Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is an important metric that helps measure how energy-efficient buildings are. Energy use intensity is often adopted by commercial buildings owned by companies keen on managing or maintaining energy-efficient buildings or facilities.
Global sustainability efforts and environmental regulations are becoming more stringent and emerging globally, especially in Europe and Asia. Commercial facilities need to measure and work towards reducing their EUI in order to meet their environmental goals, like reducing carbon footprint, or financial goals like reducing operational and energy costs.
What is Energy Use Intensity?
Energy Use Intensity is a crucial performance metric typically used to measure the total annual energy consumption of a building, in relation to its size. EUI is expressed as energy per square foot or square meter per year.
The most common units of energy use intensity are kBtu/ft²/year (thousand British thermal units per square foot) or gigajoules per square meter per year (GJ/m2/year).
Energy Use Intensity is a core indicator of the energy efficiency of a building’s designs and its operations. EUI is typically used to set a goal for energy performance, even before beginning a design. It is also used in a number of other ways. EUI is used as a metric to compare the energy optimization of similar buildings with a particular building under investigation. EUI is also used to evaluate how compliant the operations of a building are with environmental codes, requirements, and regulations.
Different buildings sustain different EUIs, so not all buildings have the same EUI. Energy use intensity metrics are dependent on how much uptime they have to maintain or how energy-intensive the property is. For example, a hospital will record a higher EUI than an office building that just handles day-to-day clerical activities.
How To Calculate Energy Use Intensity
Energy use intensity is calculated by dividing a building’s total energy use by its total gross floor area.
EUI= Total Annual Energy Consumed ÷ Total Gross Floor Area
Total annual energy is the total energy consumed in the building over a 12-month period, which includes electricity, gas, diesel, or any other fuel sources used for operations. Total gross floor area refers to the entire enclosed floor area of the building. It includes all conditioned and unconditioned spaces within the building envelope, such as offices, corridors, lobbies, staircases, restrooms, storage rooms, and mechanical rooms. Open outdoor areas like terraces, balconies, or detached parking structures are typically excluded, unless otherwise specified by the applicable standard.
For example, a mid-sized hospital consuming 9,000,000 kWh annually across 45,000 m² would record an EUI of 200 kWh/m²/year.
What Does a “Good” Energy Use Intensity Look Like Across Building Types?
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is the total amount of energy a building consumes relative to its floor area, and it is usually measured in kBtu/ft²/year. There is no single EUI value that is considered universally “good” because buildings serve different purposes and operate under different unique conditions.
A “good” EUI should always be measured and considered within the context of a building’s category. Factors such as operating hours, equipment load, climate, and usage patterns significantly influence energy consumption. In general, a building is considered energy-efficient when its EUI sits at the lower end of the normal range for similar facilities in the same geographical area.
Below is a quick summary of typical EUI ranges for common building types in the United States
Restaurants
Restaurants remain one of the most energy-intensive building types, with EUIs commonly falling between 200 and 350 kBtu/ft²/year. This is mainly because of heavy kitchen equipment usage, continuous ventilation, refrigeration demands, and extended service hours.
Healthcare Facilities
Hospitals and healthcare buildings operate continuously and depend on advanced medical equipment, strict ventilation standards, and an uninterrupted power supply. As a result, their EUIs often range from below 100 up to 250 kBtu/ft²/year.
Retail Buildings
Retail facilities generally record EUIs between 25 and 130 kBtu/ft²/year, depending on the store’s size, lighting intensity, refrigeration needs, and daily operating hours.
Office Buildings
Office spaces typically have moderate energy demands and often average around 65 kBtu/ft²/year, with differences in EUI measures driven by occupancy density, IT equipment use, and HVAC efficiency.
Educational Facilities
Schools and universities usually have an energy use intensity between the ranges 60–65 kBtu/ft²/year, though usage patterns, campus activities, and building age can cause significant variations.
Warehouses and Storage Facilities
Warehouses typically have lower EUIs, which can be between 10 and 30 kBtu/ft²/year, due to lower occupancy, limited lighting requirements, and reduced heating or cooling needs.
Best Practices To Keep Your Energy Use Intensity Low
1. Optimize HVAC Systems
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning typically account for the largest percentage of energy use in a building. Make sure HVAC systems are correctly sized, maintained regularly, and use energy-efficient components like variable speed drives, smart thermostats, and advanced controls.
2. Monitor Energy Consumption Continuously
Make sure to integrate the use of energy management systems in everyday operations. Use intelligent energy management systems like Pai Enterprise to track electricity, gas, diesel, or other fuel usage in real time. This helps identify consumption areas or times and adjust operations accordingly.
When you continuously monitor energy consumption, it helps detect leaks, inefficiencies, or malfunctioning equipment before they escalate into more chronic issues, which can lead to fast-depleting resources (money and fuel). Real-time or continuous monitoring helps detect leaks, inefficiencies, or malfunctioning equipment before they escalate.
3. Use Energy-Efficient Equipment and Appliances
It is important to always opt for energy-efficient equipment and appliances, especially for energy-intensive commercial buildings that have to be up 24/7.
Ensure devices are turned off when not in use (devices that are not critical loads), and schedule high-energy procedures during off-peak hours when possible.
4. Educate Staff and Occupants
Energy-saving behaviors make a great difference. Ensure that office employees and facility managers are well-trained on practices that will help reduce energy use. Efficient energy use can start with practices as simple as turning off lights and equipment when not in use.
5. Set EUI Targets and Benchmark Regularly
Use EUI as a continuous performance metric. Set an energy use intensity benchmark against similar facilities, set realistic goals for reduction, and track progress annually. Regular audits ensure that your building stays on track.
Achieve Desirable Energy Efficiency Levels With Pai Enterprise
Achieving and maintaining a low Energy Use Intensity requires more than periodic energy checks. Achieving low EUI levels demands continuous visibility, accurate data, and actionable insights.
Pai Enterprise helps commercial facilities and energy-intensive buildings to actively monitor, manage, and optimize energy consumption across their operations.
With real-time energy monitoring and intelligent analytics, Pai Enterprise helps organizations track energy consumption across multiple energy sources at a granular level. Full real-time visibility into energy usage or consumption makes it easier to identify inefficiencies, detect abnormal consumption patterns early, and take corrective action before energy waste escalates into higher costs or regulatory risks.
By providing centralized energy data and performance insights across locations, Pai Enterprise supports uniformed/ informed decision-making, simplifies benchmarking, and helps facilities track EUI trends over time. This allows building owners and facility managers to set realistic energy efficiency goals, measure progress consistently, and align operations with sustainability and cost-reduction goals.
For commercial buildings, hospitals, and large facilities operating around the clock, Pai Enterprise delivers the visibility and control needed to reduce energy waste, improve operational efficiency, and achieve desirable energy performance levels without cutting back on productivity, reliability, or uptime.
Curious to see how Pai Enterprise can help reduce your building’s energy use intensity? Click this link to contact our team for a walk-through demo and free consultation.