About the Data - RESIDENTIAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION SURVEY(RECS)

Two sets of detailed data tables are available. One set describes Housing Characteristics of U.S. housing units and the other set describes the Energy Consumption and Expenditures of those housing units.

Organization of the Housing Characteristics Tables

These tables are organized into 7 Topical groups. For each topical group they are further organized into 11 Table Headings. Each table is available by Counts of Housing Units or Percent of Housing Units.

Housing Characteristics Topical Groups

Housing Unit Characteristics—Location, type, ownership, age, size, square footage, and year of construction.

Household Characteristics—Household demographic and income characteristics.

Space Heating—Types of heating fuel and equipment used for main and secondary space heating purposes.

Air-Conditioning—Selected household characteristics, including type of equipment, location, number of rooms cooled, and usage.

Usage Indicators—The usage of heading and cooling equipment, including thermostat settings at various times of the day, equipment using hot water, and other appliances.

Home Office Equipment—Presence of office equipment and types in the households.

Housing Characteristics Table Headings

Climate Zone—Each of the five main U.S. Climate Zones, which are climatically distinct areas determined according to the 30-year average of the annual heating and cooling degree-days.

Year of Construction—Units constricted before 1939, each decade through 1999, and 2000-2001.

Type of Housing Unit—Four main types of housing units: single-family units, 2-to-4 units multi-family buildings, 5-or-more units multi-family buildings, and mobile homes.

Type of Owner-Occupied Housing Unit—Type of housing units for owner-occupied units.

Four Most-Populated States—Four most populated States: New York, Florida, Texas, and California.

Urban/Rural Locations—Housing units in cities, towns, suburbs, and rural locations as characterized by the respondent in the household interview.

U.S. Census Regions and Divisions-Northeast—The Northeast Census Region and the two Census Divisions within that region.

U.S. Census Regions and Divisions-Midwest—The Midwest Census Region and the two Census Divisions within that region.

U.S. Census Regions and Divisions-South—The South Census Region and the three Census Divisions within that region.

U.S. Census Regions and Divisions-West—The West Census Region and the two Census Divisions within that region.

U.S. Census Regions— The four regions that comprise the entire U.S.

Organization of the Consumption and Expenditures Tables

These tables are organized into 5 Topical groups. For each topical group they are further organized into 13 Table Headings. Each table is available by Consumption data or Expenditures data.

Consumption and Expenditures Topical Groups

Total Energy—Total and per-household consumption of major fuels, by Btu and physical units, and end use. Expenditures data include total and per-household expenditures for each major fuel, the cost of each of the major fuels per million Btu and physical units, and the total and per-household expenditures by end-use.

Space Heating—Total and per-household consumption of major fuels for space heating by Btu and physical units. Expenditures data include total and per-household expenditures for each major fuel used for space heating. Also presented are heating degree days and heated square footage data, both determinants of consumption and expenditures.

Electric Air-Conditioning—total and per-household electric air-conditioning consumption by KWh and Btu. Expenditures data include total and per-household expenditures. Cooling degree-days and cooled square footage data, both determinants of air-conditioning electric consumption and expenditures are included.

Water Heating—Total and per-household consumption of major fuels for water heating by Btu and physical units. Expenditures data include total and per-household expenditures for each major fuel used.

Appliances—Total and per-household consumption of electricity for refrigerators and lighting, and major fuels for all other appliances by Btu and physical units. Expenditures data include total and per-household expenditures.

Consumption and Expenditures Table Headings

Climate Zone—Each of the five main U.S. Climate Zones, which are climatically distant areas determined according to the 30-year average of the annual heating and cooling degree-days.

Year of Construction—Units constricted before 1939, each decade through 1999, and 2000-2001.

Type of Housing Unit— Four main types of housing units: single-family units, 2-to-4 units multi-family buildings, 5-or-more units multi-family buildings, and mobile homes.

Household Member and Demographics—Total, per-household, and per-member consumption and expenditures by household size, household income, and demographic characteristics of the householder.

Square Feet and Household Demographics—Total, per-household, and per-square feet consumption and expenditures by household size, household income, and demographic characteristics of the householder.

Household Member and Usage Indicators—Total, per-household, and per-member consumption and expenditures by indicators that affect energy consumption and expenditures.

Square Feet and Usage Indicators—Total, per-household, and per-square feet consumption and expenditures by indicators that affect energy consumption and expenditures.