Metering and Submetering Guide for Contractors

Metering & Submetering
Guide 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
Proprietary & Confidential

 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

 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
3
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
*

 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
4
Submeters are the solution (1 of 2)
Picture source: http://neep.org

 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
5
Submeters are the solution (2 of 2)
Picture source: http://buildingcontrols.honeywell.com/Energy-Meters

6
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
6

6
2) Building owner chooses specific systems to be submetered (lighting, heating, cooling,
refrigeration, etc.)

6
3) Submeters allow for data acquisition and management to go directly to building owner, facility
manager, etc. via a BMS or SCADA system

6
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.
7
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
8
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?
9
Questions to ask before install

3/30/2015
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Read real time information for the customer

3/30/2015
 Step One: Look for disparities in trends
10

3/30/2015
– Why is nightly usage so much higher for some nights of the week?
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3/30/2015
 Step Two: Question why the disparities exist
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3/30/2015
– 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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3/30/2015
discrepancies
 Step Three: Come up with solutions for disparity
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3/30/2015
discrepancies
– Install timers for automatic on / off of lighting, HVACR units at certain points of day / night
10

3/30/2015
discrepancies
 Step Four: Close more deals!
10

3/30/2015
discrepancies
 Step Four: Close more deals!
– New installs and recurring revenue opportunities
10

 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.
11
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
12
M&V will guarantee reductions in energy usage
Picture source: http://c3resources.co/uk

 ≥ 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

ABB
CARMA
Continental Control Systems
Daiichi Electronics
Dent Instruments
Eaton
Echelon
Elster
General Electric
Honeywell & E-Mon
ISTA
Itron
Janitza Electronics
Leviton
LEM
Mitsubishi
Northern Design
Obvius
Osaki
Quadlogic
Schneider Electric
SCIenergy
Siemens
Toshiba Totko Meter Systems
Triacta
Yokogawa 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

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Metering and Submetering Guide for Contractors

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Metering and Submetering Guide for Contractors