Umair Gaines
Sub-metering is the process of installing additional electricity meters downstream of a building's main utility meter. It allows landlords, property managers, and businesses to monitor electricity consumption in individual areas of a building, specific pieces of equipment, or individual tenants. This helps to accurately attribute costs, identify overconsumption, and reduce electricity bills. Sub-meters can be grouped into two types: Pulse Output meters and Serial Communication meters, with the latter providing additional parameters like voltage, current, and frequency.
What does submeter electricity mean?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Submetering is the installation of additional meters downstream of the main utility meter. |
| Purpose | To monitor individual areas of buildings, equipment, and tenants to accurately attribute energy costs. |
| Benefits | Reduces electricity bills, improves energy efficiency, and helps keep the grid safe from overloading. |
| Types | Pulse Output meters, Serial Communication meters, Coin pre-pay meters, Check meters, Card pre-pay meters, Encrypted token meters, Single-phase meters |
| Use Cases | Large buildings, residential complexes, subdivided houses, offices, or factory buildings. |
| Providers | Unit Sub-Meter Providers (USMPs) in some regions, e.g., Ontario Energy Board (OEB) in Canada. |
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What You'll Learn
How does an electric sub-meter work?
Electric sub-meters are an effective way to monitor and manage energy consumption in facilities, buildings, or equipment. They are additional meters installed downstream of the main utility meter and can be used to track real-time energy usage for the entire facility or specific pieces of equipment. This detailed tracking allows for better decision-making and energy management. The data collected by sub-meters can be used for billing, troubleshooting, and analysis, helping to reduce costs, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions.
There are two main types of electric sub-meters: Pulse Output meters and Serial Communication meters. Pulse Output meters produce a pulse for every watt-hour consumed, which is transmitted to a data logger for storage. These meters are simple and only represent the magnitude of consumption (in KWh, KVAh, or KVARh), making them more suitable for smaller applications focused solely on metering consumption.
On the other hand, Serial Communication meters provide data in various digital formats and offer additional parameters beyond just energy consumption. These advanced solid-state electric meters use digital microprocessors to capture consumption information in real time, providing users with parameters like voltage, current, frequency, power factor, and harmonic distortion. This detailed information enables users to view and analyse the quality of their power supply.
In terms of functionality, sub-meters in a facility communicate with a Data Collection Unit (DCU) via a common communication bus. The DCU manages the reading of metered values, similar to Automated Meter Reading (AMR) technology. The readings are then processed in a central database, making the data accessible to authorised users from any internet-connected device. This real-time data access enables quick insights into energy usage, facilitating better energy management and cost control.
Electric sub-meters are particularly useful for landlords or businesses with tenants. They help accurately apportion energy bills among tenants without relying on crude methods like dividing the bill by area or subdividing the utility bill. Additionally, sub-meters can be used in specific rooms or areas, such as HMOs, garden flats, or events with metered electricity usage, providing flexibility in usage and improved cash flow for landlords.
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Types of electric sub-meters
Electric sub-meters are devices that measure energy consumption in a facility or a piece of equipment. They are installed downstream of the main utility meter and provide detailed, real-time energy consumption data. This data is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and can be used to track energy usage, make informed decisions, and reduce costs and emissions.
There are two main types of electric sub-meters:
- Pulse Output Meters: These meters produce a pulse for every watt-hour consumed. The pulses are transmitted to a data logger, where they are logged and stored. While they can only represent the magnitude of KWh, KVAh, or KVARh, they are useful for smaller applications where the sole purpose is to meter consumption.
- Serial Communication Meters: These meters provide data in various digital formats and can offer additional parameters beyond energy consumption. They are the most advanced solid-state electric meters, employing digital microprocessors to capture consumption information in real time. This allows users to view and analyse parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, power factor, and harmonic distortion, providing insights into the quality of electricity. Serial communication meters can be either wired or wireless and can be connected to a central database in the cloud for remote access and analysis.
Electric sub-meters vary depending on the facility and can be further classified into different categories, such as mini meters, current transformers, and solid-state digital meters. They are an effective way to improve energy consumption habits and foster positive environmental outcomes by reducing overconsumption.
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Benefits of electric sub-meters
Electric sub-meters are additional meters installed downstream of the main utility meter. They are used to monitor individual areas of buildings, equipment, and tenants.
There are two main types of electric sub-meters: pulse output meters and serial communication meters. Pulse output meters produce a pulse for every watt-hour of electricity consumed, which is then transmitted to a data logger. Serial communication meters provide data in different digital formats and can provide additional metered parameters, such as voltage and current, in addition to recording energy consumption.
- Improved energy efficiency: Sub-meters enable building managers to gather detailed, real-time data on energy consumption, allowing them to make more informed decisions about energy use. This helps identify potential energy wastage sources, abnormal consumption patterns, and energy-saving opportunities.
- Accurate billing and cost allocation: Sub-meters provide a fair and accurate representation of electricity costs by measuring energy consumption for individual tenants or departments. This ensures that each occupant contributes financially based on their actual consumption, preventing disputes and promoting cost-saving behaviours.
- Enhanced sustainability: By understanding energy usage patterns, building managers can promote sustainable practices and reduce the environmental footprint of their buildings. This can also help businesses save money by reducing energy wastage.
- Data-driven decision-making: Sub-meters provide valuable data that can be used for troubleshooting and analyzing energy usage patterns. This information enables facility managers to make data-driven decisions to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
- Equipment monitoring: Sub-meters can be used to monitor the quality of power supply to equipment, helping businesses identify any issues and ensure the optimal performance of their machinery.
- Fair cost-sharing in shared environments: In shared office spaces or multi-site buildings, sub-meters enable a transparent calculation and fair distribution of monthly charges among different tenants or sites.
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Electric sub-metering for landlords
Electric sub-metering is a system that allows landlords to bill tenants for their individual electricity usage. It involves installing additional meters downstream of the main utility meter, enabling the tracking of detailed, real-time energy consumption for the entire building and for individual pieces of equipment. This awareness of energy consumption creates an incentive for landlords and tenants to identify and address building inefficiencies, leading to better energy conservation and potential cost savings.
There are two main types of electric sub-meters: Pulse Output meters and Serial Communication meters. Pulse Output meters produce a pulse for every watt-hour consumed, which is transmitted to a data logger for storage. Serial Communication meters provide data in different digital formats and can offer additional parameters beyond energy consumption, such as voltage, current, frequency, power factor, and harmonic distortion.
The process of individual tenant utility billing involves calculating the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity and then multiplying it by the tenant's usage based on their individual meter reading. It is important to note that landlords are not allowed to profit from this billing and can only charge tenants at the same rate they were charged, with the option of adding a small billing fee.
Electric sub-metering offers several benefits to landlords. Firstly, it eliminates the need to raise rents when utility bills increase, as tenants pay for their own usage. Secondly, it reduces tenant complaints about unfair utility charges, as they are billed based on their actual consumption. Additionally, with tenants paying for their utilities, landlords may experience a decrease in their main utility bills as tenants become more conscious of their energy usage.
Landlords can choose to manage the sub-metering process themselves or engage a third-party billing service to handle meter reading and billing. Some companies provide comprehensive solutions, from installation to billing, especially for larger properties with many tenants. It is essential to clearly spell out the details of utility splitting in leases and comply with any local third-party billing codes.
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Electric sub-metering for businesses
Electric sub-metering is a system that enables businesses to monitor their energy usage in detail and in real-time. It involves installing additional meters downstream of the main utility meter to measure electricity consumption in individual areas of a building, specific pieces of equipment, or even by an individual tenant.
There are two main types of electric sub-meters: Pulse Output meters and Serial Communication Meters. Pulse Output meters produce a pulse for every watt-hour of energy consumed. These pulses are transmitted and stored in a data logger. They are best used in smaller applications to measure consumption. Serial Communication Meters, on the other hand, provide data in different digital formats and can offer additional parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, and power factor. The most advanced electric meters in this category are digital and use digital microprocessors to capture consumption information in real-time.
Electric sub-metering offers several benefits to businesses. Firstly, it allows for accurate energy monitoring and cost attribution, helping businesses to better manage their energy consumption and reduce costs. This is especially useful for landlords or businesses with multiple tenants, as it enables them to fairly apportion energy bills based on actual usage. Secondly, sub-metering provides valuable data and insights that can help businesses make informed decisions to reduce their environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. This detailed data can also help businesses identify inefficiencies and make adjustments to optimise their energy usage.
EKM Metering Inc. is an example of a company that offers smart sub-metering solutions for electricity, water, and gas. Their EKM Push3 data system allows users to access their submeters' data securely in the cloud and manage them remotely through a single software interface or an Open API. This system provides real-time data and enables users to generate bills and schedule usage reports.
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Frequently asked questions
Sub-metering is the process of installing additional meters downstream of the main utility meter to monitor individual areas of buildings, equipment, and tenants.
Sub-metering allows for more detailed and accurate energy consumption information, helping to reduce costs, energy, and CO2 emissions. It also enables landlords to accurately apportion tenants' energy bills.
There are various types of sub-meters available, including Pulse Output meters, Serial Communication meters, Coin pre-pay meters, Check meters, and Card pre-pay meters.
