Follow these guidelines to estimate the emissions of buildings based on their floor area.
This guideline is based on research by the Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR), conducted for Germany only. For other countries, it is recommended to look for country-specific values. If you cannot find a satisfactory source, it may be possible to apply BBSR values to similar countries within the EU, but this must be done with caution.
Step-by-step guidance
Step 1: Identify Your Building Type
From the Energy Efficiency Table below, choose the building type that best matches yours. For example, if you have an office, select 'Office Buildings.'
Step 2: Estimating emissions from Heating and Warm Water Consumption
For the selected building type, multiply the 'Natural Gas Consumption (kWh/m² per year)' by your building's floor area. This calculation gives the estimated annual natural gas usage for the building. Record this amount as the Natural gas consumption for the reporting year.
💡 We suggest entering the number as natural gas consumption, as natural gas is a popular fuel for heating buildings and water.
Step 3: Estimating emissions from Electricity Consumption
For the selected building type, multiply the 'Electricity Consumption (kWh/m² per year)' by your building's floor area to get an estimation of the annual electricity usage. Record this figure as the electricity consumption for the reporting year.
Example
Company ABC wants to estimate their 2023 emissions for their 500 m² co-working space and 2,000 m² factory.
Step 1: Company ABC chooses reference building types: 'Office Buildings' for the co-working space and 'Commercial and Industrial Buildings (General)' for the factory.
Step 2 and Step 3: Company ABC prepares 4 data entries for 2023:
Co-working space emissions:
Heating and Fuel data entry: fuel type is natural gas. Consumption is 500 m² x 57.1 kWh/m² = 28,550 kWh.
Electricity data entry: consumption is 500 m² x 22.7 kWh/m² = 11,350 kWh.
Factory emissions:
Heating and Fuel Entry: fuel type is natural gas. Consumption is 2,000 m² x 51.3 kWh/m² = 102,600 kWh.
Electricity Entry: consumption is 2,000 m² x 13 kWh/m² = 26,000 kWh.
Energy Efficiency Table
Category | Natural Gas Consumption (kWh/m² per year) | Electricity Consumption (kWh/m² per year) |
Office Buildings | 57.1 | 22.7 |
Office Buildings - Predominantly Open-Plan Offices | 60.1 | 34.2 |
Laboratory Buildings | 90.8 | 42.6 |
Commercial and Industrial Buildings (General) | 51.3 | 13 |
Storage Buildings | 57.4 | 19.2 |
Retail Outlets (General) | 55.5 | 26.5 |
Numbers are based on research by the Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung.
Assumptions:
Natural gas is used for heating and to warm water.
Electricity is used for lighting and standard air conditioning usage.
The building has an average size.