Many of the green rating systems and standards in North America include requirements to maximize energy efficiency and reduce building energy consumption. Recently, they have included some new requirements to maximize efficiency in electricity production and distribution and increase the reliability of the power grid through requirements for peak load reduction. This paper is part of an ongoing initiative to set energy conservation requirements that are achievable, reliable, and promote resiliency in new developments. It addresses a number of questions: What is the relationship between energy consumption savings and peak load savings? Can energy consumption savings contradict peak load savings? How far can peak load savings be achieved for different building types and what type of energy end-uses contribute most to peak load? To answer these questions, this paper analyzes available data collected from the energy model reports of mid- to high-rise buildings that were submitted to the City of Toronto. A total of 60 buildings (1,782,263.6 m2 gross floor area) were assessed, and a number of observations were made from analyzing this data. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations that need to be considered in future energy conservation targets and performance requirements.
