What is Energy Use Intensity (EUI)?
When you benchmark your building in Portfolio Manager, one of the key metrics you’ll see is energy use intensity, or EUI. Essentially, EUI expresses a building’s energy use as a function of its size or other characteristics.
For property types in Portfolio Manager, EUI is expressed as energy per square foot per year. It’s calculated by dividing the total energy consumed by the building in one year (measured in kBtu or GJ) by the total gross floor area of the building (measured in square feet or square meters). Portfolio Manager automatically does the conversion to kBtu or GJ, so you can just enter your energy use information as you get it on your utility bills.
Both site and source EUI are available in Portfolio Manager, though EPA relies on source EUI as the basis for the ENERGY STAR score. Learn the difference between source and site energy.
Some Property Types Are More Energy Intensive Than Others
Generally, a low EUI signifies good energy performance. However, certain property types will always use more energy than others. For example, an elementary school uses relatively little energy compared to a hospital.
Median EUIs in the United States
For details on how these national energy use intensities are calculated, see Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: U.S. National Energy Use Intensity.
| Market Sector | Property type | Source EUI (kBtu/ft2) | Site EUI (kBtu/ft2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking/Financial Services | Bank Branch | 209.9 | 88.3 |
| Banking/Financial Services | Financial Office | 116.4 | 52.9 |
| Education | College/University | 180.6 | 84.3 |
| Education | K-12 School | 104.4 | 48.5 |
| Education | Pre-school/Daycare | 131.5 | 64.8 |
| Education | Vocational School/Adult Education | 110.4 | 52.4 |
| Public Assembly | Convention Center/Meeting Hall | 109.6 | 56.1 |
| Public Assembly | Recreation/Athletic Centers | 112.0 | 50.8 |
| Public Assembly | Entertainment | 112.0 | 56.2 |
| Public Assembly | Worship Facility | 58.4 | 30.5 |
| Food Sales & Service | Convenience Store | 592.6 | 231.4 |
| Food Sales & Service | Bar/Nightclub | 297 | 130.7 |
| Food Sales & Service | Fast Food Restaurant | 886.4 | 402.7 |
| Food Sales & Service | Restaurant | 573.7 | 325.6 |
| Food Sales & Service | Supermarket/Grocery Store | 444 | 196 |
| Food Sales & Service | Wholesale Club/Supercenter | 120 | 51.4 |
| Healthcare | Ambulatory Surgical Center | 138.3 | 62.0 |
| Healthcare | Hospital (General Medical & Surgical) | 426.9 | 234.3 |
| Healthcare | Other/Specialty Hospital | 433.9 | 206.7 |
| Healthcare | Medical Office | 121.7 | 51.2 |
| Healthcare | Outpatient Rehabilitation/Physical Therapy | 138.3 | 62.0 |
| Healthcare | Urgent Care/Clinic/Other Outpatient | 145.8 | 64.5 |
| Lodging/Residential | Barracks | 107.5 | 57.9 |
| Lodging/Residential | Hotel | 146.7 | 63.0 |
| Lodging/Residential | Multifamily Housing | 118.1 | 59.6 |
| Lodging/Residential | Prison/Incarceration | 156.4 | 69.9 |
| Lodging/Residential | Residence Hall/Dormitory | 107.5 | 57.9 |
| Lodging/Residential | Residential Care Facility | 213.2 | 99.0 |
| Mixed Use | Mixed Use Property | 89.3 | 40.1 |
| Office | Medical Office | 121.7 | 51.2 |
| Office | Office | 116.4 | 52.9 |
| Office | Veterinary Office | 145.8 | 64.5 |
| Public Services | Courthouse | 211.4 | 101.2 |
| Public Services | Fire/Police Station | 124.9 | 63.5 |
| Public Services | Library | 143.6 | 71.6 |
| Public Services | Mailing Center/Post Office | 96.9 | 47.9 |
| Public Services | Transportation Terminal/Station | 112.0 | 56.2 |
| Retail | Automobile Dealership | 124.1 | 55.0 |
| Retail | Enclosed Mall | 170.7 | 65.7 |
| Retail | Strip Mall | 228.8 | 103.5 |
| Retail | Retail Store | 120.0 | 103.5 |
| Technology/Science | Laboratory | 318.2 | 115.3 |
| Services | Dry cleaning, Shoe Repair, Locksmith, Salon, etc. | 96.9 | 47.9 |
| Utility | Drinking Water Treatment & Distribution | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| Utility | Energy/Power Station | 89.3 | 40.1 |
| Warehouse/Storage | Self-Storage Facility | 47.8 | 20.2 |
| Warehouse/Storage | Distribution Center | 52.9 | 22.7 |
| Warehouse/Storage | Non-Refrigerated Warehouse | 52.9 | 22.7 |
| Warehouse/Storage | Refrigerated Warehouse | 235.6 | 84.1 |
For more information about national energy use intensities in Canada, see:
Well, it depends in part on how big the building is, right? For example, if a 50,000-square-foot school consumed that amount of energy last year, its EUI would be 150. But if a 10,000-square-foot restaurant consumed the same amount, its EUI would be 750.
So in this example, even though they’re consuming the same amount of energy, the restaurant is far more energy-intensive than the school.
