#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Preliminary Consumption and Expenditures Highlights
U.S. Energy Information Administration #CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 2

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Office of Energy Statistics

U.S. Department of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

This publication is available at:

https://www.eia.gov/cbecs

This report was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency 

within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA's data and analyses are independent of approval by any other officer 

or employee of the United States Government. The views in this report therefore should not be construed as 

representing those of the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies.

2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Preliminary Consumption and Expenditures Highlights

September 2022
U.S. Energy Information Administration

What is the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS)?

CBECS is:

• The only independent, statistically representative source of national-level data on the characteristics and energy use of commercial buildings

• A snapshot of the commercial buildings stock and energy use for the reference year—in this case, 2018

• A sample survey where every commercial building has a known chance of being selected

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects data for commercial buildings in two parts:

• We collect building characteristics through an in-person or web survey. Respondents, such as building owners and managers, completed the 

survey at 6,436 buildings for the 2018 CBECS, representing 5.9 million buildings in the United States.

• We collect energy usage data from suppliers of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, and district heat.

We have conducted the CBECS periodically since 1979, as required by Congress.

• The 2018 CBECS is the 11th iteration. 

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 3
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Key takeaways from EIA’s 2018 CBECS consumption and expenditures results

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 4

Notes: These data are for reference year 2018 and do not reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. All data referenced in this document are available in the CBECS consumption and expenditures 

tables. Unless otherwise noted, all differences are statistically significant at the 10% significance level or lower. A lower significance level indicates a lower likelihood of incorrectly concluding a difference 

exists between two values when no difference actually exists.

• Even though there were no significant changes in total energy usage, commercial buildings overall consumed 12% less total energy 

per square foot of floorspace in 2018 than in 2012. 

• Buildings used primarily for inpatient health care, offices, and education also had statistically significant decreases in total energy 

intensity. 

• Electricity and natural gas continued to be the dominant energy sources for commercial buildings, accounting for 94% of total energy 

consumption.

• Electricity accounted for the most energy consumed in all census regions, and its share of total consumption was highest in the South.

• Commercial buildings spent $142 billion on energy in 2018, averaging $1.47 per square foot.

• Large buildings (over 100,000 square feet) were few in number but consumed over one-third of total energy in commercial buildings.

• Food service, food sales, and inpatient health care buildings were the most energy intensive; vacant, warehouse and storage, and 

religious worship buildings were the least intensive.

• Electricity intensity was higher in hotter climates, and natural gas intensity was higher in colder climates.
Trends: Commercial Building Energy 

Consumption Over CBECS Survey Years
U.S. Energy Information Administration

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

1979 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1999 2003 2012 2018

year of survey

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 6

• U.S. commercial buildings used 6,807 trillion 

British thermal units (Btu) of total site energy1: 

4,090 trillion Btu of electricity, 2,300 trillion Btu 

of natural gas, 101 trillion Btu of fuel oil, and 

316 trillion Btu of district heat.

• None of the changes in energy consumption 

between 2012 and 2018 were statistically 

significant.

• Since the first CBECS in 1979, total site 

energy has increased by 17%, site electricity 

by 83%, and fuel oil has decreased by 88%. 

Neither natural gas nor district heat showed 

statistically significant changes.

Total energy consumption by major fuel, 1979–2018

trillion British thermal units

total consumption

electricity

natural gas

district heat

fuel oil

1 Site energy is the amount of energy delivered to commercial buildings and does not include electrical system losses.

There were no significant changes in total energy usage of any source from 2012 to 2018

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Energy intensity continued to decrease in commercial buildings

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 7

• Total floorspace in commercial buildings 

increased while energy consumption did 

not, meaning consumption per square foot 

(energy intensity) decreased.

• The average total energy used per square 

foot in commercial buildings decreased by 

12% since the 2012 CBECS, from 80.0 

thousand Btu per square foot to 70.6 

thousand Btu per square foot.

• In addition, electricity intensity decreased 

by 14%, and natural gas intensity 

decreased by 11% from 2012 to 2018.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1979 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1999 2003 2012 2018

year of survey

total intensity

electricity

natural gas

Energy intensity by select fuels, 1979–2018

thousand British thermal units per square foot

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Energy intensity decreased in several building types from 2012 to 2018

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 8

Major fuel intensity by principal building activity, 2012–2018

thousand British thermal units per square foot • Inpatient health care, office, education, and 

commercial buildings overall showed 

statistically significant decreases in average 

major fuel (electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, and 

district heat) energy use per square foot. 

• Energy intensity in inpatient health care 

buildings has decreased by 16% from 2012 to 

2018, the largest intensity decrease of all the 

building types. 

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

food service

food sales

inpatient health care**

other

enclosed and strip malls

public order and safety

lodging

outpatient health care

public assembly

average for all commercial bldgs**

office**

retail (other than mall)

education*

service

religious worship

warehouse and storage

vacant

2012

2018

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

* Change is statistically significant at the 10% significance level.

** Change is statistically significant at the 5% significance level.
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Electricity and natural gas continued to be the dominant energy sources for commercial buildings

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 9

• Together, electricity and natural gas accounted 

for about 94% of total energy consumed in 

2018.

• Electricity increased its share of total energy 

consumed from 38% in 1979 to 60% in 2018. 

• Natural gas continues to account for 

approximately one-third of total energy 

consumption.

• Fuel oil’s share of total energy was 1% in 2018, 

its smallest share since 1979, when CBECS 

began collecting data. 

Total energy consumption by major fuel, 1979–2018

percentage

district heat

fuel oil

natural gas

electricity

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1979 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1999 2003 2012 2018

year of survey

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey
Snapshot: Commercial Building Energy 

Consumption and Expenditures in 2018
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Electricity accounted for the most energy consumed across all census regions

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 11

Total energy consumption by fuel and region, 2018

British thermal units and share of total

1,229 

trillion Btu

Northeast

1,936 

trillion Btu

Midwest

2,357 

trillion Btu

1,286 

trillion Btu

West • The South had the largest total energy consumption 

(2,357 trillion Btu) and the largest share of electricity 

usage of any census region (69%). 

• The Midwest had the second-largest total energy 

consumption and the largest share of natural gas 

usage of any census region (42%). 

• The Northeast was the only census region in which 

fuel oil accounted for more than 1% of energy 

consumption. 

South

electricity

natural gas

fuel oil

1,229 2,357 district heat

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Commercial buildings spent $142 billion on energy in 2018, averaging $1.47 per square foot

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 12

• On average, a commercial building spent $23,900 on 

energy during 2018, ranging from $5,000 per building for 

the smallest buildings (1,001 to 5,000 square feet) to $1.5 

million per building for buildings over 500,000 square feet.

• Energy expenditures averaged $1.47 per square foot and 

varied by principal building activity. Food sales and food 

service buildings spent more than $5.00 per square foot, 

and vacant and warehouse and storage buildings spent less 

than $0.75 per square foot.

• Commercial buildings spent $119 billion dollars on 

electricity, or 84% of their total energy expenditures. Natural 

gas accounted for 12% of total commercial building energy 

expenditures ($16 billion).

district heat

$4 billion, 3%

fuel oil

$2 billion,1%

natural gas

$16 billion 

12%

electricity

$119 billion

84%

$142 billion

total energy expenditures

$23,900

per building

$1.47

per square foot

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Total commercial buildings energy expenditures by major fuels, 2018

billion dollars and share of total
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Large buildings were few in number but consumed over one-third of energy 

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 13

Number of buildings, square footage, and total energy consumption by square footage category, 2018

percentage

1,001 to 5,000 square feet

5,001 to 100,000 square feet

Over 100,000 square feet

• Buildings over 100,000 square feet accounted for 2% of all commercial buildings and 34% of total commercial floorspace. These 

buildings consumed 2,665 trillion Btu, which was 39% of commercial building total energy consumption.

• Small buildings (1,001 to 5,000 square feet) account for almost half the building stock but used only 8% of the total energy.

5.9 million

number of buildings

96.4 billion 

total floorspace

in square feet

6,807 

trillion Btu 

total energy 

consumption

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

72.0

59.0

58.2

68.8

70.6

73.9

85.3

84.1

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

thousand Btu/square foot

The smallest buildings were more energy intensive than some larger buildings

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 14

Major fuel intensities by square footage category, 2018

thousand British thermal units per square foot

1,001 to 5,000

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 

200,001 to 500,000

over 500,000

• The smallest buildings (1,001 to 5,000 square feet) 

had a significantly higher mean energy intensity 

than buildings between 5,001 and 25,000 square 

feet. Many of the smallest buildings were in more 

energy-intensive building categories (such as, food 

service and food sales).

• Buildings that were 200,001 to 500,000 square feet 

and over 500,000 square feet were the most 

energy intensive (85.3 and 84.1 thousand Btu per 

square foot).

• The largest buildings (over 500,000 square feet) 

had the widest distribution of intensities. 

25th percentile median 75th percentile Mean major fuel intensity

Distribution of major fuel building-level intensities

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Food service, food sales, and inpatient health care buildings were the most energy intensive

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 15

• Food service, food sales, and inpatient health care 

buildings were the most energy intensive. These 

buildings also had the widest distribution of intensities.

• Vacant buildings were the least energy intensive, 

followed by warehouse and storage and religious worship 

buildings.

Major fuel intensities by principal building activity, 2018

thousand British thermal units per square foot

education

food sales

food service

inpatient health care

lodging

enclosed and strip malls

office

public assembly

public order and safety

religious worship

service

warehouse and storage

other

vacant

Mean major fuel intensity 25th percentile median 75th percentile

outpatient health care

retail (other than mall)

Distribution of major fuel building-level intensities

62.7

232.0

263.3

194.0

85.7

64.1

65.9

81.1

86.3

35.3

51.0

30.6

135.6

17.3

83.0

111.0

0 100 200 300 400

thousand Btu/square foot 

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

0 20 40 60 80 100

thousand Btu/square foot

The newest buildings were the most energy intensive

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 16

Major fuel intensities and mean total floorspace by year of construction, 2018

thousand British thermal units per square foot

Before 1960

1960 to 1999

2000 to 2018

25th percentile median 75th percentile

Distribution of major fuel building-level intensities

Mean major fuel intensity

67.0

68.6

76.5

Mean floorspace

square feet

• Buildings constructed since 2000 were significantly more energy intensive on average (at 76.5 thousand Btu per square foot). The 

newest buildings were also significantly larger than all older buildings (at 19,000 square feet). 

• The oldest buildings (constructed before 1960) were significantly smaller and less energy intensive than buildings constructed since 

2000.

13,200

16,200

19,000

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Note: Btu = British thermal units
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Offices consumed the most electricity, and education buildings consumed the most natural gas 

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 17

• Office buildings consumed the largest amount of 

electricity (775 trillion Btu) and approximately three 

times more electricity than natural gas (250 trillion 

Btu).

• Education buildings consumed the most natural gas 

(328 trillion Btu).

• Service, religious worship, and public order and 

safety were the only building types that did not use 

significantly more electricity than natural gas. 

Total energy consumption by fuel and principal building activity, 2018

trillion British thermal units

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

vacant

public order and safety

religious worship

outpatient health care

service

food sales

food service

inpatient health care

other

retail (other than mall)

public assembly

warehouse and storage

lodging

enclosed and strip malls

education

office

electricity

natural gas

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Electricity intensity was higher in hotter climates, and natural gas intensity higher in colder climates

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 18

Electricity intensity by climate zone, 2018

kilowatthours per square foot

Natural gas intensity by climate zone, 2018

cubic feet per square foot

• Commercial buildings in the hot or very hot, warm, and mixed mild regions had 

significantly higher average electricity intensities than those in the cool region.

• Average natural gas intensities increased as climate zones became cooler. 

Commercial buildings in the cool and cold or very cold climate zones did not 

differ significantly in natural gas intensity.

U.S. climate zones (2018 CBECS)

Data source: ANSI/ASHRAE, Standard 169-2021, Climatic Data for Building Design 

Standards

Note: Adapted with permission from Figure A‐2, Climate zones for United States 

counties, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 169‐2021, Climatic Data for Building Design 

Standards, © 2021 ASHRAE.

0 5 10 15

Cold or very cold

Cool

Mixed mild

Warm

Hot or very hot

kilowatthours per square foot

0 10 20 30 40

Cold or very cold

Cool

Mixed mild

Warm

Hot or very hot

cubic feet per square foot

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 

Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 

Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey
References and Additional Information
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Additional CBECS information

• 2018 building characteristics tables

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2018/index.php?view=characteristics

• Guide to the tables

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2018/guide.php

• CBECS terminology

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/terminology.php

• CBECS building type definitions

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/building-type-definitions.php

• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

https://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/faq.php

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 20
U.S. Energy Information Administration

Projected schedule of additional 2018 CBECS data releases

We will release the consumption and expenditures data tables with end use estimates and microdata in 

December 2022.

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 21
U.S. Energy Information Administration

For more information

U.S. Energy Information Administration homepage | www.eia.gov

Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey | www.eia.gov/cbecs

Today in Energy | www.eia.gov/todayinenergy

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs 22