Commercial Electricity for Apartment Communities in Texas
What a Texas apartment community pays for its owner-metered common areas - parking and exterior lighting, the clubhouse, and the pool - plus how to lower the bill.
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Texas has over 6,000 apartment community operators with employees, and this guide covers the owner-paid common-area electricity - not residents' in-unit bills, which are separately metered. That common-area load is led by exterior and parking lighting, the clubhouse, and amenities like the pool. Below is what it costs. See related guides for self-storage and laundromats, or browse all commercial electricity guides by business type.
Key Takeaways
- Owner-paid common-area electricity for a mid-size community runs about 5,000–15,000 kWh a month (roughly $420–$1,250 at ~8.3¢/kWh).
- This is common areas only - residents' in-unit power is separately metered and paid by tenants.
- Exterior/parking lighting and clubhouse HVAC lead, with the pool a big seasonal load.
- Communities with elevators and extensive amenities use more.
- LED site lighting, pool-pump controls, and a competitive fixed rate are the biggest levers.
Apartment Common-Area Power, by the Numbers
Figures are for owner-paid common areas only; residents' in-unit electricity is separately metered. See methodology below.
What an Apartment Community's Common Areas Cost
For a property manager, the electric bill that matters is the common-area (house) meter: parking and walkway lighting, the leasing office and clubhouse, the pool, laundry rooms, and any elevators. Residents pay their own in-unit power separately, so this guide focuses on the owner-paid load.
Estimated common-area usage & bill by community size
| Community size | Units | Monthly usage | Est. monthly bill* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small community | under 50 units | 3,000–7,000 kWh | $250–$580 |
| Mid-size community | ~150 units | 5,000–15,000 kWh | $420–$1,250 |
| Large community | 300+ units | 15,000–40,000+ kWh | $1,250–$3,300+ |
*Owner-paid common-area electricity at Texas's ~8.3¢/kWh average commercial rate. Communities with elevators, extensive amenities, or many pools land higher.
How does the Texas commercial rate compare?
Texas businesses pay an average of about 8.3¢ per kWh - roughly 38% below the U.S. commercial average of ~13.5¢. Because Texas is deregulated, you can shop the supply portion of your bill across 30+ retail providers and lock in a fixed rate - compare current commercial electricity rates.
Lighting, Amenities, and the Pool
Common-area electricity is dominated by lighting the site around the clock and running shared amenities, with the clubhouse and pool as major contributors.
| Equipment | Why it draws power | Approx. share of the common-area bill |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior & parking lighting | Walkways, lots, and building exteriors all night | 25–35% |
| Clubhouse & leasing-office HVAC | Cooling shared indoor spaces | 20–30% |
| Pool & amenities | Pool pumps, fitness room, gates | 15–25% |
| Corridor & common lighting | Hallways, stairwells, and laundry rooms | 10–15% |
| Elevators & other | Elevators, signage, and controls | 8–12% |
Shares are illustrative; garden-style communities lean on exterior lighting and pools, mid-rises on corridor lighting and elevators.
Where a Property's Demand Peak Forms
Most of your bill is energy — the total kilowatt-hours (kWh) you use over the month. But many commercial accounts also carry a demand charge, billed on your single highest peak of power draw, measured in kilowatts (kW), usually over a 15-minute interval. It doesn't matter only how much electricity you use, but how fast you use it at your busiest moment.
How to keep demand charges down
- Put site lighting on photocells and LED so it isn't over-lit or on early.
- Use a variable-speed pool pump and run it off-peak.
- Schedule clubhouse HVAC to actual use.
- Watch the common-area interval data to find the monthly peak.
Demand Response for Apartment Communities
Demand response is a program where businesses agree to reduce their electricity use for short windows when the Texas grid (ERCOT) is under strain — typically late afternoons on the hottest summer days. In exchange, participating businesses earn payments or bill credits.
Where Property Managers Cut Common-Area Costs
- Lock in a fixed commercial rate. Comparing 30+ Texas providers at the right time is usually the biggest single lever for the house meter.
- LED all site and common lighting. Exterior, parking, and corridor LED with photocells cut an all-night load.
- Add a variable-speed pool pump. VS pumps use a fraction of the energy of single-speed pumps.
- Right-size and schedule clubhouse HVAC. Condition amenity spaces to actual use.
- Maintain amenities. Efficient equipment in fitness rooms and laundry trims steady cost.
- Review demand and interval data. Knowing your common-area peak kW shows whether a different rate structure would save money.
Related Commercial Electricity Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much electricity does an apartment community's common areas use in Texas?
Owner-paid common-area electricity for a mid-size Texas community runs about 5,000 to 15,000 kWh per month, or roughly $420 to $1,250 at the state's average commercial rate of about 8.3¢ per kWh. This is common areas only - residents' in-unit power is separately metered.
What uses the most electricity in apartment common areas?
Exterior and parking lighting that runs all night, clubhouse and leasing-office HVAC, and pool pumps and amenities lead the common-area (house-meter) bill, followed by corridor lighting and elevators.
What is the average commercial electricity rate in Texas?
Texas businesses pay an average of about 8.3¢ per kWh as of 2026, roughly 38% below the U.S. commercial average of about 13.5¢. Your actual rate depends on your ZIP code, utility (TDU), usage, and when you sign your contract.
How can a property manager lower common-area electricity costs?
LED all site and common-area lighting with photocells, install a variable-speed pool pump and run it off-peak, right-size and schedule clubhouse HVAC, and lock in a competitive fixed rate on the house meter.
Do apartment communities pay demand charges on common areas?
Larger communities can. On a hot evening, site lighting, clubhouse HVAC, pool pumps, and elevators can peak together on the common-area meter, and a demand charge bills that peak across the month.
What is demand response and can a property earn from it?
Demand response pays businesses to reduce use during short summer grid-peak windows. Residents are unaffected, but a community can ease clubhouse HVAC, dim non-essential site lighting, and pause pool pumps during a peak window in exchange for bill credits on the common-area meter.
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Get a Free Quote Call 866-284-9272Methodology & Sources
Business count: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 - 6,074 lessors of residential buildings and dwellings with employees (NAICS 531110) in Texas. Average commercial rate: EIA / state commercial averages (Texas ~8.3¢/kWh; U.S. ~13.5¢/kWh, 2026). Figures cover owner-paid common-area (house-meter) electricity only; residents' in-unit electricity is separately metered and excluded. Usage and the energy-user split are estimates that vary by community size and amenities. Bills exclude taxes, fees, and account-specific demand charges.
