2012 Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS)Stakeholder Meeting

Tom Leckey, Joelle Michaels, Alan Swenson

May 15, 2012 |  Washington, DC

www.eia.gov

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Independent Statistics & Analysis

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Agenda

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Welcome

CBECS background

2012 CBECS general changes

2012 CBECS changes and new questions by questionnaire section

Potential new questions for audits

Future CBECS considerations

How you can still help us on the 2012 CBECS

2012 CBECS Stakeholder Meeting, May 15, 2012

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EIA CBECS Team Members

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Core CBECS Team: Survey Operations, Sampling, Data Processing, Editing, Imputation, Analysis...

Joelle Michaels, Survey Manager

Katie Lewis

Jay Olsen

Alan Swenson

Marilyn Worthy

Vincent LeMoine

Management

Tom Leckey, Director, Office of Consumption and Efficiency Statistics

Eileen O’Brien, Team Lead, Buildings Surveys Statistics

Hiro Minato, Team Lead, End Use Consumption Statistics 

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Welcome

2012 CBECS Stakeholder Meeting, May 15, 2012

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CBECS Stakeholder Input

EIA action

Benefits to EIA of this interaction

Constraints

Length of survey, cost

Instrument reliability

OMB approval

Scope of survey

Respondent capability

New technologies

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What is CBECS?

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Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS)

the only national level source of data on the characteristics and energy use of commercial buildings

conducted every 3 or 4 years since 1979

mandated by the Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act of 1977, Public Law 95-91 

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What is CBECS?

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CBECS interviews...

conducted by professional interviewers using a computerized survey instrument, usually in-person – average interview lasts 30 minutes

advance package of materials (including worksheets) is provided to the building a few days before the interview

sample size historically 5,000-7,000 buildings 

building interview covers many topics – building size and use; ownership and occupancy; energy sources, uses, and equipment; energy consumption and cost

building survey is followed by an energy supplier survey – if useable energy usage information is not available from the building respondent

the 2012 CBECS interviews will be conducted between April 2013 and Sept 2013, with the energy supplier survey following

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CBECS Sample Overview

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Multistage area probability sample

statistically select from increasingly smaller geographic areas

“field listers” walk each block in selected areas and list every commercial building within the segments

CBECS area sample is selected from that list

Supplemented with additional list samples

use several special lists in order to efficiently sample enough large buildings

Federal buildings (GSA)

hospitals

colleges/universities

airports (FAA)

other large buildings

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2012 CBECS: General Changes

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Sample update using proven methodology

Sample size increased 150% - target of 8,400 buildings for 2012

Subset of buildings will be re-interviewed/verified using energy audit techniques

Some interviews to be conducted by telephone (ability to locate more knowledgeable respondents)

Streamlined editing procedures

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2012 CBECS Changes and New Questions By Questionnaire Section

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2012 CBECS Stakeholder Meeting, May 15, 2012

Overview of planned substantive changes for each questionnaire section

Following each section, we would like to hear your questions and comments

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Section A: Building Size, Structural Characteristics, and Age

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Square footage 

clarifying questions about total/gross square footage 

does the reported square footage include parking?

completely enclosed and physically connected to the building (e.g. underground parking levels)

partially open garages or garages separate from the building

does it include “non-leasable” areas (e.g. lobbies, hallways, stairways)?

NEW: Floor-to-ceiling height

NEW: “Cool roof” materials

Escalators

specify that moving walkways should be counted as escalators

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Section A: Building Size, Structural Characteristics, and Age

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Renovations

remove the word “major” from the filter question

list of renovation types may be overly inclusive, but we can exclude minor improvements when we report the data

NEW CATEGORIES

“exterior replacement” split into “exterior roof replacement” and “exterior wall replacement or renovation”

building automation/management system

electrical upgrade

fire/safety/security upgrade

we ask about renovations done “since 1980” 

is this still a meaningful reference date?

Questions/comments on Section A?

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Section B: Building Activity

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A few points of clarification:

we purposely duplicate activity subcategories within the main activity categories 

the survey instrument automatically reclassifies the activity to the correct CBECS principal building activity so that we can ask the appropriate follow-up questions

example: libraries are “public assembly” by CBECS definition but are also available as an option within office, education, service, and other

if a building is not 75% or more of a single activity, we ask for the top three activities and collect the percent of floorspace used for each

military bases are not included in the CBECS sample

laboratories have always been classified separately in the CBECS, but are combined into “other” for reporting because of sample size constraints

increase in sample size may allow reporting for laboratories

New details on specialized uses of space – Section E

Questions/comments on Section B?

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Section C: Ownership, Occupancy, Operating Hours, Employment

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Building ownership

NEW: ask if the building is owned as an investment (i.e. for leasing) or for occupancy

NEW CATEGORY: add “Real estate investment trust (REIT)” as a building owner category

Ask whether the building is leased by a government agency?

would this be useful information?

Purchasing power

NEW: ask who pays the energy bills?

Hours of operation

better alignment with Energy Star definitions (e.g. for offices, define as the time when 75% or more of the people are in the building)

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Section C: Ownership, Occupancy, Operating Hours, Employment

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Number of building occupants

NEW: collect information to better define usage levels in building types that are public/customer oriented (e.g. average meals served in restaurants, room- nights at a hotel, number of visitors to a museum)

Vacancy rates

NEW: ask for the average yearly occupancy rates for certain building types

Fire station staffing levels

NEW: is the staffing at the station usually constant, highly variable, or is the building usually unoccupied (e.g. volunteer station)

Questions/comments on Section C?

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Section D: Energy Sources, Uses, Equipment

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Heating equipment types

furnace type

add “Individual room high efficiency condensing furnace”

boiler and district system distribution types 

add “Radiant panels in walls/floors”

heat pump type

add “Dual source” and “Dual fuel” (clarify)

individual heater type 

add “High temperature infrared radiant heater”

add “Low temperature electrical radiant panels”

add “Chiller heater”

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Section D: Energy Sources, Uses, Equipment

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Heating (and cooling) ventilation types

add “Underfloor air distribution”

add “natural ventilation” to “No mechanical ventilation”

Reduce heating (and cooling)

add “Manual operation”

Cooling equipment types

chiller type

add “Absorption chiller”  

chiller/district chilled water distribution type

add “Chilled beam”  

heat pump type

add “Dual source”  

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Section D: Energy Sources, Uses, Equipment

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Other energy sources/HVAC equipment items under consideration

use of air- and waterside economizers

use of demand controlled ventilation

energy recovery and energy storage systems

cogeneration

dual fuel sources for heating

solar thermal

age of HVAC equipment

variable air-volume system (heating components)

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Section D: Energy Sources, Uses, Equipment

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Regular HVAC maintenance

add follow-up question to characterize the maintenance program

Water heating sources/equipment

add “Heat recovery”

Separate question for building automation system (BAS)

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Section D: Energy Sources, Uses, Equipment

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Generation technologies

add “Small wind turbines”

add “Reciprocating (gas/diesel) engines”

add “Gas turbines” 

Use of generated electricity

capture amount generated in Section F (Electricity)

New question to characterize how excess generated electricity is used

sold to the local utility or another electricity supplier 

stored onsite for later use by the building

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Section D: Energy Sources, Uses, Equipment

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How purchase electricity

add “Amalgamated contract purchase”

Questions/comments on Section D?

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Section E: Miscellaneous Space Uses and Equipment

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Food preparation or serving areas

in addition to simply the presence of these types of areas, collect the percent of floorspace (NEW)

snack bar/concession stand

fast food/small restaurant

cafeteria/large restaurant

large kitchen/commercial kitchen/other large food preparation area

Medical-related

NEW: for health care buildings, collect the number of  MRI, X-ray, CT, linear accelerators

NEW: for hospitals, collect the percent of the building used for outpatient care

NEW: for outpatient health care, ask if there is an ambulatory surgery center, and if so, the number of operating rooms

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Section E: Miscellaneous Space Uses and Equipment

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Lodging-related

NEW: percent of building used for conferences/special events

Refrigeration equipment

NEW: ask lodging buildings if there is a small refrigerator in each guest room

Fire station use

NEW: percent of building used for non-fire department activities (e.g. hall rental, police station, local government offices)

NEW: are there living quarters in the station?

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Section E: Miscellaneous Space Uses and Equipment

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Computer-related

currently collect the number of: computers, laptops, servers

clarify to exclude any tablet PCs

high-density computing areas

collect presence and percent of square footage (NEW) for each:

data center/server farm

NEW: trading floor

computer-based training room

student or public access computer center

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Section E: Miscellaneous Space Uses and Equipment

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Other equipment

NEW: ask for the number of video displays (e.g. televisions, flat panel displays)

NEW: for schools, collect the number of interactive whiteboards (e.g. SMART boards)

Plug load controls

NEW CATEGORY: add “sleep mode” or Energy Star setting as a method to turn off computers

NEW: controlled receptacles (i.e. power outlets) that automatically turn equipment off at certain times or when the space is vacant?

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Section E: Miscellaneous Space Uses and Equipment

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Lighting

add “induction lighting” as a type of lamp?

instead of just “daylighting features” ask two sets of lighting feature questions:

lighting controls

scheduling, occupancy sensors, multi-level lighting or dimming, high-end trim  or tuning, personal light control, demand responsive lighting

daylighting features

tinted window glass, reflective window glass, external overhangs or awnings, skylights or atriums, automatic controls that increase or reduce lighting in response to natural light, automated or motorized window shades

remove question about “specular reflectors”?

is it outdated?

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Section E: Miscellaneous Space Uses and Equipment

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NEW: ask about building certification 

Energy Star, LEED, Green Globes, Other

NEW: ask whether the building has an AMI meter

Questions/comments on Section E?

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Sections F-J: Consumption and Expenditures

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Enclosed malls

collect information on how electricity/HVAC responsibilities are divided between the landlord and the tenants

clarify which portions of the mall are included in the consumption data that we obtain: common area, tenants, anchor stores

On-site generation 

NEW: for buildings with on-site generation, ask for the amount of electricity produced

Better accounting of whether non-building uses are included in the consumption figures

parking lot lights (added in 2007)

other exterior lighting

outdoor swimming pools

Questions/comments on Sections F-J?

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Section K: Water

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Water consumption

collect information on the units (gallons, cubic feet, etc.)

in Section D, for buildings with central chillers, heat pumps or packaged units as their cooling systems, ask if there is a cooling tower

determine whether water is metered separately for cooling towers and/or irrigation

if so, collect the volume used for each separate use

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Potential Questions for the Audit Subsample

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Building orientation

Building footprint and the site footprint

Building codes/energy codes

Wall construction

number of layers and associated insulation values

Information on pumps (how many, motor sizes)

Peak electricity/energy loads

Exhaust hoods/fume hoods, including size

Linear feet of open and closed refrigeration units

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Future CBECS Considerations

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Additional reporting for units of analysis other than the building

campuses

establishments within strip shopping centers (e.g. grocery stores)

Multifamily residential buildings

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We still need your help on the 2012 CBECS

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Endorsement insert/letters

for inclusion with the advance packet of materials provided to respondents

please let EIA know if you would like your organization listed in association with the following statement:

The following organizations recognize that the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) provides critically important information to support programs that promote energy efficiency in commercial buildings in the U.S. These organizations strongly encourage participation in the 2012 CBECS.

we would also welcome individual endorsement letters that the interviewer would use as a tool for gaining respondent cooperation

Trade magazines/journals

increase awareness that CBECS is in the field (April 2013-Sept 2013)

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The new CBECS “blog”

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Periodic updates on 2012 CBECS progress will be posted at www.eia.gov/consumption/cbecs

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For more information:

CBECS home page | www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial

Tom Leckey, Director, Office of Energy Consumption and Efficiency Statistics | thomas.leckey@eia.gov

Joelle Michaels, Survey Manager | joelle.michaels@eia.gov

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