Energy Consumption Of Swiss Office Buildings

Buildings are among the largest energy consumers of our environment. For this reason, they must be designed and used in an energy-optimised manner, from both an ecological and economic point of view. The understanding of benchmarks and their drivers is an indispensable tool for any such optimisation and a prerequisite for ìpower benchmarkingî and thus the energy optimisation of buildings. A study of the specialist literature revealed, from a theoretical perspective, the relevant drivers of electricity consumption. Using regression analyses, these factors are examined on the basis of a set of primary data collected within Switzerland (109 owner-operated office buildings). In addition, this data set also provided indicators for electricity consumption. For the properties surveyed, an electricity consumption median of 125 kWh/m usable floor area and year was ascertained (with a lower and upper quartile of 94 and 171 kWh/m usable floor area and year, respectively). Furthermore, it should be noted that in principle it is the building characteristics (extent and standard of technical installations) that determine the electricity consumption, while aspects of usage (e.g. share of special uses) are of secondary importance. The author considers energy contracting and technical power consumption controlling (e.g. short-term energy monitoring) to be interesting aspects which should be included in future research regarding the drivers of electricity consumption.