Release date: September 2021

Revised date: December 2022

All

buildings

ElectricityNatural

gas

Fuel

oil

District

heat

District

chilled

water Propane Solar

Wood, 

coal, and 

other

All buildings 5,918 5,619 5,613 2,974 583 86 55 676 99 180

Building floorspace (square feet)

1,001 to 5,000 2,833 2,635 2,631 1,123 242 Q Q 358 Q 76

5,001 to 10,000 1,359 1,290 1,288 679 104 Q Q 140 Q 71

10,001 to 25,000 981 949 949 595 107 Q Q 110 29 Q

25,001 to 50,000 386 385 385 291 48 10 8 35 10 Q

50,001 to 100,000 218 217 217 171 39 15 11 19 5 Q

100,001 to 200,000 93 93 93 75 23 7 6 8 5 Q

200,001 to 500,000 40 40 40 33 14 5 3 4 2 Q

Over 500,000 9 9 9 7 5 2 1 1 1 Q

Principal building activity

Education 437 437 437 216 34 39 29 51 14 Q

Food sales 163 163 163 90 Q N N Q Q Q

Food service 286 286 286 203 Q Q Q 48 Q Q

Health care 137 137 137 77 20 2 2 6 Q Q

Inpatient 9 9 9 7 8 1 1 Q Q Q

Outpatient 129 129 129 70 13 Q Q Q Q Q

Lodging 207 207 207 138 32 9 3 26 Q Q

Mercantile 517 517 513 328 29 Q N 51 10 Q

Retail (other than mall) 350 350 346 172 25 Q N Q Q Q

Enclosed and strip malls 167 167 167 156 Q N N 20 Q Q

Office 970 970 970 549 102 10 7 59 17 Q

Public assembly 488 488 488 275 44 13 8 75 16 Q

Public order and safety 81 81 81 54 29 Q Q Q Q N

Religious worship 439 439 439 259 32 Q Q 96 Q Q

Service 867 866 866 382 153 Q N 107 Q 94

Warehouse and storage 1,004 794 792 320 52 Q Q 83 Q Q

Other 113 108 108 53 18 3 2 Q Q Q

Vacant 208 124 124 30 Q Q Q Q Q N

Year constructed

Before 1920 329 323 323 184 54 Q Q 49 Q Q

1920 to 1945 379 368 368 172 52 11 3 65 Q Q

1946 to 1959 517 496 496 310 56 20 Q 52 Q Q

1960 to 1969 685 673 673 420 57 14 10 61 19 Q

1970 to 1979 831 787 787 400 87 8 6 115 Q 25

1980 to 1989 794 752 752 372 69 6 4 85 21 Q

1990 to 1999 921 844 844 412 73 8 10 113 14 Q

2000 to 2009 924 860 860 454 94 6 6 91 21 Q

2010 to 2018 537 514 508 250 41 4 4 45 11 Q

Table B19. Energy sources, number of buildings, 2018

Number of buildings (thousand)

Energy sources used (more than one may apply)

Buildings 

using any

energy 

source
All

buildings

ElectricityNatural

gas

Fuel

oil

District

heat

District

chilled

water Propane Solar

Wood, 

coal, and 

other

All buildings 5,918 5,619 5,613 2,974 583 86 55 676 99 180

Table B19. Energy sources, number of buildings, 2018

Number of buildings (thousand)

Energy sources used (more than one may apply)

Buildings 

using any

energy 

source

Census region and division

Northeast 793 773 769 373 230 29 5 157 20 47

New England 275 274 274 65 103 16 Q 101 9 Q

Middle Atlantic 518 500 496 308 127 13 3 56 11 Q

Midwest 1,719 1,647 1,647 982 120 15 3 225 14 61

East North Central 1,110 1,074 1,074 712 69 10 3 86 4 37

West North Central 609 573 573 270 Q Q Q 139 Q Q

South 2,143 2,011 2,011 894 144 25 33 219 12 45

South Atlantic 1,034 987 987 361 83 Q 18 138 5 27

East South Central 347 313 313 200 18 Q Q 25 Q Q

West South Central 762 711 711 333 42 8 11 56 Q Q

West 1,264 1,188 1,186 725 89 17 14 75 53 26

Mountain 484 431 431 292 45 3 2 18 Q Q

Pacific 780 757 755 433 44 14 12 57 47 Q

Climate zonea

Cold or very cold 539 513 511 249 65 9 Q 135 Q Q

Cool 1,727 1,648 1,644 972 239 22 5 225 15 85

Mixed mild 1,216 1,169 1,169 634 146 26 13 140 26 24

Warm 1,606 1,495 1,495 869 86 25 23 105 31 38

Hot or very hot 831 794 794 251 48 4 13 71 22 Q

Number of workers (main shift)

Fewer than 5 3,270 2,974 2,968 1,264 299 Q Q 391 35 114

5 to 9 1,116 1,113 1,113 635 77 15 Q 117 Q Q

10 to 19 713 713 713 470 60 15 Q 100 Q Q

20 to 49 492 492 492 365 65 12 9 46 17 19

50 to 99 201 201 201 138 38 8 9 14 9 Q

100 to 249 90 90 90 75 23 5 4 5 5 Q

250 or more 37 37 37 27 20 6 4 2 2 Q

Weekly operating hours

Fewer than 40 1,370 1,237 1,233 551 104 Q Q 194 Q Q

40 to 48 1,483 1,473 1,473 756 161 13 7 128 24 46

49 to 60 1,250 1,231 1,231 681 116 25 16 148 22 52

61 to 84 645 618 618 396 64 19 15 56 11 27

85 to 167 465 421 421 255 26 6 4 55 10 Q

Open continuously 705 639 637 335 112 15 7 93 23 16

Ownership and occupancy

Nongovernment owned 4,982 4,699 4,693 2,502 442 53 25 596 62 172

Owner occupied 3,249 3,110 3,104 1,637 337 48 23 434 44 143

Leased to tenant or tenants 1,581 1,511 1,511 844 105 Q 2 140 18 29

Unoccupied 152 78 78 Q Q Q Q Q Q N

Government owned 937 920 920 471 140 34 30 79 37 Q

Federal 70 70 70 20 6 Q 0 Q Q Q

State 256 246 246 139 37 26 26 17 10 Q

Local 610 603 603 312 98 5 4 42 26 Q
All

buildings

ElectricityNatural

gas

Fuel

oil

District

heat

District

chilled

water Propane Solar

Wood, 

coal, and 

other

All buildings 5,918 5,619 5,613 2,974 583 86 55 676 99 180

Table B19. Energy sources, number of buildings, 2018

Number of buildings (thousand)

Energy sources used (more than one may apply)

Buildings 

using any

energy 

source

Energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 5,613 5,613 5,613 2,974 583 86 55 671 97 180

Natural gas 2,974 2,974 2,974 2,974 217 38 31 106 68 76

Fuel oil 583 583 583 217 583 14 7 83 4 41

District heat 86 86 86 38 14 86 40 Q 5 Q

District chilled water 55 55 55 31 7 40 55 Q 3 Q

Propane 676 676 671 106 83 Q Q 676 9 41

Solar 99 99 97 68 4 5 3 9 99 Q

Wood, coal, and other 180 180 180 76 41 Q Q 41 Q 180

Energy end uses

(more than one may apply)

Buildings with space heating 4,901 4,901 4,901 2,933 561 85 49 621 84 178

Buildings with cooling 4,631 4,631 4,631 2,728 455 74 55 526 95 122

Buildings with water heating 4,595 4,595 4,590 2,786 501 84 51 564 88 129

Buildings with cooking 1,738 1,738 1,738 1,168 199 19 10 285 52 34

Buildings with manufacturing 322 322 322 187 52 1 Q 48 Q Q

Buildings with electricity

generation 706 706 704 462 343 20 14 98 94 68

Buildings with lighting 5,503 5,503 5,503 2,952 583 86 55 665 97 180

Food preparation or serving areas 

in non-food service buildings

(more than one may apply)

Snack bar, concession stand, or coffee 

shop 144 144 144 104 19 4 3 17 10 Q

Fast food or small restaurant 160 160 160 120 20 3 1 19 11 Q

Cafeteria or large restaurant 129 129 129 103 27 4 3 19 6 Q

Commercial or kitchen

food preparation area 284 284 284 234 46 5 4 49 11 6

Small kitchen area 1,018 1,018 1,018 625 119 10 6 170 28 Q

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-871A of the 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey 

Notes: Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals. The Guide to the 2018 CBECS Tables and CBECS Terminology contain definitions of terms used in these tables and 

comparisons between previous CBECS tables. You can access both references from http://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2018/. 

Data are sample survey estimates with relative standard errors published in a tab on the Excel worksheet for this table.

a

Climate zones are based on ASHRAE Standard 169-2021; see https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/maps.php#defined.

Q = Data withheld either because the relative standard error was greater than 50% or the reporting sample had fewer than 20 buildings.

N = No buildings in reporting sample.
RSE

Release date: September 2021

Revised date: December 2022

All

buildings

ElectricityNatural

gas

Fuel

oil

District

heat

District

chilled

water Propane Solar

Wood, 

coal, and 

other

All buildings 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.8 9.7 14.7 20.1 10.0 15.5 17.3

Building floorspace (square feet)

1,001 to 5,000 4.9 5.2 5.2 7.7 14.5 80.7 62.9 13.7 39.5 27.3

5,001 to 10,000 5.9 5.8 5.8 8.1 28.2 40.2 70.7 17.2 34.4 29.0

10,001 to 25,000 5.6 5.6 5.6 6.7 14.3 29.6 32.2 18.7 26.8 30.9

25,001 to 50,000 5.6 5.6 5.6 6.5 14.5 27.8 33.6 17.7 25.4 38.5

50,001 to 100,000 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.6 8.9 19.7 27.5 15.5 21.6 42.6

100,001 to 200,000 5.6 5.6 5.6 6.3 9.4 24.1 26.6 14.2 18.0 38.4

200,001 to 500,000 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.6 7.3 20.2 22.1 12.0 15.6 37.7

Over 500,000 7.8 7.8 7.8 8.3 9.6 13.1 20.8 24.0 23.0 50.5

Principal building activity

Education 7.8 7.8 7.8 10.9 21.0 24.5 28.1 26.3 34.2 82.3

Food sales 14.3 14.3 14.3 19.6 40.9 0.0 0.0 39.2 76.6 73.7

Food service 7.7 7.7 7.7 8.9 36.6 79.3 101.1 17.4 69.2 60.7

Health care 9.8 9.8 9.8 14.3 17.2 34.0 43.4 44.9 80.4 71.9

Inpatient 19.4 19.4 19.4 14.9 20.8 20.1 27.1 53.4 53.5 56.6

Outpatient 10.3 10.3 10.3 15.3 23.3 67.7 72.8 55.2 81.6 73.1

Lodging 9.4 9.4 9.4 11.9 23.3 30.6 39.5 25.5 62.5 98.3

Mercantile 7.3 7.3 7.3 8.7 23.0 70.4 0.0 23.2 33.8 34.3

Retail (other than mall) 10.1 10.1 10.0 14.1 25.9 70.4 0.0 31.3 64.2 59.0

Enclosed and strip malls 7.6 7.6 7.6 8.7 55.1 0.0 0.0 48.7 39.5 48.3

Office 7.2 7.2 7.2 8.0 19.1 27.0 28.9 23.8 26.8 71.8

Public assembly 9.1 9.1 9.1 10.6 28.9 28.9 33.5 24.3 36.1 61.6

Public order and safety 20.2 20.2 20.2 22.0 24.7 54.0 48.8 47.3 69.6 0.0

Religious worship 9.5 9.5 9.5 12.1 28.7 110.3 93.8 18.6 2.8 52.2

Service 7.4 7.4 7.4 9.8 21.2 74.4 0.0 24.1 87.8 24.4

Warehouse and storage 7.4 7.6 7.7 9.3 25.6 69.7 45.5 17.6 59.1 42.2

Other 17.1 17.5 17.5 28.2 32.6 46.6 37.2 34.0 86.1 111.6

Vacant 17.2 20.9 20.9 25.8 52.2 84.7 99.4 53.4 2.7 0.0

Year constructed

Before 1920 12.8 12.9 12.9 15.2 23.7 55.0 52.1 26.7 65.8 53.0

1920 to 1945 10.7 10.9 10.9 12.8 22.3 39.0 44.5 29.3 59.5 77.6

1946 to 1959 8.1 8.1 8.1 11.3 21.6 34.5 64.7 22.7 47.5 39.0

1960 to 1969 6.4 6.2 6.2 7.5 24.2 36.4 48.0 21.8 33.4 52.3

1970 to 1979 7.4 7.2 7.2 9.4 28.2 32.4 33.7 22.8 51.0 35.2

1980 to 1989 7.0 6.7 6.7 7.6 17.9 33.9 31.4 25.3 31.7 41.6

1990 to 1999 7.5 7.2 7.2 9.4 20.8 36.6 39.3 18.7 47.5 38.5

2000 to 2009 8.0 8.4 8.4 9.1 23.6 28.3 33.7 19.2 35.6 50.6

2010 to 2018 11.0 11.0 11.1 11.3 25.7 32.8 33.3 24.3 28.8 42.3

Relative standard errors (RSEs) for Table B19. Energy sources, number of buildings, 2018

RSEs for number of buildings 

Buildings 

using any

energy 

source

Energy sources used (more than one may apply)
RSE

All

buildings

ElectricityNatural

gas

Fuel

oil

District

heat

District

chilled

water Propane Solar

Wood, 

coal, and 

other

All buildings 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.8 9.7 14.7 20.1 10.0 15.5 17.3

Relative standard errors (RSEs) for Table B19. Energy sources, number of buildings, 2018

RSEs for number of buildings 

Buildings 

using any

energy 

source

Energy sources used (more than one may apply)

Census region and division

Northeast 9.9 9.5 9.8 10.5 15.2 23.2 34.2 17.1 32.1 30.6

New England 17.8 17.7 17.7 16.1 20.9 35.8 52.3 24.5 42.1 45.6

Middle Atlantic 12.0 11.2 11.8 12.1 21.8 27.8 45.4 21.2 46.5 40.0

Midwest 10.9 10.8 10.8 12.0 33.2 29.3 35.1 21.3 34.8 35.9

East North Central 13.1 12.8 12.8 13.3 22.4 33.3 38.1 28.4 28.1 42.6

West North Central 21.0 21.2 21.2 28.5 72.4 54.5 54.1 29.8 46.1 63.9

South 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.1 12.8 35.2 30.8 18.5 43.4 24.5

South Atlantic 11.0 10.9 10.9 8.8 12.8 54.9 46.3 23.9 46.1 25.0

East South Central 18.0 15.9 15.9 22.3 19.4 74.3 66.3 25.2 106.2 63.2

West South Central 14.7 14.7 14.7 9.1 36.0 49.4 49.1 41.2 70.5 77.6

West 8.1 7.8 7.8 11.6 14.7 26.8 31.2 21.9 22.4 38.6

Mountain 15.9 15.9 15.9 18.5 26.9 47.5 34.4 39.5 51.8 41.1

Pacific 9.0 8.6 8.6 15.2 13.2 31.3 35.2 25.3 24.4 51.2

Climate zonea

Cold or very cold 18.8 20.4 20.4 27.9 26.3 47.6 47.7 27.1 52.8 61.0

Cool 11.8 11.5 11.6 12.0 20.4 31.4 29.0 19.0 35.5 27.8

Mixed mild 15.1 15.4 15.4 16.0 19.5 24.8 42.4 26.7 33.0 31.5

Warm 11.4 11.1 11.1 12.2 17.8 35.3 38.6 20.2 27.0 29.8

Hot or very hot 18.8 17.4 17.4 21.4 21.1 31.0 29.3 25.3 37.0 63.9

Number of workers (main shift)

Fewer than 5 5.5 5.6 5.6 7.5 15.6 31.8 39.9 12.8 26.6 22.4

5 to 9 6.1 6.1 6.1 8.2 15.6 34.5 56.8 16.8 45.9 27.1

10 to 19 6.5 6.5 6.5 7.2 21.4 38.4 50.6 19.8 41.1 76.0

20 to 49 6.3 6.3 6.3 8.1 13.5 22.6 28.0 19.3 29.6 29.1

50 to 99 6.7 6.7 6.7 7.0 13.5 27.4 27.8 15.9 29.4 37.7

100 to 249 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.9 10.6 21.3 25.2 16.5 24.1 44.9

250 or more 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.5 8.8 20.8 27.4 24.4 21.0 34.3

Weekly operating hours

Fewer than 40 6.1 6.4 6.5 9.7 17.8 43.3 51.1 14.8 73.7 53.2

40 to 48 6.2 6.2 6.2 8.1 18.6 36.5 34.5 17.1 31.8 33.8

49 to 60 5.2 5.4 5.4 6.8 15.5 31.8 37.9 18.7 26.3 24.7

61 to 84 7.6 7.4 7.4 8.9 21.7 34.4 46.4 21.4 35.5 35.6

85 to 167 8.6 7.4 7.4 8.7 22.1 21.6 25.0 19.2 37.4 37.5

Open continuously 8.1 8.2 8.2 9.1 12.7 21.5 28.2 20.1 36.5 49.6

Ownership and occupancy

Nongovernment owned 3.8 3.6 3.7 4.8 10.6 19.3 35.7 9.3 18.2 17.7

Owner occupied 4.3 4.2 4.2 5.4 11.5 20.2 37.5 10.2 22.0 20.1

Leased to tenant or tenants 5.5 5.4 5.4 6.7 14.1 52.2 39.1 15.1 32.2 34.4

Unoccupied 20.3 25.1 25.1 33.0 58.6 51.6 101.1 61.5 2.7 0.0

Government owned 9.5 9.6 9.6 10.7 15.3 22.3 23.0 24.7 26.1 56.0

Federal 26.0 26.0 26.0 25.6 38.7 73.1 37.3 58.4 69.9 88.1

State 12.9 13.0 13.0 16.5 27.7 27.2 26.7 35.8 49.4 69.7

Local 10.1 10.2 10.2 11.5 18.0 33.2 31.4 29.5 29.0 59.4
RSE

All

buildings

ElectricityNatural

gas

Fuel

oil

District

heat

District

chilled

water Propane Solar

Wood, 

coal, and 

other

All buildings 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.8 9.7 14.7 20.1 10.0 15.5 17.3

Relative standard errors (RSEs) for Table B19. Energy sources, number of buildings, 2018

RSEs for number of buildings 

Buildings 

using any

energy 

source

Energy sources used (more than one may apply)

Energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.8 9.7 14.7 20.1 10.1 15.9 17.3

Natural gas 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8 13.1 18.5 23.3 16.7 18.0 25.5

Fuel oil 9.7 9.7 9.7 13.1 9.7 19.3 23.9 21.6 27.9 47.2

District heat 14.7 14.7 14.7 18.5 19.3 14.7 21.9 61.8 35.0 109.6

District chilled water 20.1 20.1 20.1 23.3 23.9 21.9 20.1 59.5 35.2 55.7

Propane 10.0 10.0 10.1 16.7 21.6 61.8 59.5 10.0 33.7 30.6

Solar 15.5 15.5 15.9 18.0 27.9 35.0 35.2 33.7 15.5 86.4

Wood, coal, and other 17.3 17.3 17.3 25.5 47.2 109.6 55.7 30.6 86.4 17.3

Energy end uses

(more than one may apply)

Buildings with space heating 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.9 10.1 15.1 21.9 10.6 16.7 17.4

Buildings with cooling 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.5 8.6 15.7 20.1 10.2 15.9 16.4

Buildings with water heating 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.8 8.3 14.6 20.9 9.7 16.7 16.5

Buildings with cooking 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.2 11.4 20.1 24.0 12.2 21.5 29.7

Buildings with manufacturing 11.3 11.3 11.3 13.6 29.4 27.5 29.8 22.4 39.3 50.8

Buildings with electricity

generation 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.8 12.5 16.0 20.0 16.4 15.4 21.6

Buildings with lighting 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.8 9.7 14.7 20.1 10.2 15.9 17.3

Food preparation or serving areas 

in non-food service buildings

(more than one may apply)

Snack bar, concession stand, or coffee 

shop 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.4 12.2 19.8 21.5 30.8 47.9 59.3

Fast food or small restaurant 9.4 9.4 9.4 10.6 22.4 48.1 26.4 26.0 49.2 48.9

Cafeteria or large restaurant 7.7 7.7 7.7 9.5 11.1 20.5 22.9 26.4 22.9 49.9

Commercial or kitchen

food preparation area 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.4 13.6 16.4 18.8 18.0 29.4 33.7

Small kitchen area 6.5 6.5 6.5 8.2 15.8 28.1 32.8 16.0 33.6 52.6

Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-871A of the 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey 

Note: RSE is a measure of the reliability or precision of a survey statistic. Variability occurs in survey statistics because the different samples that could be drawn would each 

produce different values for the survey statistics. Estimation of Standard Errors and What is a Relative Standard Error (RSE)? contain more information on how RSEs are 

estimated and used. Both references can be accessed from https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/survey-background-technical-information.php.

a

Climate zones are based on ASHRAE Standard 169-2021; see https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/maps.php#defined.