Frequently Asked Questions
How much energy is consumed in residential and commercial buildings in the United States?
In 2013, 40% of total U.S. energy consumption was consumed in residential and commercial buildings, or about 40 quadrillion British thermal units.
EIA publishes estimates for monthly and annual energy consumption by the residential and commercial sectors, which is mostly "building-related." These sectors account for nearly all the U.S. building-related energy consumption.
Energy consumption by the commercial sector also includes "non-building-related" street and other outdoor lighting, and water and sewage treatment. However, these are relatively small contributors to the commercial sector's total energy consumption.
EIA publishes detailed estimates for energy consumption for specific years in residential and commercial buildings. EIA also publishes estimates for heating, ventilation, cooling, and lighting in manufacturing facilities. However, these data do not represent the total energy consumption for residential, commercial, and industrial sectors for those years.
Learn more:
Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)
Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS)
Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS)
Last reviewed: June 18, 2014
Other FAQs about General Energy
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- Does EIA have energy consumption and price data for cities, counties, or by zip code?
- Does EIA have energy prices for countries?
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- Does EIA have projections for energy production, consumption, and prices for individual states?
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