Peak Demand Bundle

Reduce demand charges by controlling peak kW with operational tactics first—then controls—then hardware if needed.

Run the OperationBundleBundle1 day to 90 days
Disclaimer: Educational only. Demand charges can include ratchets, seasonal rules, and different demand components. Validate against your tariff and (ideally) interval data.

Outcome

By the end of this bundle you will:

  • Estimate savings from reducing peak kW (demand charges)
  • Identify what's likely driving your peak events
  • Implement low-cost peak reduction tactics first
  • Decide whether metering/controls/storage are justified
  • Measure results with a simple before/after plan

Who this is for

  • •Facilities/operations teams — managing energy costs
  • •Energy managers and portfolio ops leaders
  • •Finance teams — seeing rising utility costs driven by demand
  • •Teams adding EV charging or electrification loads

Time to implement

1 day

Set a peak reduction target and identify likely drivers

30 days

Implement tactics and measure impact

90 days

Decide on controls/metering/storage based on measured results

What you'll need

Minimum:

  • •A utility bill that shows demand charges and/or peak kW
  • •Your demand charge rate ($/kW-month), if available

Strongly recommended:

  • •Interval data (15-min/hourly) to see when peaks happen
  • •A shortlist of major loads (HVAC, elevators, EV, process equipment)

Step-by-step sequence

1Confirm demand charges matter (don't skip)

If demand charges are not meaningful, don't waste time here.

Use:

  • • Blended Electricity Rate & Demand Share Calculator (to confirm demand share)
  • • If demand share is high or peak kW is a major bill driver → proceed
Open Blended Electricity Rate & Demand Share Calculator

2Set a rational peak reduction target

Use the Demand Charge Savings Estimator:

  • • pick a reduction target (kW)
  • • quantify monthly and annual savings

Beginner rule: pick a target that's easy to defend operationally (start small, prove it, then scale).

Open Demand Charge Savings Estimator

3Identify peak drivers (best available method)

If you have interval data:

  • • find the top 3 peak days
  • • identify the peak window times
  • • ask: "what was on then?"

If you don't have interval data:

Start with operational hypotheses:

  • • start-up sequencing
  • • HVAC pre-cool/pre-heat patterns
  • • simultaneous equipment starts
  • • EV charging during peak windows

4Implement low-cost tactics first (highest ROI)

Start with operational changes that require little/no capex:

Scheduling and sequencing

  • • stagger equipment start times
  • • avoid overlapping high-load activities
  • • schedule EV charging off-peak (set caps)

HVAC operational tuning

  • • adjust pre-cool/pre-heat timing
  • • reduce simultaneous heating/cooling
  • • validate setpoints and deadbands

Policy controls

  • • peak window rules (simple operating guidance)
  • • notifications to site staff on high-risk days

Guardrail: do not break comfort, safety, or critical uptime.

5Track peak events and measure impact

Use a simple log and verify:

  • • peak kW reduction
  • • demand charge reduction (if you can isolate)
  • • any operational side effects (comfort complaints, downtime)

6Decide whether metering/controls/storage are justified

Only after you've attempted operational tactics:

Metering/controls are justified when:

  • • demand savings potential is material
  • • peak drivers are repeatable and controllable
  • • you have owners who will act on the data
Use the Metering ROI Quick Model for a directional payback view

Storage is justified when:

  • • peaks are difficult to shift operationally
  • • demand charges are large and persistent
  • • site constraints allow it
  • • you can prove the peak pattern with interval data

Included assets

Tools (do the math now)

Demand Charge Savings EstimatorEV Charging Load and Peak Risk Planner(if EV charging exists)Metering ROI Quick Model(if considering metering/controls)

Core resources (how-to)

Peak Demand Management and Load Shifting PlaybookEnergy Tariff and Rate Optimization PlaybookMetering Strategy PlaybookUtility Account Access and Inventory PlaybookOnsite Solar and Storage Feasibility Kit

Templates (copy/paste)

  • • Peak target plan (one page)
  • • Peak event log
  • • Operational tactics checklist
  • • Interval data request email

↓ See templates section below

Templates (copy/paste)

1) Peak Target Plan (one page)

Peak Target Plan

Site:
Current peak kW (baseline period):
Demand rate ($/kW-month):
Target reduction (kW):
Estimated savings ($/month, $/year):

Likely peak drivers:
- 1)
- 2)
- 3)

Tactics we will try first:
- 1)
- 2)
- 3)

Owner:
Start date:
Measurement approach (bill peak vs interval peak):
Guardrails (comfort/safety):

2) Peak Event Log

SitePeak datePeak time windowPeak kWSuspected driverAction takenOwnerResultEvidence link
—————————

3) Operational Tactics Checklist (starter)

Peak Demand Tactics Checklist (starter)

Scheduling
- Stagger major equipment starts
- Avoid simultaneous high-load activities during peak window
- Set EV charging caps or off-peak schedule

HVAC
- Review start/stop schedules
- Adjust pre-cool/pre-heat strategy
- Confirm setpoints and deadbands
- Check for simultaneous heat/cool conflicts

Controls / monitoring
- Confirm who receives peak alerts
- Document peak window rules for site staff
- Request interval data if not available

4) Interval Data Request (copy/paste)

Subject: Request: interval usage data export — Account [#], Period [start–end]

Hello,
Please provide interval usage data for account [#] for period [start–end].
Preferred format: CSV.
Please include:
- interval length (15-min/hourly)
- timestamps
- usage (kWh per interval) and/or demand (kW)

Thanks,
[Name]

Proof and KPIs

  • •Peak kW trend (monthly)
  • •Demand charges trend ($)
  • •# peak events above threshold
  • •Comfort complaints or downtime incidents (guardrails)
  • •Verified savings vs target (directional is fine)

Common pitfalls

  • •Trying to "optimize demand" without knowing peak timing (interval data helps)
  • •Installing hardware before fixing schedules and sequencing
  • •Breaking comfort/operations to chase savings (creates backlash)
  • •No owner for the process (peaks revert)

Next bundles to run

Scope 2 Data to Claims Bundle

If you need clean reporting + defensible claims

Coming soon

Metering ROI Bundle

If you're scaling measurement and controls

Coming soon

Change log

v1.0 (2026-01): Latest release