Getting granular with submetering
An easy and efficient way to measure and manage energy consumption is through regularly monitoring usage through submetering. This is the practice of installing submeters and devices owned by the building, on the demand side of the master meter, which measure energy usage of individual spaces, specific systems, and processes. Designed for commercial, industrial, and multi-unit residential building applications, submeters are usually placed downstream from the utility company meter to measure the energy that passes through to each individual tenant space, building system, or process. Submetering helps eliminate assumptions about energy data, keep tenants accountable, and provides data to identify additional energy savings.
To further manage data, submeters can be networked and integrated with building management systems (BMS) to provide building managers and designers with an accurate report of the amount of utility used by each tenant, department, or process in a building in as little as 15-minute intervals. Submeters that are integrated with the BMS can also provide load profiling data that is useful in benchmarking and other energy code related practices. Other sustainability initiatives such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification can be augmented by using submeter technology.
Submetering in action
The benefits submetering can have on tenant billing can be seen in the Central Market in York, Pennsylvania, one of the oldest farm-to-market operations in the country. The market provides a commercial space to more than 50 farmers and specialty vendors, many of whom operate seasonal businesses and move in and out of the building regularly. For years, the market used old utility meters which made it complicated for new vendors to get set up and each of them billed accurately for their usage. By integrating a submetering system with their BMS system, the market manager was able to receive detailed energy data in real-time or by looking at monthly, daily, or 15-minute time interval reports. This allowed the manager to attribute costs to individual vendors and accurately bill the 50 different vendors within the space for their usage. Submetering allows building and facility managers to equitably allocate and invoice individual tenant utility costs as well as common area costs across buildings.
