Energy in Buildings

Buildings account for 40% of total annual U.S. energy consumption and 48% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. federal government operates over 500,000 buildings, which used 1.7 quads of energy in 2004, though the Federal Energy Management Program predicts a funding shortfall of over $2 billion for energy-efficiency projects. The document also highlights several high-performance buildings in the U.S. and Europe that achieved significant energy and water savings through sustainable technologies.

• Buildings are a primary driver of U.S. energy use and emissions, accounting for 40% of total annual energy consumption and 48% of greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, they are responsible for 35% of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 49% of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), 25% of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and 10% of Particulate Matter (PM).
• The U.S. federal government's building portfolio consists of over 500,000 buildings totaling more than 3.375 billion square feet. In 2004, these buildings used 1.7 quads of energy, and the government spent over $5.1 billion on energy costs for them in FY 2004.
• The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) indicates that current federal funding is insufficient to meet the energy reduction goals of Executive Order 13123, forecasting a funding gap of more than $2 billion for necessary energy-efficiency projects.
• Case studies of sustainable buildings demonstrate significant resource reductions: the Texas Instruments RFAB uses 20% less energy and 35% less water than conventional fabs; the ING Bank Headquarters in Amsterdam uses 92% less energy than a conventional building; and the Ridgehaven Building in San Diego uses 65% less total energy than a neighboring identical building.

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} }