Energy use intensity by building type
The definition of “normal energy consumption” is different for buildings of different types. E.g. energy used by commercial buildings is usually much more than that of office buildings. Let’s find out more below:
Read more about Energy Benchmarking here
The Highest Performing Buildings:
As seen in the picture below, the most energy-efficient grocery stores consume 416 kWh/m2/year or less. For office buildings, the number is 128 kWh/m2/year. The highest performing schools consume 117 kWh/m2/year or less, whereas the roof for the commercial buildings (excluding grocery stores) is 150 kWh/m2/year.
The Lowest Performing Buildings:
As seen in the picture below, the least energy-efficient grocery stores consume 798 kWh/m2/year or more. For office buildings, the number is 218 kWh/m2/year. The lowest performing schools consume 180 kWh/m2/year or more, whereas the floor for the commercial buildings (excluding grocery stores) is 309 kWh/m2/year.
The Average Buildings:
As seen in the picture below, the average grocery store consumes 569 kWh/m2/year or more. For office buildings, the number is 166 kWh/m2/year. The average consumption for a school is 145 kWh/m2/year, whereas that for an average commercial building (excluding grocery stores) is 207 kWh/m2/year.
How Much Energy Does an Office Building Use?
Least energy-efficient office buildings can consume up to 218 kWh/m2. For the average office building, the number drops down to 166 kWh/m2. The most energy-efficient office buildings consume as little as 128 kWh/m2.
Most of the time, a simple smart retrofit can transfer a building from the least-efficient category to the most-efficient one. Regardless of how old a building is. Smart software like ClevAir not only report energy usage data in real-time, but also automatically adjust HVAC based on changes in occupancy, indoor and outdoor climates, and weather forecast.
To know more about how ClevAir works its magic, download the free case studies here.
A Clevair Customer’s Journey from the Low Consumption Quartile to the Lowest
When GN Power first reached out to ClevAir, they were already one of the better performing office buildings in the Scandinavian area. They were already in the “low” quartile of the “Office buildings energy consumption per square meter per year” metric. See below:
However, GNPower wanted to do even better. And ClevAir helped them do just that. Within a few months of ClevAir optimization, their overall energy consumption dropped by 35%. Ultimately, they were able to enter the lowest quartile in the aforementioned benchmark. See below:
Originally published at https://clevair.io on February 1, 2021.
