ENERGY-EFFICIENT NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN THE NORTHWEST REGION: A COMPILATION OF MEASURED DATA

We have collected and analyzed data for 36 new commercial buildings designed to be energy-efficient in the Northwest. Eighteen buildings are offices; the remainder are mostly retail buildings, and schools. The data were collected and analyzed to evaluate the building energy standards adopted by the Northwest Power Planning Council in the Northwest Conservation and Electric Power Plan. Almost half of the buildings are operating at energy levels under the Council's estimates for new efficient commercial buildings. There is, however, a large range of energy intensities. The average office building consumes 54 kBtu/ftS-yr (in site energy units), while the average small office uses only 43 kBtu/ftS-yr. Energy consumption for the eight retail buildings ranges from 47 kBtu/fS-yr to 134 kBtu/ftS-yr.