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This chapter provides information on Federal building energy consumption, characteristics, and expenditures, as well as information on legislation affecting said consumption. The main points from this chapter are summarized below:

  In FY 2006, Federal buildings accounted for 2.2% of all building energy consumption and 0.8% of total U.S. energy consumption.
  Five Federal agencies were responsible for 86% of all Federal building primary energy consumption in FY 2006. The Department of Defense alone accounted for more than half of this amount.
  The National Energy Conservation Policy Act requires that energy consumption of Federal buildings decline through 2015. This requirement reflects modifications from Federal legislation passed in 2005 and 2007 and is reinforced by an executive order passed in 2007.

Federal buildings consumed 0.86 quads of primary energy in fiscal year (FY) 2006, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available. (4.1.1) This quantity represented 56% of total Federal energy consumption, 2.2% of all building energy consumption, and 0.8% of total U.S. energy consumption. Adjusting for delivery losses, site energy consumption in Federal buildings was 0.39 quads, of which 48% came from electricity. (4.1.2) Other fuels consumed included natural gas (38%), fuel oil (8%), coal (6%), and purchased steam (4%). Overall, Federal agencies spent $6.2 billion (2009$) on energy in FY 2006. (4.3.1)

Five Federal agencies were responsible for 86% of all Federal building primary energy consumption in FY 2006: the Department of Defense (DOD) (57%), the Department of Energy (DOE) (9%), the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) (8%), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (7%), and the General Services Administration (GSA) (5%). (4.1.2) These five agencies occupied 88% of all Federal building floor space; DOD accounted for 63% of the total, USPS 11%, GSA 6%, VA 5%, and DOE 3%. (4.2.1)