Commercial Building Benchmark Models
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction with three of its national laboratories, developed commercial building models. These benchmark models are complete descriptions of buildings for whole building energy analysis using EnergyPlus simulation software. On this page you will find benchmark files and information on the building types and climates they represent.
There are 16 building types that represent approximately 70% of the commercial buildings in the U.S. These modules will help to provide a consistent baseline of comparison and improve the value of computer energy simulations using software such as EnergyPlus.
Read more in a paper published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory entitled DOE Commercial Benchmark Models (PDF 521 KB). Download Adobe Reader.
Building Benchmark Data Files
Benchmark files will be made available for the following categories of buildings:
Building Type and Climate Zone
DOE developed 16 benchmark building types that represent most commercial buildings across 16 locations, which represent all U.S. climate zones.
| Building Type Name | Floor Area (ft2) | Number of Floors |
|---|---|---|
| Large Office | 498,588 | 12 |
| Medium Office | 53,628 | 3 |
| Small Office | 5,500 | 1 |
| Warehouse | 52,045 | 1 |
| Stand-alone Retail | 24,962 | 1 |
| Strip Mall | 22,500 | 1 |
| Primary School | 73,960 | 1 |
| Secondary School | 210,887 | 2 |
| Supermarket | 45,000 | 1 |
| Quick Service Restaurant | 2,500 | 1 |
| Full Service Restaurant | 5,500 | 1 |
| Hospital | 241,351 | 5 |
| Outpatient Health Care | 40,946 | 3 |
| Small Hotel | 43,200 | 4 |
| Large Hotel | 122,120 | 6 |
| Midrise Apartment | 33,740 | 4 |
The 16 climate zones used to create the benchmarks are:
| Climate Zone | Representative City |
|---|---|
| 1A | Miami, Florida |
| 2A | Houston, Texas |
| 2B | Phoenix, Arizona |
| 3A | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 3B-CA | Los Angeles, California |
| 3B | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 3C | San Francisco, California |
| 4A | Baltimore, Maryland |
| 4B | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| 4C | Seattle, Washington |
| 5A | Chicago, Illinois |
| 5B | Boulder, Colorado |
| 6A | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 6B | Helena, Montana |
| 7 | Duluth, Minnesota |
| 8 | Fairbanks, Alaska |
Please send all questions and comments regarding the benchmarks to benchmark@nrel.gov.