Energy state in Lebanon in particular Beirut:

Following the local problems that started in Lebanon in 1975, the electricity sector suffered serious
damages and continuous energy shortage. The building sector remains the largest consun1er of energy
in Lebanon, and the need to rationalize energy consumption in buildings is vital. Energy use for artificial
lighting, cooling and heating in offices can account for up to half their primary energy use.

The Figure below illustrates the development of the distribution of electrical energy per sector in Beirut
in 1974, before the war, and in 1993, after the war. It should be noted that the building sector in Beirut
has always consumed the highest percentage of total energy used in the city. This percentage has grown
23% during nineteen years, an annual increase of 1.2%. The building sector in Beirut, consumed 70% of
the supplied energy. The reason for this high percentage is that Beirut no longer depends on industry as
it did before. (25% in 1974). This city relies mainly on business and service provision. The other reason is
the growth in population (32% of the total), which naturally has increased residential energy use.

Distribution of Electricity consumption per sector in Beirut

In 1996, The Central Administration of Statistics surveyed all buildings of Beirut. From their data
published in September 1996, the total area occupied by establishments considered as offices was
736,923 m2. According to the Order of Architects and Engineers (2004) the area occupied by offices has
increased by 300% (office buildings area = 958,000 m2) in Beirut during the last ten years, because of
the high level of commercial investments there. As has been mentioned previously, the annual
consumption in Lebanon in 2002 was 8591GWh, with consumption in Beirut 40% of the total. Thus the
annual consumption of Beirut in 2002 was 3310GWh. The collected empirical data for office buildings in
Beirut showed that the consumption of an office is 180 kWhlm2/year. Therefore office buildings in
Beirut took 7.5% of Beirut's energy consumption, and 1.6% of the national consumption. It is of note
that in 1995, 50.1 % of the residential units in Beirut were multiuse, i.e. providing both residential and
office space (Central Administration of Statistics, 1996).