Glossary

The method in which suppliers of electricity, natural gas, or fuel oil classify and bill their customers. Commonly used account classifications are "Commercial," "Industrial," and "Residential." Suppliers' definitions of these terms vary from supplier to supplier and from the definitions used in CBECSThe Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) is a national sample survey that collects information on the stock of U.S. commercial buildings, their energy-related building characteristics, and their energy consumption and expenditures. Commercial buildings include all buildings in which at least half of the floorspace is used for a purpose that is not residential, industrial, or agricultural, so they include building types that might not traditionally be considered "commercial," such as schools, correctional institutions, and buildings used for religious worship. CBECS data is used in LEED energy credits.. In addition, the same customer may be classified differently by each of its energy suppliers.