The key to smart energy usage: Energy information and management

by brittney_cutler | June 7, 2022 4:00 pm

By Troy Hull, CEM, CMVP

Today, facility managers and building specifiers have more to consider when it comes to designing and managing facilities than ever before. They are managing evolving building occupancies as people navigate COVID-19 variants, new health and safety protocols, inflation, skyrocketing energy costs, labor shortages, and much more. The activity and number of people within a given space today may change at any moment, and the way the industry designs and manages solutions and efficiencies of buildings needs to reflect this.

Not only do facility managers and building specifiers need to consider how their space impacts the health and safety of their occupants, but they also need to be mindful of the overall environmental impact of their building. Energy consumption, a major concern these days, is one of the more challenging aspects of the building to manage. As building occupancies and other factors continue to fluctuate, it is important for facility managers and building specifiers to arm themselves with the most accurate data.

The devil is in data-driven details

Detailed, accurate data is key to smartly managing a building’s energy usage. Smart energy data becomes even more important when building operators are managing a multi-dwelling unit or building with multiple tenants. Many factors can impact a building’s total energy usage, from space heating and cooling to major processes and appliances, but it is challenging to attribute these data-driven details without adequate information about usage. When building managers do not have detailed data about energy usage in their buildings, they are left to make assumptions about where energy is being used with the resulting impact on operations. This can lead to inaccurate billing and high total costs the building managers end up being responsible for.

For example, if facility operators only know the total amount of energy used by the building, and not how much each tenant, department, or process is using, then the manager must make decisions on cost allocation based on arbitrary values such as square footage or occupancy—factors which do not necessarily directly impact energy usage. This can lead to tenant frustration as they may end up paying more than what they spend on utilities. Lack of detailed data also limits facility managers’ ability to effectively reduce their energy usage.

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.

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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[2] 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.

Specifying the right submeter

Not all submeters are created equal. It is important to understand the building’s end-use and how submetering can help the building owner monitor usage and manage effectively. Working with the building owner, construction specifiers should provide submetering options for them to consider depending on the application.

Determining the right measurement

A building must determine the right measurement to employ for a building’s needs. Different forms of submetering consider different factors.

Base energy management

Base energy management submetering provides facility managers with a summary of energy profiles to help identify high and low consumption as well as energy usage patterns for user defined intervals. These types of meters can populate reports based on user configured preferences and assist end users in meeting the growing requirements of local and national energy codes.

Energy management with advanced reporting

Energy management with advanced reporting submetering provides the facility manager with the addition of enhanced reporting and dashboarding features such as daily and hourly heat maps, drift analysis reporting, and other custom report options to support detailed energy usage and demand analysis.

Tenant billing

Tenant billing submetering enables facility managers to monitor individual dwelling or office units to create invoices and tenant billing reports. Some systems support an online portal for tenants to log in and monitor their usage and billing information.

Types of submeters

After determining the type of energy information required for efficient building operations, one should consider which type of submeter is the best fit for the application.

Pulse meters

Pulse meters are simple meters often used for tenant billing.

Advanced meters

Advanced meters offer a broad range of metering parameters beyond energy usage and can be configured with software or a browser-based user interface.

Advanced multi-circuit meters

Advanced multi-circuit meters have all of the same attributes of advanced meters but are ideal for metering multiple loads from a common source on a single meter.

Current Transformers (CTs)

CTs are installed on the conductor for each circuit to be metered and include three different types: solid core, split core, and Rogowski coils.

Measuring and verifying data for transparency

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Measuring and verification through submetering helps building managers identify whether conservation practices are working and whether utility usage is increasing, decreasing, or remaining constant. This information can then be used to help modify occupant behavior or to inform the development of the most effective conservation strategies when necessary.

With the increased focus on sustainability today, there are in some instances false, exaggerated, and unsubstantiated claims regarding a wide range of green and energy conservation projects and programs. Due to the proliferation of inaccurate claims, some building certification programs now demand third-party verification of all claims related to building performance. Incorporating measurement and verification practices into a facility management strategy with submetering can help increase the transparency and credibility of a building owner’s energy management projects and ensure they are meeting or exceeding energy management objectives.

LEED certification is one of the most widely used green building rating system in the world and a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership for building and facility managers. Through submetering, building and facility managers can contribute to their LEED certification to improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and meet ESG goals. LEED certifications can also attract new building tenants who recognize the value of living or working in green buildings.

Staying current

Laws regarding submetering will vary from state to state. The following are some examples from jurisdictions across the country.

Due to the energy conservation benefits submetering provides, 22 states, and Washington, D.C., have statutes, regulations, or rulings on utility submetering. Without installing new submetering technology, building and facility managers could be violating codes or standards where submetering is required. For example, California Title 24, 2019 Section 130.5(a) & (b) says[4] “each electrical service shall have permanently installed user-accessible metering of total electrical energy use.” This code requires each newly installed switchboard, panel, and motor control center, in both existing and newly constructed buildings, to be designed to permit the measurement of electrical load energy use downstream.

Additionally, taking effect in 2025, New York Local Law 88, 132[5], and 134 pertains to submetering in older buildings. This law requires all commercial buildings in New York City that are larger than 2323 m² (25,000 sf) to install submeters for any tenants who lease at least 465 m² (5000 sf) of space. Most New York commercial leases are 10 years long, so meters must be planned for and installed now to ensure compliance and to prevent tenant disruption. It is important for facility managers and building designers to be aware of local laws and regulations to ensure their buildings comply now and in the future.

Energy and sustainability are top of mind for nearly every person in the specifying community, but there have never been more challenges to managing it than today. With detailed, real-time data provided through submetering solutions, facility managers can directly analyze and manage a building’s energy usage through building management systems (BMS). Over time, the information can help to more equitably allocate energy costs, identify opportunities for energy conservation and cost savings and help ensure sustainability certifications, laws, and goals are met. The industry can use this information to design buildings with the technologies to smartly manage energy both now and well into the future.

Author

Troy Hull is a 27-year veteran of the submetering sector, having worked in every aspect of the industry from systems installations and services to manufacturing, product design and development, and sales and business development. For the last eight years, he has been responsible for M & V Group at Leviton Manufacturing Company, overseeing daily operations, strategy development, product management, R&D engineering, and sales and business development. An AEE Certified Energy Manager and Measurement and Verification Professional, he has been published in numerous professional journals. Among some of his key accomplishments was the development and adoption of a successful model policy for energy accountability for the U.S. Army’s Residential Communities Initiative that led the way for other services to drive accountability for energy usage in residential military family communities. He is also serves as chair of the Electric Submetering Section for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/the-key-to-smart-energy-usage-energy-information-and-management/

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