Abstract: Given that construction activities consume large amounts of energy, quantitatively assessing the construction sector's energy consumption and analyzing its influencing factors are helpful for promoting energy saving and emission reduction in construction. This paper quantified the Chinese construction sector's energy consumption using an input-output life-cycle assessment model, and conducted a sensitivity analysis for energy consumption with respect to the changes in linkages between sectors, sector energy intensity and scale of construction. Technical responsibility coefficients and structural responsibility coefficients were defined to examine the related responsibility of given sectors on reducing the construction sector's energy consumption. The results showed that the Chinese construction sector's energy consumption in 2010 was 1.07×10⁹ tons standard coal. The smelting and pressing of ferrous metals sector (0.4898) had the highest technical responsibility, followed by the manufacture of non-metallic mineral products (0.4798). Except construction, the sectors of manufacture of non-metallic mineral products (0.2764) and smelting and pressing of ferrous metals (0.2460) shared the top structural responsibilities. The energy consumption was most sensitive to the change of energy intensity of the smelting and pressing of ferrous metals sector (0.4898) and the manufacture of non-metallic mineral products (0.4798). Suggestions to promote energy saving in energy-intensive material production, to strengthen the scientific management of construction activities, to promote the application of high performance and low embodied energy materials, to improve the level of infrastructure construction and to deepen the housing market reform are proposed to reduce the construction sector's energy consumption.