San Jose Mercury News is the major daily newspaper in San Jose and Silicon Valley, California, and is owned and operated by MediaNews Group, one of the largest newspaper companies in the United States. San Jose Mercury News circulates more than 800,000 copies daily with local coverage extending to the San Francisco Peninsula and Bay Area and Santa Cruz. It has earned numerous awards including two Pulitzer Prizes. The newspaper’s headquarters and printing plant in North San Jose house the majority of operations, including offset printing presses and office space for approximately 1,360 employees, including reporters and other staff. 

As a press facility that operates energy-intensive printing presses, related processes, and maintains a large-scale office building, San Jose Mercury News opted to shed loads during peak demand to become more energy efficient and reduce their peak demand charges. Specifically, San Jose Mercury News wanted to focus on monitoring and controlling facility loads such as HVAC systems, chillers, and air handling units. Interfering with newspaper production or building comfort was not an option. To satisfy their needs, they decided to implement an automated energy management system that would allow them to run the press equipment while reducing coincidental HVAC equipment loads during hot summer days, without affecting the comfort of the facility.