Submetering - GSA Sustainable Facilities Tool

VIEW INTRODUCTION

Electrical Circuit

Electrical circuit submeters measure resource use of a single panel, or submeters can be placed at multiple points within a panel system, or at branches of a circuit to measure resource use of multiple circuits. Circuit submeters enable occupant energy-use behavioral awareness, improved tenant billing, enhanced space resource use, and optimized operations and maintenance programs.

Select submeter features below and click continue to learn more about the range of associated direct and indirect benefits.

Measurement and Evaluation

Data is accessible to building occupants in graphical form

Data visualization allows occupants to interact with their resource consumption easily and directly, leading to changes in behavior to reduce unnecessary resource use. Energy use optimization is possible if customers are provided with information to make educated decisions about their energy use. Occupants can set tenant and building resource use goals such as reducing costs and environmental impact.

Frequent data collection

Feedback on a regular and daily basis is most effective for improving energy conservation and may lead to more persistent savings, even long after the feedback has been discontinued.

Measure Resource Use

Submeters enable the collection and documentation of resource data over time to baseline and benchmark performance. Resource data is used to analyze and evaluate the operating performance of facility systems and equipment and to determine improvement potential.

Measure source of power, amount, and quality

The installation of submeters offers detailed information on power consumption by energy source including off-site and on-site energy sources. This information helps to facilitate more detailed analysis on the amount and rate of energy consumed by varied sources by a facility.

Occupancy Data

Align circuit data/ consumption by tenant in multi-tenant facility

Tenant submetering helps to bill tenants in facilities for their actual energy usage. This allows property owners who supply utilities to their tenants the ability to account for each tenant's usage in measureable terms. Accurate tenant billing by use promotes resource conservation and offsets the expense of bills generated from a master meter.

Visibility of tenant consumption data

Visibility of tenants’ energy consumption enables equitable and accurate tenant billing. This visibility also allows tenants to make more informed decisions about energy consumption habits and practice conservation goals, thereby reducing overall energy usage.

Visibility of tenant performance data

Visibility of energy performance data enables tenants to compare energy usage against their peer group, other organizations, or similar tenant sizes leading to behavioral conservation changes.

System and Space Monitoring

Enables space management

Space management strategies can dramatically improve the management of occupants and space, resulting in reduced resource consumption. By leveraging submeter consumption data in combination with occupancy data, building managers can merge and bundle occupants into denser building areas to reduce overall operational costs and energy demands.

Fault or Anomaly Detection

Fault and anomaly detection identifies problems with installed equipment before occupants observe adverse effects in utility bills, as well as system faults that may not be recognizable in the entire building's utility usage data. Fault and anomaly detection enables more condition-based preventive maintenance and avoids the higher costs associated with deferred or unplanned maintenance.

Identification of where resource is consumed

Pinpointing a specific location for where a resource is used allows for the identification of areas with relatively high or anomalous energy use. This may be indicative of a system fault or anomaly, may require tailored system upgrades, or may require behavioral changes.

Monitoring of Voltage

Monitoring of voltage allows for the identification of voltage deviations prior to equipment malfunction, failures, and system deficiencies. Feed-through meters provide accuracy and precision in measuring low power or standby power levels and richness of electricity voltage.

Remote meter reading

As submeter devices and other sensors are added to a building, data points are transmitted via communications networks which can be monitored and analyzed by O&M staff and facility managers in remote locations.

VIEW INTRODUCTION

Electrical System

System-level electric submeters enable management to easily control systems such as lighting, heating and cooling, and control start and stop times from one central platform. System-level submetering enhances the O&M Staff's ability to analyze specific energy load performance at the system-level, benchmark and optimize building performance, and enables more refined project measurement and verification.

Select submeter features below and click continue to learn more about the range of associated direct and indirect benefits.

VIEW INTRODUCTION

Electrical - End Use Device

End-use submetering provides the finest data resolution for energy and resource use of a particular system or equipment type for more detailed analysis. An objective of end-use submetering is to monitor equipment performance of high energy users in order to identify technology inefficiencies and validate savings estimates. Chillers, boilers, cooling towers, pumps, and motors are examples of equipment that are submetered to capture more granular performance metrics. End-use submeters can provide informative feedback mechanisms and data that can influence occupant behavior and tenant practices, such as turning off computers and other ancillary devices.

Select submeter features below and click continue to learn more about the range of associated direct and indirect benefits.

VIEW INTRODUCTION

Gas

Natural gas submeters measure the flow rate of natural gas and usage for billing. Monitoring natural gas flow rates and consumption at individual zones helps in assessing process efficiencies, identifying unusual consumption points, promoting conservation, and providing a means for cost allocation to various operating areas. Typically, the largest consumption of natural gas is used for heating.

Select submeter features below and click continue to learn more about the range of associated direct and indirect benefits.

Measurement and Evaluation

Measure Resource Use

Submeters enable the collection and documentation of resource use data over time to baseline and benchmark performance. Resource use data is used to analyze and evaluate the operating performance of facility systems and equipment and to determine improvement potential.

Remote Meter Reading

As submeter devices and other sensors are added to a building, data points are transmitted via communications networks which can be monitored and analyzed by O&M staff and facility managers in remote locations.

VIEW INTRODUCTION

Water

Water submeters are used to measure the quantity of water used by a facility, building, building area, device for indoor or outdoor water use, and potable or non-potable water users. Water submeters help to detect water losses, identify water conservation and efficiency measures, and provides helpful information for the rate of water usage and conservation incentives.

Select submeter features below and click continue to learn more about the range of associated direct and indirect benefits.

Measurement and Evaluation

Measure Resource Use

Submeters enable the collection and documentation of resource use data over time to baseline and benchmark performance. Resource use data is used to analyze and evaluate the operating performance of facility systems and equipment and to determine improvement potential.

Remote Meter Reading

As submeter devices and other sensors are added to a building, data points are transmitted via communications networks which can be monitored and analyzed by O&M staff and facility managers in remote locations.

Submetering Wizard Select a meter type

Electrical Circuit

Electrical System

Electrical - End Use Device

Gas

Water

What do you want to accomplish with Submetering?

Wizard Process

Electrical Circuit

Measurement and Evaluation

Occupancy Data

System and Space Monitoring

Electrical System

Measurement and Evaluation

System and Space Monitoring

System Integration

Electrical - End Use Device

Measurement and Evaluation

Occupancy Data

System and Space Monitoring

Gas

Measurement and Evaluation

Water

Measurement and Evaluation