Energy in Buildings

This 2006 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute details the significant role of buildings in U.S. energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the energy profile of federal buildings, and examples of energy-efficient building projects globally.

• Buildings account for 40% of total annual energy consumption in the United States, exceeding the consumption of the industry sector (32%) and the transportation sector (28%). In terms of specific resources, buildings utilize 70% of electricity, 53% of natural gas, 30% of raw materials, and 12% of potable water. Annual spending on natural gas and electricity for buildings exceeds $80 billion, with lighting alone representing nearly 25% of a building's total energy use.
• The building sector is a major contributor to U.S. emissions, responsible for 48% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. This includes 35% of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 49% of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), 25% of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and 10% of Particulate Matter (PM). Additionally, buildings produce 40% of non-industrial waste, totaling 136 million tons annually, and are responsible for 31% of the Mercury (Hg) found in municipal solid waste.
• The U.S. federal government operates over 500,000 buildings covering more than 3.375 billion square feet. In 2004, the government used 1.7 quads of energy, with nearly 34% allocated to buildings. In FY 2004, energy costs for these buildings exceeded $5.1 billion. While energy consumption per square foot in standard buildings decreased by 25.6% between FY 1985 and FY 2004, the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) predicts a funding shortfall of over $2 billion for necessary energy-efficiency projects.
• Several high-efficiency building projects demonstrate significant resource savings: the Texas Instruments RFAB in Richardson, TX, uses 20% less energy and 35% less water than conventional fabs; the ING Bank Headquarters in Amsterdam uses 92% less energy than conventional buildings; and the Solaire residential tower in New York City is designed to use 35% less energy and potable water while reducing peak demand by 65%.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2006). Energy in Buildings. https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_buildings_energy_091106.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Energy in Buildings. 2006. https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_buildings_energy_091106.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Energy in Buildings |date=September 2006 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_buildings_energy_091106.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2006energy, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Energy in Buildings}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2006}, month = sep, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/eesi_buildings_energy_091106.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }