Heating U.S. commercial buildings is most energy intensive in cold climates

U.S. commercial buildings in cold or very cold climates were more than five times more energy intensive for space heating than buildings in hot or very hot climates, according to our latest Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). Specifically, commercial buildings in cold or very cold climates consumed an average of 36,100 British thermal units per square foot, but buildings in hot or very hot climates consumed an average of 6,300 British thermal units per square foot.