energy cost per square foot
Managing Energy Costs in Colleges and Universities Managing Energy Costs in Colleges and Universities Colleges and universities in the U.S. spend an average of $1.10 per square foot (ft2) on electricity and 18Â¢/ft2 on natural gas annually. In a typical college or university classroom building, lighting represents 31 percent and space heating accounts for 28 percent of total ener-gy use, making those systems the best targets for energy savings