The Untapped Potential of Commercial Buildings

This white paper from Next 10 says that though California is a green building policy leader, commercial structures in the state are wasting huge amounts of energy.

The study, “Untapped Potential of Commercial Buildings: Energy Use and Emissions,” was produced by the research and consulting organization Collaborative Economics for Next 10, an independent nonprofit that supports research, education and action to improve California.

The paper acknowledges the state’s efforts to improve building performance, but stresses that much more can be done. The study identifies areas for improvement, potential barriers and solutions.

For example, commercial buildings account for 37 percent of energy use in the state — and waste as much as 80 percent of the energy they draw, the study said.

The full report is available for free download from Next 10.