

weights". Two adjusted weights are used in the tabulations for this report. The 

cross-sectional weight is used in tables that show 1983 building characteristics. 

The longitudinal weight is used in tables that show changes in buildings since 

1979. Small differences may be noted between these weights. (See Primary Sample 

Unit or PSU, Multi-stage Area Probability Sampling, and Total Square Footage.)

Well Water for Cooling — This system uses cool well water (typically 51 to 53 

degrees Fahrenheit) for air-conditioning. For example, well water may be pumped 

directly through cooling coils inside of building air-handling units, or it may 

be employed to remove heat from a heat pump. Auxiliary cooling may be necessary 

during the warmest part of the season. (See Air-Conditioning, Solar AirConditioning Systems, and Heat Pump.)

Wind Energy — Energy present as wind motion can be converted to mechanical 

energy for driving pumps, mills, electric power generators, etc. Wind pushes 

against sails, vanes, or blades radiating from a central rotating shaft.

Window Unit — Window air-conditioners are self-contained units that are 

installed in a window. (See Air-Conditioning, Central Air-Conditioning Systems, 

and Wall Unit.)

Year Constructed — Is the year in which the major or largest portion of a 

building was constructed. If a building was classified as a "New Building" due 

to large additions to its square footage, its year constructed was taken to be 

the completion date for those additions. (See Large Additions and Dodge.)

192 NBECS: Characteristics of Commercial Buildings 1983

Energy Information Administration
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