About
Edo (Energy and Demand Optimization) is an AI-driven platform launched in 2021 that bridges commercial buildings and electric utilities to create a more flexible, reliable, and decarbonized energy grid. Born from a collaboration between McKinstry and Avista, Edo aggregates commercial buildings—office towers, schools, hospitals, and municipal facilities—into virtual power plants (VPPs) by connecting distributed energy resources such as HVAC systems, lighting, solar panels, battery storage, and EV chargers. For utilities, Edo provides scalable demand flexibility programs that reduce peak load, defer costly infrastructure investments, and support grid resilience without building new generation capacity. For facility teams, Edo delivers AI-powered automation that cuts energy consumption, lowers operating costs, and ensures occupant comfort—all while working seamlessly with existing building systems. The platform's real-time optimization engine adjusts energy use dynamically to support grid stability, and has demonstrated peak demand reductions of up to 15%. With more than 7,125 buildings, 9,419 utility meters, and 291 million square feet under management, Edo has already helped reduce over 64 million pounds of CO2e. It serves diverse sectors including office buildings, education, healthcare, and municipalities, making it a comprehensive solution for organizations pursuing both operational savings and sustainability goals.
Key Features
- Virtual Power Plant Aggregation: Aggregates commercial buildings and distributed energy resources—solar, batteries, HVAC, EV charging—into coordinated virtual power plants that deliver flexible capacity to utilities.
- AI-Powered Energy Optimization: Machine learning automation continuously optimizes building energy use, reducing manual work and cutting peak demand by up to 15% without sacrificing occupant comfort.
- Real-Time Demand Flexibility: Adjusts energy consumption across connected systems in real time to respond to grid signals, supporting reliability during peak periods and emergencies.
- Multi-System Integration: Works with existing HVAC, lighting, solar, battery storage, and EV charging infrastructure—no full system replacement required.
- Utility Program Design & Scaling: Partners directly with utilities to design, deploy, and scale demand flexibility programs that defer infrastructure investment and meet decarbonization targets.
Use Cases
- A regional electric utility deploys Edo to aggregate hundreds of commercial buildings into a virtual power plant, reducing peak grid demand and deferring $50M in substation upgrades.
- A large office building operator uses Edo to optimize HVAC and lighting schedules, cutting energy costs and achieving compliance with local building performance standards.
- A hospital system integrates Edo to balance reliability with efficiency—optimizing non-critical systems during grid stress events while maintaining patient safety and comfort.
- A school district partners with Edo to coordinate HVAC and lighting across multiple campuses, delivering measurable grid flexibility and lowering utility bills.
- A municipality enrolls its public facilities in an Edo-powered demand response program, earning grid service revenues and advancing community sustainability and resilience goals.
Pros
- Integrates with Existing Systems: Edo works with a building's current HVAC, lighting, and energy assets, minimizing capital expenditure and accelerating deployment.
- Proven Large-Scale Results: Manages 7,125+ buildings and 291 million sq. ft., with demonstrated peak demand reductions of up to 15% and measurable carbon emissions savings.
- Dual-Sided Value: Simultaneously benefits utilities (grid flexibility, deferred infrastructure costs) and building operators (lower energy bills, improved comfort, code compliance).
Cons
- Enterprise and Utility Focus: Edo is designed for commercial buildings and utility partners, making it inaccessible to small businesses or residential users.
- Requires Utility Partnership: The full demand flexibility value proposition depends on a coordinated utility relationship, which may not be available in all regions or markets.
- Limited Public Pricing Transparency: As an enterprise B2B platform, pricing and onboarding details are not publicly disclosed and require direct engagement with Edo's team.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a virtual power plant (VPP) and how does Edo create one?
A virtual power plant aggregates distributed energy resources—like commercial building HVAC systems, solar panels, batteries, and EV chargers—and coordinates them to act as a single flexible grid resource. Edo's platform connects and orchestrates these assets across many buildings to deliver demand flexibility to utilities on demand.
What types of buildings does Edo work with?
Edo serves a wide range of commercial building types including office buildings, educational institutions (K-12 and higher education), healthcare facilities, and municipal or government buildings.
Does Edo require replacing existing building systems?
No. Edo is designed to integrate with a building's existing HVAC, lighting, energy management, and distributed energy systems, so facility teams can capture value without major capital investment in new equipment.
How much can Edo reduce a building's peak energy demand?
Edo's AI-powered optimization has demonstrated peak demand reductions of up to 15% across its portfolio of commercial buildings, while maintaining occupant comfort and system reliability.
How do utilities partner with Edo?
Utilities work with Edo to design and scale demand flexibility programs tailored to their service territory. Edo handles building enrollment, integration, and real-time dispatch, while utilities gain a scalable resource to manage peak load and defer costly grid infrastructure investments.
