#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Building Characteristics Highlights

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#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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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 SurveyBuilding Characteristics HighlightsReleased September 2021Revised September 2022

U.S. Energy Information Administration

What is the Commercial Building 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

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U.S. Energy Information Administration

Key takeaways from EIA’s 2018 CBECS building characteristics results

Growth in building size continued to outpace increases in building stock; from 2003 to 2018, the number of buildings increased by 22% and total floorspace by 35%.

Newer buildings were larger, on average, than older commercial buildings.

Warehouse and storage, office, and service buildings were the most common building types.

Building types with the largest percentage increase in the number of buildings since 2012 were service, public assembly, lodging, and warehouse and storage.

Shares of commercial buildings, commercial floorspace, and the U.S. population were highest in the South Census Region.

Natural gas was the most common space heating energy source, and electricity was the most commonly used energy source overall.

Out of all types of lighting equipment, only LED lighting use increased since 2012.

An estimated 2% of commercial buildings had electric vehicle charging stations.

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Note: These data are for reference year 2018 and do not reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. All data referenced in this document is available in the CBECS building characteristics tables. These data supersede the 2018 preliminary data previously published. 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.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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| Table of contents                     | Slide number |
|---------------------------------------|--------------|
| Buildings and floorspace              | 6            |
| Principal building activity           | 11           |
| Year of construction                  | 17           |
| Regional estimates                    | 21           |
| Energy sources and end uses           | 25           |
| Energy-related building features      | 33           |
| References and additional information | 38           |

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Buildings and Floorspace

The CBECS includes buildings larger than 1,000 square feet for which more than half the floorspace is used for activities that are neither residential, manufacturing, industrial, nor agricultural.

Growth in building size outpaced increases in building stock 

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Number of commercial buildings and floorspace, 1979–2018

number of buildings (millions) and billion square feet

CBECS estimates that there were 5.9 million buildings and 96 billion square feet of total commercial floorspace in 2018.

The CBECS estimates that over 15 years (from 2003 to 2018), the total number of buildings increased by 22% and total floorspace increased by 35%.

Total square footage increased by 11% from 2012 to 2018. The increase in number of buildings from 2012 to 2018 was not statistically significant.

From the first CBECS in 1979 to the 2018 CBECS, the number of buildings has increased from 3.8 million to 5.9 million (56%), and the amount of commercial floorspace has increased from 51 billion square feet to 96 billion square feet (89%).

number of buildings (millions)

billion square feet

total commercial floorspace

number of commercial buildings

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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year of survey

Typical building size category illustrations square feet (sf)

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U.S. Energy Information Administration

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Most buildings were small, but large buildings dominated total floorspace

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Total commercial buildings and floorspace by square footage category, 2018

percentage

The smallest buildings (1,001 square feet [sf] to 5,000 sf) accounted for almost half of all commercial buildings, but they occupied only 8% of total commercial floorspace. 

Nearly three-fourths (71%) of buildings were 10,000 sf or smaller.

Buildings larger than 100,000 sf accounted for less than 3% of commercial buildings but 34% of commercial floorspace.

The median building size was 5,400 sf; the average building size was 16,300 sf.

percentage of total commercial buildings

percentage of total commercial floorspace

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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Building size increased with more average floorspace per worker

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Average square feet per worker, all buildings and office buildings, 1995–2018

square feet

Total main shift workers in commercial buildings increased by 12%, from 77 million workers in 1995 to 86 million workers in 2018.

CBECS estimates that the average square feet per worker in commercial buildings in 2018 was 1,072 sf, a 40% increase from 1995. 

Although office buildings had the most workers, the square feet per worker was much lower for offices than the average for all building types. On average, office workers had 507 sf of floorspace. In 1995, the average floorspace for workers in offices was 387 sf.

Building types that serve the public likely have many more occupants than workers; religious worship, lodging, and public assembly all had an average of more than 2,000 square feet per worker.

religious worship

lodging

warehouse and storage

public assembly

Buildings with the largest square feet per worker, 2018

all buildings            office buildings

2,767 sf

2,291 sf

2,214 sf

2,075 sf

2,656 sf

2,431 sf

2,222 sf

2,082 sf

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Principal Building Activity
| EducationFood salesFood serviceHealth careLodging | MercantileOfficePublic assemblyPublic order and safetyReligious worship | ServiceWarehouse and storageOtherVacant |
|---------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|

The principal building activity is the activity or function that occupies the most floorspace in a building. EIA designed the following principal building activity categories to group buildings that have similar patterns of energy consumption:

Visit Building Type Definitions on the CBECS web page to learn more about these principal building activities.

Warehouse and storage, office, and service buildings were the most common building types

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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5.9 million

number of buildings

warehouse and 

storage, 17%

office, 16%

service, 15%

mercantile, 9%

public assembly, 8% 

religious worship, 7% 

education, 7% 

food service, 5% 

all other buildings, 15%

lodging 

health care

food sales 

public order and safety 

vacant 

other

Percentage of commercial buildings and floorspace by principal building activity, 2018

96.4 billion 

total floorspace

in square feet

all other buildings, 12%

lodging, 7% 

health care

food service

food sales 

public order and safety 

vacant 

other

warehouse and 

storage, 18%

office, 17%

service, 6%

mercantile, 11%

public assembly, 7% 

religious worship, 6% 

education, 14% 

Warehouse and storage, office, and service buildings together accounted for 48% of all commercial buildings and 42% of total commercial building floorspace.

Although service buildings were the third most common building type, these buildings accounted for only 6% of total floorspace. Education buildings accounted for 7% of all buildings, but they accounted for 14% of total floorspace.

Although food service buildings accounted for 5% of all commercial buildings, they accounted for only 1% of total floorspace. Lodging buildings accounted for 4% of commercial buildings, but they accounted for 7% of total floorspace.

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Many principal building activities increased in the number of buildings from 2012 to 2018

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Number of commercial buildings by principal building activity, 2018

thousands

The largest percentage increases in the number of buildings were for service (40%), public assembly (39%), lodging (31%), and warehouse and storage (26%).

The largest percentage decreases in the number of buildings were for vacant (30%) and food service (25%).

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

** Change is statistically significant at the 5% significance level.

2018

2012

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Buildings used for lodging were the largest, and buildings used for food service were the smallest

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Average floorspace by principal building activity, 2018

square feet per building

On average, among the principal building activities, lodging (33,700 sf), education (31,100 sf), and health care (29,300 sf) were the largest buildings. 

The size of inpatient health care buildings (hospitals) contributes greatly to the health care category’s average floorspace. Hospitals averaged 264,800 sf per building, compared with outpatient health care buildings, which averaged 13,700 sf.

On average, food service buildings were the smallest (4,800 sf), followed by food sales, service, and vacant.  

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Office and education buildings had the most workers

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Number of main shift workers and buildings by principal building activity, 2018

percentage

Half of all main shift workers worked in office and education buildings in 2018.

Although health care buildings accounted for 2% of commercial buildings, health care workers accounted for 8% of all main shift workers.

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

percentage of main shift workers

percentage of buildings

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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Lodging buildings operated the most hours per week

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Average weekly operating hours in commercial buildings by principal building activity, 2018

hours

12%

all buildings 

98%

lodging 

74%

public order and safety 

Percentage of buildings open continuously

On average, lodging (165 hours), public order and safety (131 hours), and food sales (110 hours) buildings operated the most hours per week.

The proportion of lodging buildings that were open continuously contributes greatly to the average operating hours per week. Almost all lodging buildings were open continuously (98%).

Religious worship, and vacant buildings were open less than 50 hours per week on average.

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Year of Construction

The year of construction is the year in which the major part or the largest portion of a building was constructed.

More than half of U.S. commercial buildings were built between 1960 and 1999

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Buildings built between 1960 and 1999 accounted for more than 50% of both total number of buildings and of floorspace.

One-quarter of buildings (25%) were built after 2000, accounting for 29% of total floorspace.

Buildings built before 1960 represented 21% of buildings but only 17% of total floorspace.

The median year of construction was 1981. 

Share of number of buildings and floorspace by year constructed, 2018

percentage of total for all buildings

before 1920

1946–1959

1920–1945

1980–1989

1960–1969

1970–1979

2010–2018

1990–1999

2000–2009

before 1960

1960 to 1999

2000 to 2018

buildings

floorspace

buildings

floorspace

buildings

floorspace

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Newer buildings were larger, on average, than older commercial buildings

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Average building size by year of construction, 2018

square feet

before 1960

average: 13,200 square feet

2000 to 2018

average: 19,000 square feet

Buildings constructed before 1960 are smaller than buildings constructed since 2000—more than 5,000 square feet smaller, on average.

Buildings constructed since 2000 averaged 19,000 square feet, or 2,700 square feet larger than the national average.

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

1960 to 1999

average: 16,300 square feet

U.S. Energy Information Administration

More than a third of lodging and health care buildings were constructed since 2000

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Proportion of commercial buildings by year of construction and 

principal building activity, 2018

percentage

More than 30% of health care, lodging, and public order and safety buildings were constructed since 2000.

More than 30% of food service, religious worship, and vacant buildings were constructed before 1960.

before 1960

1960 to 1999

2000 to 2018

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Regional Estimates

In addition to national estimates, CBECS estimates building characteristics by census region and division.

U.S. census regions and divisions

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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U.S. Energy Information Administration

Commercial buildings, floorspace, and population were highest in the South

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Commercial buildings, floorspace, and U.S. population by region, 2018

percentage

More than one-third of the U.S. population (38%), buildings (36%), and floorspace (36%) were in the South.

The Midwest was the only region with a smaller share of the total U.S. population than of buildings. It had the second-highest share of buildings (29%) and floorspace (27%) but had the third-highest share of the U.S. population (21%).

The West had nearly one-fourth of the U.S. population (24%) and about one-fifth of buildings (21%) and floorspace (20%).

buildings

floorspace

2018 U.S. population

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, based on one-year estimates from the American Community Survey.

Note: Population estimates are as of July 1, 2018.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Commercial buildings were largest in the Middle Atlantic

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Commercial buildings in the Middle Atlantic Census Division averaged 23,600 square feet (sf), 45% more than the average for all U.S. buildings (16,300 sf) in 2018. 

Commercial buildings were among the smallest on average (13,600 sf) in New England and brought the average building size for the entire Northeast region down to 20,100 square feet, which was 23% more than the national average floorspace.

Average square feet per building by census division, 2018

thousands

national average: 16,300 square feet

Northeast

average: 20,100 square feet

Midwest

average: 15,100 square feet

South

average: 16,300 square feet

West

average: 15,500 square feet

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Energy Sources and End Uses

An energy source is a type of energy or fuel consumed in a building. In the CBECS, we obtained information about the use of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, district heat, district chilled water, propane, wood, coal, and solar in commercial buildings from the building respondent.

An energy end use is a use for which energy is consumed in a building. We collected information on seven specific end uses in the CBECS—space heating, cooling, water heating, cooking, manufacturing, electricity generation, and lighting.

Although electricity was most common, other sources are also used in commercial buildings

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Total commercial buildings and floorspace by energy source, 2018

percentage

percentage of total commercial buildings

percentage of total commercial floorspace

Electricity was the most commonly used energy source in commercial buildings. It was used in 95% of buildings, which accounted for 98% of total floorspace.

Half of commercial buildings and more than two-thirds of floorspace (70%) used natural gas.

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Four end uses were common among more than three-fourths of commercial buildings

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lighting

space heating

cooling

water heating

cooking

electricity generation

manufacturing

number of buildings

total 

floorspace

Percentage of commercial buildings and floorspace by end use, 2018

Lighting, space heating, cooling, and water heating were each used in more than three-fourths of commercial buildings, accounting for at least 90% of total floorspace.

Electricity generation was more common in larger buildings. Buildings with electricity generation averaged 41,700 square feet, more than twice the size of the average building.

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Natural gas was used most for space heating; electricity was used most for cooling

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Commercial building space heating and primary heating by energy source, 2018

percentage of buildings

For space heating, natural gas (44%) or electricity (43%) were used in the majority of commercial buildings.

More than three-fourths (78%) of commercial buildings were cooled using electricity.

any space heating

primary space heating

Commercial building cooling by energy source, 2018

percentage of buildings

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

Note: For any space heating, more than one heating energy source may apply. Other sources include wood, coal, solar, and all other energy sources.

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Space heating energy sources varied by region

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electricity

natural gas

fuel oil

district heat

propane

Commercial building heating by region and energy source, 2018

percentage of buildings

Electricity use for space heating was highest in the South (55%), but natural gas use for space heating was lowest in the South (33%).

The Northeast had the largest percentage of buildings using fuel oil for space heating (23%).

Although 9% of buildings in the Northeast used propane for space heating, in particular, 22% of buildings in the New England Census Division were heated by propane.

District heat use was 4% or less in each region.

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

Note: More than one energy source may apply.

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

Q

Q

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Packaged heating units and furnaces were the most commonly used heating equipment

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Total commercial buildings and floorspace by heating equipment, 2018

percentage

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

Note: More than one type of heating equipment may apply.

percentage of total commercial buildings

percentage of total commercial floorspace

Packaged heating units were used in 37% of buildings, or 50% of total floorspace. 

Furnaces were used in 27% of buildings, but these buildings only accounted for 18% of total floorspace.

Although boilers were used in only 12% of buildings, these buildings accounted for 30% of total floorspace.

Average building size by heating equipment

22,000 sf

10,700 sf

17,000 sf

41,000 sf

22,400 sf

55,200 sf

79,300 sf

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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Packaged air-conditioning units cool more than half of commercial floorspace

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Total commercial buildings and floorspace by cooling equipment, 2018

percentage

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

Note: More than one type of cooling equipment may apply. 

percentage of total commercial buildings

percentage of total commercial floorspace

Packaged air-conditioning units were used in 43% of buildings, or 58% of total floorspace.

Residential-type central air conditioners were used in 22% of buildings, but these buildings only account for 19% of total floorspace.

Although central chillers were used in only 3% of buildings, these buildings account for 19% of total floorspace.

Average building size by cooling equipment

21,900 sf

14,000 sf

18,500 sf

22,500 sf

88,800 sf

24,500 sf

77,500 sf

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Out of all types of lighting equipment, only LED lighting use increased since 2012

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Lighting equipment used in commercial buildings by bulb type, 2018

percentage of buildings

incandescent

standard 

fluorescent

compact 

fluorescent

high-intensity 

discharge (HID)

halogen

LED

2012

2018

Standard fluorescent lighting was used in 68% of buildings, falling from 84% in 2012.

The percentage of commercial buildings that used LED lighting increased from 9% in 2012 to 44% in 2018.

Aside from LED, all other bulb types decreased in usage between 2012 and 2018.

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

Note: More than one bulb type may apply. All changes from 2012 to 2018 were statistically significant at the 5% significance level. 

U.S. Energy Information Administration

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Energy-Related Building Features

CBECS collects data on items such as ventilation systems, temperature controls for HVAC, window properties, lighting features, and technologies such as electricity generation and electric vehicle charging.

More than half of commercial buildings performed regular HVAC maintenance

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Total commercial buildings and floorspace by HVAC features, 2018

percentage

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

Note: More than one HVAC feature may apply. 

percentage of total commercial buildings

percentage of total commercial floorspace

Regular HVAC maintenance was used in 60% of commercial buildings, or 81% of floorspace.

Although programmable thermostat use was the second-most common HVAC feature (26% of buildings), it accounted for only 22% of floorspace.

We collected data about the presence of internet-connected (smart) thermostats for the first time in the 2018 CBECS. We estimate that 5% of buildings used smart thermostats.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

The most common window and lighting features were multipaned windows and occupancy sensors

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Total commercial buildings and floorspace by window and interior lighting features, 2018 

percentage

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

Note: More than one window or lighting feature may apply. See the CBECS Terminology for definitions of terms used. 

percentage of total commercial buildings

percentage of total commercial floorspace

lighting features

window features

Multipaned windows were used in 60% of buildings, which accounted for 75% of commercial floorspace.

Occupancy sensors, the most commonly used lighting feature, were used in 17% of buildings, which accounted for 46% of floorspace.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Half of public order and safety buildings used electricity generation technologies 

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Electricity generation in commercial buildings by principal building activity, 2018

percentage of buildings

public order and safety

other

lodging

health care

office

education

public assembly

service

all buildings

food sales

mercantile

warehouse and storage

religious worship

Electricity generation technologies include solar panels, reciprocating engine generators, and other technologies. These technologies may generate electricity all the time, during times of peak demand, or only for backup emergency use.

Most of the electricity generation in public order and safety buildings was from reciprocating engine generators.

Although 22% of health care buildings overall had electricity generation, 100% of inpatient health care buildings had electricity generation capabilities.

The activities most likely to have solar panels were public assembly (3% of buildings, or 8% of floorspace) and education (3% of buildings, or 6% of floorspace).

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

Note: Data was not sufficient to produce estimates for food service and vacant buildings.

U.S. Energy Information Administration

New question provides insight on the prevalence of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations

#CBECS | www.eia.gov/cbecs

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Percentage of commercial buildings with EV charging stations by square footage category, 2018

Percentage of commercial buildings with EV charging stations by select principal building activity, 2018

The CBECS estimates that 2% of commercial buildings had EV charging stations.

Lodging and service buildings were building types most likely to have EV charging, and the larger the building, the more likely it was to have EV charging. More than one-third (36%) of buildings over 500,000 sf reported having EV charging stations.

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

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

U.S. Energy Information Administration

References and Additional Information

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

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U.S. Energy Information Administration

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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

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U.S. Energy Information Administration

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