The following table details the top 10 commercial building types in San Diego County, along with typical operating profiles.
Top 10 Commercial Building Types in San Diego County
| Rank | Building Type | Occupied Hours (Normal “Open” Hours) | HVAC System Runtime (Fan “On” Hours/Year) | Lighting Burn Hours (Total On-Time/Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Large Office (>50k sf) | 2,800 - 3,000 (M-F 7am-6pm + Sat AM) | 3,200 - 3,500 (Occupied + Startup/Purge) | 3,200 - 3,800 (Cleaning crew + Security) |
| 2 | Small Office (<50k sf) | 2,500 - 2,800 (M-F 8am-5pm) | 2,600 - 2,900 (Matches occupancy closely) | 2,600 - 2,800 (Little after-hours use) |
| 3 | Retail (General/Strip Mall) | 3,500 - 4,200 (10am-9pm Daily) | 4,000 - 4,500 (On during stocking/prep) | 4,200 - 4,800 (Display lights + longer prep) |
| 4 | Grocery / Supermarket | 5,500 - 6,500 (6am-11pm Daily) | 8,760 (Continuous) (Humidity/Temp control for food) | 6,000 - 8,760 (Some dimming, but mostly on) |
| 5 | Restaurant (Sit-Down) | 3,600 - 4,500 (11am-10pm Daily) | 4,500 - 5,000 (Kitchen prep starts early) | 4,500 - 5,200 (Prep time + cleanup) |
| 6 | Restaurant (Fast Food) | 5,500 - 6,500 (6am-Midnight Daily) | 6,000 - 7,000 (Heavy cooling load for kitchen) | 6,000 - 7,000 (Matches kitchen ops) |
| 7 | Warehouse (Non-Refrig.) | 2,200 - 3,000 (Single Shift M-F) | 1,500 - 2,500 (Often heat-only or minimal cooling) | 2,500 - 3,500 (Often relied on skylights in SD) |
| 8 | School (Primary/Secondary) | 1,800 - 2,200 (M-F 7am-4pm, 9-10 mos) | 2,000 - 2,400 (Strictly scheduled by BMS) | 2,000 - 2,500 (Custodian time included) |
| 9 | Hotel (Full Service) | 8,760 (24/7) (Always Occupied) | 8,760 (Continuous) (Guest rooms cycle, Lobby is 24/7) | 8,760 (Common Areas) (Hallways/Lobbies always on) |
| 10 | Hospital / Medical Office | 8,760 (Hospital) 3,000 (Med Office) | 8,760 (Hospital) 3,200 (Med Office) | 8,760 (Hospital) 3,500 (Med Office) |
Definitions & San Diego Specifics
- Occupied Hours: The typical hours customers or employees are physically present.
- HVAC System Runtime (Fan Hours): This represents the number of hours the system fans are moving air. In San Diego’s mild Climate Zone 7, the "Cooling Load Hours" (when the compressor is actually freezing air) are much lower than the Fan Hours—typically only 800–1,200 hours/year for offices—because the fans often run in “Economizer Mode,” using cool outside air to condition the building without mechanical cooling.
- Lighting Burn Hours: This accounts for “burn time” including before/after hours cleaning, security patrols, and restocking. California’s energy code (Title 24) is strict; most of these buildings will have occupancy sensors that auto-off lights, keeping these numbers tighter to occupied hours than in other states.
Sources:
- California Energy Commission (CEC) Non-residential Alternative Calculation Method (ACM) Reference Manual (Appendix 5.4B).
- Database for Energy Efficient Resources (DEER) - 2024 Prototypes for Climate Zone 7.
- SDG&E Commercial Lighting Occupancy Studies.
- Note on Climate Zone: San Diego County consists largely of California Climate Zone 7 (Coastal/Central San Diego) and Climate Zone 10 (Inland East County). The values below are weighted toward Zone 7 (Coastal), which represents the majority of the commercial building stock. For Inland (Zone 10) locations, cooling hours will be approximately 20-30% higher.