Release date: February 2015

Revised date: May 2016

All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Building floorspace (square feet)

1,001 to 5,000 2,777 1,984 547 217 30 N N N

5,001 to 10,000 1,229 550 331 239 108 Q N N

10,001 to 25,000 884 279 159 195 202 41 Q Q

25,001 to 50,000 332 52 39 58 100 64 18 Q

50,001 to 100,000 199 21 7 17 56 62 33 4

100,001 to 200,000 90 5 Q 4 14 32 19 13

200,001 to 500,000 38 Q Q Q 2 6 15 12

Over 500,000 8 Q Q Q Q Q 1 6

Principal building activity

Education 389 122 71 50 82 45 17 3

Food sales 177 118 32 Q Q Q Q N

Food service 380 136 119 88 35 N Q N

Health care 157 Q 60 32 21 9 9 5

Inpatient 10 N N N Q Q 2 4

Outpatient 147 Q 60 32 20 7 7 1

Lodging 158 73 29 22 18 10 5 1

Mercantile 602 265 132 95 72 27 10 2

Retail (other than mall) 438 251 89 59 26 9 Q Q

Enclosed and strip malls 164 Q 42 37 45 18 6 1

Office 1,012 320 254 168 144 70 34 22

Public assembly 352 230 65 32 15 6 2 1

Public order and safety 84 Q Q Q Q 9 Q Q

Religious worship 412 296 61 42 11 Q Q N

Service 619 398 119 61 30 Q Q Q

Warehouse and storage 796 528 104 89 54 12 7 2

Other 125 75 Q Q Q Q Q Q

Vacant 296 283 Q Q Q Q Q Q

Year constructed

Before 1920 362 235 60 37 20 6 4 1

1920 to 1945 488 324 87 30 28 13 5 2

1946 to 1959 599 380 96 59 32 25 6 2

1960 to 1969 639 316 133 81 68 26 12 2

1970 to 1979 684 329 145 107 65 21 12 6

1980 to 1989 915 435 178 131 105 38 19 9

1990 to 1999 845 421 168 124 85 30 12 6

2000 to 2003 375 171 73 57 43 17 10 4

2004 to 2007 347 158 70 54 37 18 8 2

2008 to 2012 303 123 76 50 30 13 7 2

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Census region

Northeast 805 414 154 106 68 31 21 10

Midwest 1,237 715 224 129 104 41 18 7

South 2,247 1,163 448 297 198 97 32 11

West 1,267 600 259 200 143 36 22 8

Climate region1

Very cold/Cold 2,031 1,099 383 247 183 71 35 13

Mixed-humid 1,743 943 312 227 152 69 29 12

Mixed-dry/Hot-dry 837 380 189 138 85 25 17 4

Hot-humid 799 392 178 103 73 36 10 6

Marine 147 Q Q 17 20 5 Q 2

Number of floors

One 3,836 2,191 767 475 282 87 31 3

Two 1,158 494 220 197 152 65 24 6

Three 374 164 77 42 55 21 11 4

Four to nine 177 42 21 16 24 31 27 15

Ten or more 13 Q Q Q Q 1 2 8

Elevators and escalators 

(more than one may apply)

Any elevators 405 55 34 53 96 78 56 33

Number of elevators

One 272 45 31 46 79 46 20 5

Two to five 118 10 Q 7 17 32 33 17

Six or more 16 Q Q N Q Q 3 12

Any escalators 10 Q N Q Q Q 1 3

Weekly operating hours

Fewer than 40 1,149 982 98 46 17 Q Q Q

40 to 48 1,346 612 353 191 121 49 18 3

49 to 60 1,244 495 296 212 150 52 26 13

61 to 84 764 278 169 137 115 42 18 6

85 to 167 479 217 84 76 62 28 10 2

Open continuously 575 308 86 70 49 29 21 12

Ownership and occupancy

Nongovernment owned 4,781 2,586 941 613 411 133 68 29

Owner occupied 2,466 1,418 506 294 165 49 27 8

Leased to tenant(s) 1,745 838 345 263 185 69 29 15

Owner occupied and leased 349 108 90 56 60 15 13 6

Unoccupied 221 221 N N N N N N

Government owned 776 306 144 118 102 72 25 8

Federal 33 Q Q Q Q Q Q 1

State 185 77 28 24 23 24 5 3

Local 558 218 111 90 74 44 17 4
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Party responsible for operation

and maintenance of energy

systems

Building owner 4,715 2,554 889 586 402 171 80 33

Business owner or tenant 724 295 161 129 98 29 10 3

Property management 54 Q Q Q Q Q Q 1

Other 64 Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

Provider of direct input on energyrelated equipment purchases

Building owner 4,876 2,626 932 604 421 177 83 34

Business owner or tenant 540 219 112 106 71 22 8 2

Property management 35 Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

Other 106 34 32 Q 19 Q Q Q

Number of establishments

One 4,205 2,325 846 526 312 127 51 17

2 to 5 862 278 215 171 123 42 25 8

6 to 10 147 Q 21 29 50 16 4 4

11 to 20 68 Q Q Q 26 16 7 3

More than 20 27 Q Q N Q 5 7 5

Currently unoccupied 248 248 N N N N N N

Energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 5,234 2,570 1,084 731 513 206 93 37

Natural gas 2,933 1,225 606 498 348 154 74 27

Fuel oil 467 214 73 45 44 39 30 21

District heat 48 Q Q Q 11 7 7 7

District chilled water 54 Q Q Q 9 9 6 5

Propane 510 286 98 66 40 11 7 2

Other 172 84 36 24 11 9 6 2

Space-heating energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 2,858 1,217 658 425 341 141 54 22

Natural gas 2,612 1,126 527 434 306 134 64 21

Fuel oil 270 171 43 22 16 11 5 2

District heat 48 Q Q Q 11 7 7 6

Propane 342 218 55 40 23 Q Q Q

Other 101 63 Q Q Q Q Q Q

Primary space-heating 

energy source

Electricity 1,819 788 467 269 186 74 24 11

Natural gas 2,322 1,040 451 370 274 112 58 18

Fuel oil 205 136 33 Q Q 7 2 Q

District heat 47 Q Q Q 11 7 7 6

Propane 261 172 46 27 Q Q Q Q

Other 67 41 Q Q Q Q Q Q
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Cooling energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 4,413 1,918 994 696 486 197 87 35

Natural gas 12 Q N N Q Q Q 1

District chilled water 54 Q Q Q 9 9 6 5

Water-heating energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 2,658 1,207 606 376 290 115 45 20

Natural gas 1,758 644 354 339 239 110 55 17

Fuel oil 77 39 Q Q Q Q 2 1

District heat 25 Q Q Q 5 4 6 5

Propane 142 71 37 23 Q Q Q Q

Cooking energy sources

(more than one may apply)

Electricity 1,010 416 206 163 124 62 25 14

Natural gas 740 243 131 141 121 61 30 13

Propane 144 81 Q 22 Q 5 2 Q

Energy end uses

(more than one may apply)

Buildings with space heating 4,722 2,184 1,020 692 494 203 92 37

Buildings with cooling 4,461 1,932 999 699 498 203 93 37

Buildings with water heating 4,423 1,917 977 700 495 203 93 37

Buildings with cooking 1,589 660 308 271 197 92 40 21

Buildings with manufacturing 259 92 61 42 44 13 5 2

Buildings with electricity

generation 410 89 67 65 63 58 45 23

Percent of floorspace heated

Not heated 835 708 65 39 19 Q Q Q

1 to 50 697 366 165 92 57 10 5 1

51 to 99 727 331 153 107 74 41 14 7

100 3,298 1,487 702 493 362 152 74 29

Percent of floorspace cooled

Not cooled 1,096 960 86 32 15 Q Q N

1 to 50 1,173 593 254 175 112 26 12 2

51 to 99 897 321 169 174 130 64 27 12

100 2,391 1,018 576 351 256 114 54 23

Percent lit when open

Zero 70 68 Q Q N N N N

1 to 50 1,099 754 201 83 45 12 3 1

51 to 99 1,666 616 372 284 234 103 44 13

100 2,222 957 508 364 233 90 46 23

Building never open/electricity

not used 501 496 Q N Q N N N
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Percent lit during off hours

Zero 2,489 1,484 513 274 156 38 17 7

1 to 50 2,441 954 518 413 319 151 64 23

51 to 100 202 79 37 34 27 12 8 5

Building always open with 

no "off hours" 102 53 Q Q 12 5 Q 1

Electricity not used 323 322 Q N N N N N

Heating equipment 

(more than one may apply)

Heat pumps 628 246 159 85 81 38 13 5

Furnaces 755 330 186 142 69 23 5 1

Individual space heaters 1,247 672 239 149 114 46 18 8

District heat 48 Q Q Q 11 7 7 6

Boilers 544 182 79 77 88 58 44 16

Packaged heating units 2,802 1,171 618 458 342 139 55 18

Other 62 Q Q Q 10 Q 2 Q

Cooling equipment 

(more than one may apply)

Residential-type central air

conditioners 1,546 736 379 255 136 30 10 1

Heat pumps 692 272 171 95 96 39 13 6

Individual air conditioners 709 389 127 88 60 23 16 5

District chilled water 54 Q Q Q 9 9 6 5

Central chillers 163 23 16 17 28 35 27 19

Packaged air conditioning units 1,909 644 418 353 288 132 53 21

Swamp coolers 109 48 26 Q 8 6 Q Q

Other Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q

Main equipment replaced since 

1990 (more than one may apply)

Heating 1,874 892 418 248 194 82 31 9

Cooling 1,971 913 440 276 212 83 35 13

Water-heating equipment

Centralized system 3,348 1,547 777 515 319 122 51 17

Distributed system 690 292 140 118 78 36 20 6

Combination of centralized and

distributed system 385 78 61 66 98 46 23 14

Lighting equipment types

(more than one may apply)

Incandescent 1,826 813 364 281 206 98 43 21

Standard fluorescent 4,649 2,102 1,018 703 498 199 92 37

Compact fluorescent 2,302 885 501 385 292 140 66 33

High-intensity discharge (HID) 525 152 108 82 86 53 31 14

Halogen 905 327 180 148 130 70 32 18

LED 473 119 76 89 87 55 30 16

Other 10 Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Refrigeration equipment

(more than one may apply)

Any refrigeration 3,984 1,697 899 632 445 190 86 35

Walk-in units 811 229 169 150 139 75 34 16

Cases or cabinets 915 312 203 151 133 59 38 18

Large cold storage areas 78 Q Q Q 14 8 7 2

Commercial ice makers 846 232 167 160 141 80 43 23

Residential-type or compact units 3,388 1,449 764 532 379 162 72 30

Vending machines 960 195 169 159 205 132 69 31

No refrigeration 1,573 1,195 187 99 68 16 8 2

Office equipment

(more than one may apply)

Desktop computers 3,977 1,509 964 673 498 203 93 36

With flat screen monitors 3,847 1,406 949 665 496 203 93 36

With multiple monitors 911 174 190 171 205 84 59 28

Laptop computers 2,730 946 586 480 410 185 87 36

Dedicated servers 1,748 345 394 385 343 167 79 34

Laser printers 2,339 703 586 428 364 156 72 30

Inkjet printers 2,187 958 502 381 202 88 43 15

FAX machines 3,185 1,124 755 566 441 181 85 33

Photocopiers 2,163 573 486 421 386 179 84 34

Number of desktop computers

None 1,581 1,382 121 58 Q Q Q Q

1 to 4 2,039 1,283 468 211 70 Q Q Q

5 to 9 821 184 361 184 78 10 Q Q

10 to 19 482 24 99 214 126 17 Q Q

20 to 49 355 Q 32 57 161 70 17 Q

50 to 99 143 N Q Q 43 72 16 2

100 to 249 92 Q N Q 18 23 43 8

250 or more 44 N N Q Q 8 11 23

Number of laptop computers

None 2,827 1,946 499 251 103 21 7 Q

1 to 4 1,944 884 502 348 171 32 7 Q

5 to 9 350 41 69 98 102 30 8 Q

10 to 19 181 Q Q 24 72 49 17 3

20 to 49 144 Q Q Q 52 47 26 6

50 to 99 58 Q Q Q 8 18 15 7

100 to 249 35 Q Q Q Q 7 10 7

250 or more 20 Q Q Q Q Q 4 11
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Number of dedicated servers

None 3,809 2,546 691 347 170 38 15 3

1 to 4 1,562 340 389 371 300 119 35 9

5 to 9 97 Q Q Q 27 30 19 4

10 to 19 50 Q Q Q Q 13 14 7

20 to 49 25 N N Q Q 5 9 6

50 or more 13 Q N Q Q Q Q 8

Number of photocopiers

None 3,394 2,319 599 310 127 26 10 3

One 1,325 516 377 267 134 26 5 Q

2 to 4 648 56 106 148 210 99 25 4

5 to 9 116 Q Q Q 33 40 28 6

10 or more 75 N N Q Q 14 26 23

Number of TVs or video displays

None 2,718 1,798 499 235 138 35 10 2

One 1,145 602 257 175 83 24 Q Q

2 to 4 1,035 367 224 224 142 54 21 4

5 to 9 314 78 69 62 57 24 18 6

10 to 19 154 24 Q 13 50 26 14 9

20 to 49 106 Q Q Q 28 26 14 5

50 to 99 48 Q Q 7 9 8 10 3

100 or more 37 Q Q 5 7 8 4 7

Food preparation or serving areas 

in non-food service buildings

(more than one may apply)

Snack bar or concession stand 153 57 Q 26 21 18 12 6

Fast food or small restaurant 173 27 33 36 39 20 11 7

Cafeteria or large restaurant 130 Q Q 9 37 43 18 12

Commercial kitchen/

food preparation area 282 87 19 43 61 44 20 8

Small kitchen area 736 387 130 108 66 27 13 6

Separate computer areas

(more than one may apply)

Data center or server farm 97 Q Q Q 18 19 22 16

Computer-based training room 244 Q 31 35 68 51 25 16

Student or public computer center 238 38 30 34 64 46 21 6

HVAC conservation features 

(more than one may apply)

Economizer cycle 601 132 93 94 128 83 48 24

Regular HVAC maintenance 3,178 1,171 690 549 449 190 92 37

Building automation system (BAS)2 781 198 146 109 144 93 62 29
All

buildings

Fewer

than 5 

workers

5 to 9 

workers

10 to 19 

workers

20 to 49 

workers

50 to 99 

workers

100 to

249 workers

250 or more 

workers

All buildings 5,557 2,892 1,085 731 513 206 93 37

Number of buildings (thousand)

Number of workers

Table B15. Employment size category, number of buildings, 2012

Window and interior lighting 

features (more than one may

apply)

Multipaned windows 3,012 1,253 664 488 351 157 72 28

Tinted window glass 1,875 685 412 301 264 125 62 26

Reflective window glass 549 180 124 87 80 42 23 13

External overhangs or awnings 1,867 781 433 306 214 87 33 12

Skylights or atriums 591 187 117 94 100 55 26 12

Light scheduling 918 271 205 163 140 79 38 21

Occupancy sensors 813 167 153 149 160 103 56 25

Multi-level lighting or dimming 349 89 57 61 76 38 19 9

Daylight harvesting 125 35 28 Q 25 14 10 4

Demand responsive lighting 176 64 30 31 28 16 6 1

Building automation system (BAS) 

for lighting2 208 38 43 33 42 28 16 9

Equipment usage reduced when 

building not in full use 

(more than one may apply)

Heating 3,699 1,678 792 557 401 165 77 29

Cooling 3,517 1,497 789 562 397 166 77 29

Lighting 4,757 2,200 1,046 702 489 197 87 36

 1These climate regions were created by the Building America program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy (EERE). 

 2

In earlier CBECS publications, BAS was referred to as Energy Management and Control System (EMCS) .

 Q = Data withheld either because the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50 percent or fewer than 20 buildings were sampled.

 N = No cases in reporting sample.

 Notes: ● Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals. ● See Guide to the 2012 CBECS Detailed Tables or CBECS Terminology for definition of 

terms used in these tables and/or comparison of differences with prior CBECS tables. Both references can be accessed from 

http://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2012/

 Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Consumption and Efficiency Statistics, Form EIA-871A of the 2012 Commercial 

Buildings Energy Consumption Survey.