Quick question for the group - I'm trying to benchmark a small office building in Charlottesville that's on Dominion's Schedule 5 (General Service). Building is 12,000 sq ft, mixed office and retail, using about 18,000 kWh monthly. Is that reasonable or high for this type of property? Client thinks their usage is excessive but I'm not finding good benchmarks for mixed-use buildings.
Dominion Virginia Power Benchmarking Question
Gerald, 18k kWh for 12k sq ft works out to 1.5 kWh per square foot monthly, which is actually pretty typical for mixed office/retail. Office space usually runs 1.0-1.8 kWh/sq ft depending on occupancy and equipment loads. The retail component might push it higher if they have significant display lighting or specialized equipment.
Thanks Randy! That's helpful context. The retail portion is about 3,000 sq ft and includes a small restaurant, which probably explains the higher usage. I'll let the client know they're actually in a reasonable range for their building type and use.
Gerald, restaurants definitely drive up the usage significantly. Kitchen equipment, especially if they have electric cooking, can easily account for 30-40% of total building load. Your 1.5 kWh/sq ft is probably spot-on for a mixed-use building with food service. I see similar numbers here in Buffalo for comparable properties.