Feb. 12, 2015: Energy Consumption by US Government at Lowest Level Since 1975
Energy Consumed in Federal Government Facilities Has Generally Been Declining Over the Past Four Decades
WASHINGTON — The U.S. federal government is one of the largest energy consumers in the world, but that consumption is declining. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) shows total delivered-to-site energy use by the federal government fell to 0.96 quadrillion Btu in fiscal year (FY) 2013, the lowest recorded level since 1975, the earliest year for which data are available.
Energy consumed in federal government facilities has generally been declining over the past four decades. The reduction is due to both the total square footage occupied by the federal government, which continues to fall from its peak in FY 1987, and from the energy consumed per square foot inside federal buildings, which has been declining since FY 1975.