Should EIA Consider Combining Residential and Commercial Buildings?
The workshop participants agreed that end uses within the residential and commercial buildings sectors are so different that they should not combined: • Characteristics of Sectors are Different. The residential sector is dominated by single-family homes. Single-family households use energy differently than that of commercial buildings. Also, the mix of commercial buildings differ so much between themselves, that if single-family homes are added to the mix, energy-use patterns would be extremely complex and difficult to understand. • Different Policies for Different Sectors. There are very different policies in place, or that could be enacted, to influence energy demand in the residential sector versus the commercial buildings sector.
