Commercial Buildings

Cutting energy waste across America's commercial buildings.

Commercial buildings vary widely in design, size, and purpose—as does their energy use. From small independent stores and busy restaurants to high-rise offices and sprawling campuses, each building type presents its own challenges and opportunities for maximizing energy efficiency, reducing energy costs, and ensuring safety.

Together, commercial buildings account for roughly half of all building energy consumption in the U.S., making them a critical opportunity to reduce energy demand, lower costs, and cut emissions.

However, existing technologies and programs do not serve all commercial buildings equally. While some have dedicated energy managers and access to the latest efficient technology and controls, others are left behind with limited capacity and few options for managing their energy use. Meeting our energy and emissions goals will require solutions and support that reach every commercial customer.

ACEEE’s research seeks to identify and expedite cost-effective efficiency and clean energy measures across all commercial buildings. Our work includes topics such as energy storage, demand flexibility, and HVAC retrofits, as well as mechanisms such as building codes, utility programs, and incentives. We work with utilities, manufacturers, research organizations, and the workforce to overcome barriers and find solutions.