[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22470-22473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10328]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

U.S. Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Extension

AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: EIA invites public comment on the proposed collection of 
information, Form EIA-871 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption 
Survey (CBECS) as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 
EIA requests a three-year extension, with changes, of CBECS, OMB 
Control Number 1905-0145. This form collects data on energy consumption 
and expenditures and energy-related building characteristics for the 
commercial sector of the national economy.

DATES: EIA must receive all comments on this proposed information 
collection no later than July 16, 2018. If you anticipate any 
difficulties in submitting your comments by the deadline, contact the 
person listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice as soon as 
possible.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments to Joelle Michaels, CBECS Survey Manager, 
EI-22, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20585. Submission by email to [email protected] is 
recommended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you need additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument, send your request to 
Joelle Michaels by phone at (202) 586-8952, or by email to 
[email protected]. Access to the proposed form, instructions, and 
internet data collection screens can be found at: https://www.eia.gov/survey/#eia-871.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains:
    (1) OMB No. 1905-0145;
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Commercial Buildings 
Energy Consumption Survey;
    (3) Type of Request: Renewal with changes;
    (4) Purpose: CBECS is a national multi-stage probability sample 
survey of commercial buildings and the energy suppliers to these 
buildings. The sampling unit is the building. The overall objective of 
CBECS is to collect basic statistical information on energy consumption 
and expenditures in commercial buildings and the energy-related 
characteristics of those buildings. Aggregate energy consumption data 
relating to building characteristics are made available to the public 
in electronic tables and reports at www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial.
    CBECS has been conducted periodically since 1979; the most recent 
data collection cycles were in 2007 and 2012. The 2018 data collection 
cycle will be the 11th iteration for this survey.
    The CBECS is integral to EIA's mandate to collect and publish 
energy end-use consumption data. The collected data constitute the only 
national-level data available on energy consumption in commercial 
buildings that are both comprehensive in nature and statistically 
rigorous. As such, CBECS data constitute the only data series that 
allows policy makers and program implementers in both the public and 
private sectors to keep track of national trends in energy consumption 
for the commercial sector and commercial buildings. CBECS is comprised 
of the following schedules:
     EIA-871A Building Questionnaire
     EIA-871C Natural Gas Usage
     EIA-871D District Heating Usage
     EIA-871E Electricity Usage
     EIA-871F Fuel Oil Usage
     EIA-871I Mall Building Questionnaire
     EIA-871J Mall Establishment Questionnaire
    (4a) Proposed Changes to Information Collection: The current 
design, procedures, and schedules for CBECS reflect a number of changes 
from the 2012 CBECS collection cycle. The proposed changes are listed 
next. References to added questions apply to the 2018 CBECS 
questionnaire numbers and deleted question numbers refer to the 2012 
CBECS.
     The following associated schedules are deleted and will 
not be used: EIA-871B Authorization Form, EIA-871G Worksheet 1: 
Characteristics, Energy Sources, and Equipment, and EIA-871H Worksheet 
2: Energy Amounts Used and Dollars Spent.
     EIA-871B Authorization Form is deleted because EIA can 
collect this information from energy suppliers using its mandatory 
collection authority. Respondents no longer need to complete this form 
and sign it because their energy supplier name will be collected during 
on the questionnaire form and they will be informed that EIA will 
contact the supplier for further information.
     EIA-871G Worksheet 1 is deleted. This worksheet was 
provided as a mechanism for respondents to collect information about 
characteristics of the building prior to the interview. EIA has 
determined that this worksheet was not as useful as anticipated and it 
is not needed.
     EIA-871H Worksheet 2 is deleted. This worksheet was used 
by respondents to report monthly consumption and expenditures for 
electricity and natural gas. Respondents could use the worksheet to 
collect annual data for fuel oil/diesel/kerosene, district steam, 
district hot water, and total water as preparation for the in-person 
interview. The worksheet is no longer necessary because monthly energy 
data will be collected from energy suppliers instead.
     Online data collection is added as a mode of collection. 
Respondents will have the option to complete CBECS using a self-
administered online questionnaire. Interviewer debriefing following the 
2012 CBECS indicated that some respondents preferred a web mode for 
responding to CBECS. EIA estimates that 40% of respondents will choose 
web as their response mode.
     Delete questions A7-A11 from EIA-871A: These questions 
asked respondents if they included parking and common areas in the 
reported square footage. They were meant to improve the accuracy of the 
data reported for square footage but respondents had difficulty 
providing this information and EIA determined that other square footage 
editing procedures added more value than these questions.
     Delete questions A20 and A21 from EIA-871A: Whether the 
glass is equal on all sides of the building and if not, whether the 
sides receiving direct sunlight have more or less glass than the

[[Page 22471]]

other sides, have been deleted for concerns about data quality.
     Revise question A11 in EIA-871A, question A11 in EIA-871I: 
The question about whether there is a ``cool roof'' was expanded to ask 
which, if any, properties the roof has that allow it to reflect more 
sunlight or absorb less heat than a standard roof, such as a white or 
highly reflective coating or paint or a vegetative roof. This change 
was made following discussions with stakeholders.
     Delete question B12 from EIA-871A: Type of retail store 
question collected detail about whether the retail store was apparel 
specialty, drug store, home center, etc. There were not enough 
responses across the categories to publish the data, so it did not add 
any value.
     Delete questions B31-B33 from EIA-871A: If any office 
space, presence and location of open plan office space have been 
deleted for concerns about data quality.
     Add questions B42 and B43 to EIA-871A, questions B2 and B3 
to EIA-871I: For buildings that are on a multi-building campus/complex, 
these two questions were added to collect the number of buildings on 
the campus/complex and the name of the campus/complex. They will help 
EIA with data editing.
     Add question C9 to EIA-871A: For buildings that report 
more than one business or organization in the building, this question 
was added to collect the number tenants that lease space in the 
building. This is part of the effort to scope the ability to collect 
data for a future tenant data collection.
     Delete questions C22 and C23 from EIA-871A: Annual number 
of events for public assembly buildings, annual meals served for 
restaurants. These questions had high item nonresponse rates as many of 
the respondents did not have that information available.
     Delete questions C24, C25, C32, and C33 from EIA-871A and 
C6, C7, C14, and C15 from EIA-871J: Seasonal use and ``high season'' 
questions. These questions were meant to make answering questions about 
operation hours easier for respondents at buildings that were used more 
in certain months (e.g., summertime), but data review indicated that 
the questions added confusion and were not helpful.
     Delete question C36 from EIA-871A: The question about 
whether fire station personnel are career or volunteer has been 
deleted. This was added to the 2012 CBECS in response to a stakeholder 
request, but too few fire stations and police stations appeared at 
random in the sample, so the two building activities were combined in 
the published data tables and the public microdata.
     Add question D17 to EIA-871A, question D17 to EIA-871I, 
question D17 to EIA-871J: If solar as an energy source is reported to 
be used in the building, this follow- up question is asked to determine 
whether the building has solar panels for generating electricity and/or 
solar thermal energy. As a growing number of commercial buildings are 
using solar, it has become more important to collect information on the 
specific technology used.
     Revise EIA-871A questions D25-D90, EIA-871I questions D23-
D79, EIA-871J questions D21-D74: The questions on space heating 
source(s) and the equipment section of the questionnaire were revised. 
Instead of asking what energy source(s) were used for heating and then 
asking what types of equipment, EIA will link the equipment type to 
each reported energy source that is used for heating. Equipment type 
response choices will be specific to the selected energy source(s), 
which should make it easier for respondents to report equipment type 
and fuel use in their buildings. This information is useful for data 
users to know which source powers each equipment.
     Revise EIA-871A questions D91-D117, EIA-871I questions 
D80-D104, EIA-871J questions D75-D95: The cooling source(s) and 
equipment section of the questionnaire has also been revised. Similar 
to space heating, EIA will link the equipment type to each energy 
source reported to be used for cooling.
     Delete question D25 from EIA-871A, D29 from question EIA-
871I, and question D27 from EIA-871J: The type of furnace (packaged 
central, split system, duct furnace, individual) has been deleted for 
concerns about data quality.
     Delete questions D36, D37, and D52 from EIA-871A; D40, 
D41, and D56 from EIA-871I; and D38, D39, and D50 from EIA-871J: The 
type of packaged heating/cooling (unitary, custom built-up) and 
packaged heating components (furnace, heat pump, heating coil, powered 
induction unit, duct reheat) questions have been deleted for concerns 
about data quality.
     Delete questions D38 and D57 from EIA-871A; D42 and D61 
from EIA-871I; and D40 and D55 from EIA-871J: The heat pump heating/
cooling system type (packaged, split, individual, ductless mini-split, 
variable refrigerant flow) questions have been deleted for concerns 
about data quality.
     Delete question D41 from EIA-871A; D45 from EIA-871I; and 
D43 from EIA-871J: The type of individual heater (infrared radiant, 
baseboard, portable heater, wall heater, individual furnace, unit 
heater, heating element in PTAC (Packaged Thermal Air Conditioner) 
questions has been deleted for concerns about data quality.
     Delete question D54 from EIA-871A; D58 from EIA-871I; and 
D52 from EIA-871J: Whether the absorption chiller has the capability to 
act as a heater chiller has been deleted for concerns about data 
quality.
     Delete questions D43, D44, D61, D62, and D62a from EIA-
871A; D47, D48, D65, D66, and D66a from EIA-871I; and D45, D46, D59, 
D60, and D60a from EIA-871J: Heating/cooling ventilation equipment (CAV 
(Constant Air Volume), VAV (Variable Air Volume), underfloor 
distribution, dedicated outside air system, demand-controlled 
ventilation), however some of these response options have been 
incorporated into the new question D125 about airflow control, 
described below.
     Add follow-up question D119 to EIA-871A, question D107 to 
EIA-871I, question D98 to EIA-871J: For buildings that report using 
building automation systems (also referred to as BAS), this question 
will collect information on which systems (heating, cooling, and/or 
lighting) the BAS controls.
     Add question D120 to EIA-871A, question D108 to EIA-871I, 
D99 to EIA-871J: For buildings without BAS systems, a new question asks 
whether ``smart'' or internet-connected thermostats are used. These 
types of thermostats are new since the last CBECS was conducted, and 
may be more common in small commercial buildings.
     Add question D125 to EIA-871A, question D113 to EIA-871I, 
question D104 to EIA-871J: This question will collect information about 
airflow control in the building: whether the building has a variable 
air volume (VAV) system, a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS), or 
demand controlled ventilation (DCV). This modified version of the 
deleted ventilation question came from comments and discussion with 
stakeholders.
     Add question D141 to EIA-871A, question D128 to EIA-871I, 
question D119 to EIA-871J: A question about energy sources by 
generation technology (if not solar panels or wind turbines) will link 
the energy source used with these generation technologies reported to 
be used: reciprocating engine generators, fuel cells, large turbines, 
or microturbines.
     Delete questions D94, D95, and D96 from EIA-871A and D85, 
D86, and D87

[[Page 22472]]

from EIA-871J: How electricity and natural gas are purchased (local 
utility, independent power producer, non-local utility, broker).
     Add question D144 to EIA-871A, question D131 to EIA-871I: 
Ask all buildings that use electricity whether there are there any 
electric vehicle charging stations associated with the building. 
Stakeholders have expressed an interest in this information and this 
end use is expected to grow.
     Add question D145 to EIA-871A, question D122 to EIA-871J: 
For dry cleaner/laundromats that use natural gas, ask whether there are 
clothes dryers that run on natural gas. This will improve end use 
estimation in these types of buildings.
     Delete question D103 from EIA-871A, question D91 from EIA-
871I, question D88 from EIA-871J: The question asking whether the 
building has advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) was deleted for 
data quality concerns.
     Delete questions E11, E12, and E13 from EIA-871A: The 
question collecting whether or not there was space use in fire stations 
for non-fire station activities or for living quarters has been 
deleted.
     Delete questions E49 and E50 from EIA-871A and E32 and E33 
from EIA-871J: Questions about flat screen monitors (both their 
presence and prevalence) have been removed since they are now the 
leading type of monitor used with desktop computers.
     Delete question E60 from EIA-871A: The square footage of 
trading floors will no longer be collected because it was not publicly 
reportable due to confidentiality concerns.
     Add question E73 to EIA-871A: This question is a follow-up 
to one that asks whether there is parking area associated with the 
building that is lighted through fixtures powered through the 
building's electrical service. This new question asks whether that 
parking area is part of building, such as an indoor parking level, or 
separate, such as an outdoor parking lot or garage. This will help data 
users to understand whether indoor parking is included as part of the 
building figures.
     Revise EIA-871A questions E41-E61, EIA-871J questions E27-
E47: The series of questions on computing and office equipment have 
been revised following review of the 2012 data and discussions with 
stakeholders. A select all that apply question about computing 
equipment replaces individual questions about whether there are 
computers, laptops, and servers. An option for tablets has been added 
to the list of computing types. If selected, a new question will 
collect the number of tablets that are charged in the building. 
Respondents will be given the option to provide number of server racks 
if that figure is more readily available to them than the number of 
servers. When a respondent indicates that a data center is present in 
the building, a new question will ask about characteristics of the data 
center (such as a raised floor, separate cooling system and 
uninterruptible power supply) in order to help identify false positives 
and improve data quality. On the office equipment question, instead of 
asking about separate printers, copiers, and FAX machines, EIA will 
differentiate between large stand-alone office devices and smaller 
desktop devices, and collect the numbers of each type.
     Add questions F2, F11, G3, and G10 to EIA-871A, questions 
F2, F12, G4, and G11 to EIA-871J: These questions ask respondents 
whether they prefer to report electricity and/or natural gas 
consumption data on an annual or a monthly basis, and if they choose 
monthly then they are provided a grid to provide the monthly data. EIA 
expects most respondents will choose to report the single annual 
figure, but is allowing both for flexibility.
     Add questions F4, F6, and F7 to EIA-871A, questions F5, 
F7, and F8 to EIA-871J: For buildings that reported having on-site 
electricity generation, these questions are used to determine whether 
they can report the purchased and the generated electricity separately, 
and if so, to collect the purchased amount of electricity separately. 
Stakeholders have expressed interest in this information.
     Add questions K2-K11 to EIA-871A: These questions will be 
used to scope the ability to collect data for a future tenant data 
collection, as set forth by the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 
2015, which requires EIA to collect data to support a future 
Environmental Protection Agency program to promote energy efficiency in 
separate tenant spaces, similar to the current ENERGY STAR program. 
These questions ask about electricity and natural gas billing 
arrangements and metering, which electricity uses are metered, and who 
has access to the metered electricity and natural data.
     Delete questions K1-K20 from EIA-871A and K1-K14 from EIA-
871J: Water usage and other water-related questions that were included 
in the 2007 and 2012 CBECS will be removed. EIA found the response 
rates for these data items were very low and much of the data received 
was of low quality. Additionally, EIA has no mandate to pursue usage 
data from water suppliers as well as insufficient funding to address 
data deficiencies.
     Delete questions L14, L15, and L16 from EIA-871A and L2, 
L3, and L4 from EIA-871I: Questions about whether the building has any 
green certification, such as Energy Star or LEED, have been deleted. A 
thorough analysis of the performance of this question was conducted by 
comparing 2012 CBECS responses to databases of Energy Star and LEED 
certified buildings. This analysis indicated significant data quality 
issues with the CBECS reports for this question. Furthermore, due to 
confidentiality concerns and low sample sizes, the green building 
certification data from the 2012 CBECS could not be published.
     Deletion of many questionnaire edits (in EIA-871A, EIA-
871I, and EIA-871J) will reduce the number of times an interview is 
interrupted to question or confirm a data item.
     The Additional Questions sections of EIA-871C-F are 
deleted. These sections contained from two to seven questions depending 
on the form:
     Questions 1 through 5 on the second page of EIA-871C 
Natural Gas Usage Form questions are deleted: (1) What charges were 
excluded from the total costs, (2) whether the responses included all 
active accounts during the reporting period, (3) whether the reported 
information included deliveries or sales to any buildings or units 
other than the building, (4) the account classification (commercial, 
residential, industrial), and (5) whether the building was eligible to 
participate in a ``customer choice'' program.
     Questions 1 through 6 on the second page of EIA-871D 
District Energy Usage Form questions are deleted: (1) Whether the 
building is billed for the district steam or hot water piped into it, 
(2) whether the building itself is a heating plant, (3) whether the 
reported information included deliveries or sales to any buildings or 
units other than the building, (4) if yes to previous, the percent of 
reported consumption consumed by the building, (5) the square footage 
of the building, and (6) the square footage of all the buildings on the 
district loop.
     Questions 1 through 7 on the second and third pages of 
EIA-871E Electricity Usage Form questions are deleted: (1) What charges 
were excluded from the total costs, (2) whether the responses included 
all active accounts during the reporting period, (3) whether the 
reported information included deliveries or sales to any buildings or 
units other than the building, (4) the account classification 
(commercial, residential, industrial), (5) whether the

[[Page 22473]]

building has an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI or smart 
metering), (6) whether the building was eligible to participate in a 
``customer choice'' program, and (7) whether the building participated 
in any dynamic pricing programs.
     Questions 1 and 2 on the second page of EIA-871F Heating 
Oil Form questions are being deleted: (1) Whether the responses 
included all accounts during the reporting period and (2) whether the 
reported information included deliveries or sales to any buildings or 
units other than the building.
     EIA will not ask the building respondents to provide 
monthly energy data, as these records are more easily accessed through 
energy suppliers. The Energy Suppliers Survey (Forms EIA-871C-F, as 
applicable to each building depending on which energy source or sources 
are used in the building) will be used for almost all buildings, 
instead of the previous methodology where only those buildings where 
the building respondent was not able to provide valid data were 
included in the supplier data collection. The building and 
establishment respondents reporting on Forms EIA-871A and EIA-871J will 
still be asked to provide annual energy data because EIA has found that 
there are situations where those respondents are better suited to 
provide data that corresponds correctly to the sampled CBECS structure. 
This reporting structure should provide the highest quality data while 
allocating the burden appropriately across survey respondents.
    (5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,380;
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 2,380;
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 2,611;
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: The 
cost of the burden hours is estimated to be $197,627 (2,611 burden 
hours times $75.69 per hour). EIA estimates that respondents will have 
no additional costs associated with the surveys other than burden 
hours.
    Comments are invited on whether or not: (a) The proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of agency 
functions, including whether the information will have a practical 
utility; (b) EIA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used, is accurate; (c) EIA can improve the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information it will collect; and (d) EIA can minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, such as 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

    Statutory Authority: Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-275, codified as 15 U.S.C. 
772(b) and the DOE Organization Act of 1977, Pub. L. 95-91, codified 
at 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 9th, 2018.
Nanda Srinivasan,
Director, Office of Survey Development and Statistical Integration, 
U.S. Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-10328 Filed 5-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P