Metering and Submetering Guide for Contractors

Metering & SubmeteringGuide for Contractors

The Basis Of Energy Management And The Foundation For Creating More Jobs!

Metering & Submetering Devices Include:– Data Loggers, Current Transformers (CT’s) – Split Core, Clamp On & Flexible RoCoils (also called

Rope Coils)

Building Management System / Building Automation System (BMS / BAS)– Computer system controls and monitors electric & mechanical systems– Connects via Ethernet, wireless, hardwire, or via cloud– Building owner can access data through data analytics software or energy management software– Also known as Energy Management System (EMS), Building Energy Management System (BEMS)

Measurement & Verification (M&V)– Quantifies savings by an energy conservation measure

• Required for many utility incentive programs• Required for most market revenue programs

Quick terms and definitions (1 of 2)

Picture source: IBM 1

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Internet of Things (IoT)– Network of systems and physical products which ‘talk’

to one another to achieve a more fluent, efficient, and informative building landscape

Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration (HVACR)– Basic systems to help regulate temperature and comfort of a building

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)– Controls of remote equipment via a computer system to gather and analyze real time data– Can notify owners of leaks in pipes and send out notifications, i.e.

Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)– Percentage growth rate from year to year on an investment

Return on Investment (ROI)– Quantifiable number (typically in years) for how long a project takes to become profitable

Quick terms and definitions (2 of 2)

Picture source: Inez Torre, CNN 2


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New York City has the highest electric costs / kWh in the continental U.S.

Many building owners unaware of submetering advantages and installations

Tenants who are not being charged for electric & other utilities by usage may be using irresponsibly, increasing overall cost to building owner

Systems may be running inefficiently or unnecessarily– Owners don’t know when a system needs repair or replacement until too late

Utilities monthly readouts do not give accurate portrayal of usage, do not help in M&V of new systems– Supply metering data after the fact

Why New York is an ideal market

(*) Average based off of Pike Research, TechNavio

The submetering market is rapidly expanding. With an estimated CAGR of over 10% , the industry will be over $1 Billion by 2020. Contractors should try to become part of the growing industry as

quickly as possible to become the preferred installers in their communities - increasing their number of sales and customers while adding reoccurring revenue streams

The current New York energy market leaves opportunity for more sales and installations

*

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Submeters (‘shadow meters’ for those that mimic the utility meter) are installed on the larger and manageable loads of customer side of the utility meters

New submeter technologies have more detailed and accurate readouts, enhanced capabilities, and are dropping in price

Allow for individual tracking and monitoring of systems– Can have submeter for each system

• Lighting, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, etc. for electric• Water, gas, steam, etc. for other utilities

Allow for daily, hourly, even 1-15 minute readouts for more accurate and detailed measurements– Revenue-Grade meters

• Allow building owners to charge tenants for individual electric use• Allows for participation in utility / market programs

– Non-Revenue-Grade meters • Allow building owners to gain better understanding of energy usage to

take informed action• No access to demand response programs or individual rates for tenants

Submeters are the solution (1 of 2)

Picture source: http://neep.org

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Real time data and building management becomes available as the internet of things evolves

Simple cloud-based access via hardwire, Ethernet or wireless connections

Submeters are ideal for any building type – hotels, hospitals, schools, multifamily buildings, etc.

Submetering information will typically save 5 to 15 % of energy bill

Rule of thumb: purchase & install meters where meter costs ≤ 5% of electric bill

Submeters are the solution (2 of 2)

Picture source: http://buildingcontrols.honeywell.com/Energy-Meters

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How do submeters work?

Picture sources: Pike Research, Electricity Submeters, 2012 and Locus Energy


1) Submeters hook up to electric or other utility meters and panels using current transformers

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2) Building owner chooses specific systems to be submetered (lighting, heating, cooling, refrigeration, etc.)



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3) Submeters allow for data acquisition and management to go directly to building owner, facility manager, etc. via a BMS or SCADA system



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Information kiosk


3) Submeters allow for data acquisition and management to go directly to building owner, facility manager, etc. via a BMS or SCADA system

4) Instant access on PC, smart phone, or even a lobby kiosk


Connect Current Transformers (CT’s) to electric panel, connects to submeter– Measures electric currents and monitors usage

Utility meter pulses– Readout of utility meter to determine quantity of kWh used every ~1-15 minutes• Show fluctuations of usage throughout day• Typically provided by utility companies as an input to a BMS or Logger

Submeter Readings Using Modbus– Give more detailed readouts of energy usages (kWh, Amps, Voltages, Harmonic Distortions, etc.)– Communication protocol that connects to BMS– Can determine when an individual asset is near end of life, needs repair, etc.

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How do submeters work? (5 of 6)

Picture source: http://emon.com


BACnet– Similar communication protocol to Modbus but newer technology– Allows for communication between BMS appliances of different companies

Auxiliary functionality of meters– Digital Input: reads other meters and systems by counting pulses per kWh (or gallons, cfm, steam,

etc. depending on utility)– Analog input: reads temperatures, etc. of systems– Digital output: allows for manual thresholds (keep system under/over certain amount of kWh)– Analog output: feed information into BMS or SCADA system to determine whether to shut systems

off/on, ramp up/down

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How do submeters work? (6 of 6)

Picture source: http://www.kmccontrols.com


What is the install for? What does the building owner want to know? – kWh, kW, amps, voltage, etc.

How does the owner want to communicate with the submeter?– Ethernet, wireless, hardwire, etc.– Where is the nearest connection port?

What size CT’s can I attach and install?– Size of wires determines solid-core, split-core or rope CT’s• Different CT’s determine accuracy, vary in price from highest to lowest price respectively• Less accurate submeters do not allow for access to demand response programs, individual rates for

tenants– Access to wires within panels / electric room, building code adherence, etc.

Which loads am I metering?– Three phase load, make sure to connect CT’s to right phase off of meter

How do I connect the submeters to one another for overall BMS / SCADA?

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Questions to ask before install

Proprietary & Confidential04/15/2023

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Read real time information for the customer


Step One: Look for disparities in trends

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Step One: Look for disparities in trends– Why is nightly usage so much higher for some nights of the week?

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Step Two: Question why the disparities exist

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Step Two: Question why the disparities exist– Were lights left on at night? Were the HVACR units left on at night? Individual metering will determine which system is responsible for

discrepancies

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discrepancies Step Three: Come up with solutions for disparity

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– Install timers for automatic on / off of lighting, HVACR units at certain points of day / night

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– Install timers for automatic on / off of lighting, HVACR units at certain points of day / night Step Four: Close more deals!

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– Install timers for automatic on / off of lighting, HVACR units at certain points of day / night Step Four: Close more deals!

– New installs and recurring revenue opportunities10



Supports Fault Detection Diagnostics (FDD)– Overheating, leaking, systems in need of repair or maintenance– Prevents equipment failure and downtime

Alerts and updates on required inspections, etc.

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Know when to fix equipment beforehand

Picture source: http://lonlockwoodelectric.com

Facility managers or contractors (You!) will be alerted when systems aren’t operating efficiently


Accurate electric usage for each individual system will allow for most informed decision making when helping building owner in investing in new systems and technologies

Determines which systems are most energy-intensive

First step in determining accurate numbers for ROI and savings when installing new systems– New heating system will save 10 % electric usage / year, ROI of 4 years, e.g. guaranteed

Become established and knowledgeable on M&V, submetering before mandated

Can have long lasting relationship with building owner prior to and after submeter installs– M&V and new system installs will ensure long term contact– Can set up recurring-revenue type service of monitoring building for owner

– Help obtain points for LEED and ENERGY STAR ® certification

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M&V will guarantee reductions in energy usage

Picture source: http://c3resources.co/uk

http://www.usgbc.org/leed


≥ 5 units in building

Units not paying for individual electric usage

Incentives for up to 50% of submeter cost (or ≤ $250 per submeter)

Additional incentives for upgrading to ENERGY STAR® systems– ≤ $250 per ENERGY STAR® refrigerator– ≤ $25 per ENERGY STAR® permanent fixture lighting unit

Advanced Submetering Program for Multifamily Buildings

Pre-Qualified Interval Meters for Demand Response ≤ $1,500 per master meter

Must enable ≥ 40 kW of demand response– May soon be ≥ 10 kW for smaller buildings

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NYSERDA provides many incentives for installs

NYSERDA financing makes installing submeters an even more enticing option for building owners, and a selling point for contractors


ABBCARMAContinental Control SystemsDaiichi ElectronicsDent InstrumentsEatonEchelonElsterGeneral ElectricHoneywell & E-Mon ISTA Itron Janitza Electronics

LevitonLEMMitsubishiNorthern DesignObviusOsakiQuadlogicSchneider ElectricSCIenergySiemensToshiba Totko Meter SystemsTriactaYokogawa Electric

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Key industry players


Allows for more sales in a rapidly growing industry

Longer lasting relationship with building owner through M&V

Can help show building owner benefit of new system installs, which you can then install

Opportunity to expand business model, gain additional revenue – Install submeters, services pushed to your cloud energy software

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Concluding benefits

Picture source: http://kcsconstructionllc.com

For more information, email us at [email protected] visit our site eereports.com

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Metering and Submetering Guide for Contractors

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