Energy metering in buildings is becoming increasingly crucial as electrical bills can often be very costly. Many times, users don’t even realize where the charges are coming from when in reality, it could be due to phase in-balance, harmonics, reactive power, power factor correction (PFC) and neutral currents. Energy metering is crucial as it can help identify these issues and ensure users are charged correctly according to their electricity usage. By monitoring these sources, accurate billing results will allow owners and occupants to avoid potential surges in their electric bills that unseen factors may have caused. Energy metering is critical to monitor and decipher all energy use sources within buildings.

Building management systems can account for 80% of a building’s energy use.

Energy usage is an essential consideration for buildings. Studies show that building management systems can be responsible for up to 80% of a building’s energy consumption. Energy metering is an effective tool used to measure and monitor this energy use and can help identify areas where there may be issues with the system or energy waste. By installing a Building Management System or Energy Metering system, businesses can optimise temperatures, switch off devices when they are no longer needed and ensure they are only using energy when required. In addition to the cost savings this brings, it can also help reduce your carbon footprint. Investing in a BMS or Energy Metering system can be a great way to save money over time and improve the environmental sustainability of your building.

Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) goals require energy metering

With the ever-increasing focus of the government on carbon reduction, building owners and tenants are being challenged to do their part. Energy metering is a crucial tool in helping meet the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) that has been mandated. Part L of the building regulations outlines a target to reduce carbon emissions by 44% within all buildings by 2012 – a goal that will take effort and dedication to reach, which energy metering can help with. Energy metering assists in monitoring ventilation systems for infrared lighting or mechanical systems, as well as identifying any areas of reduced efficiency that may be increasing carbon loses. It is an important step in both saving energy and preserving our environment by reducing overall carbon emissions.

However the main question is :œif you can’t measure it you cannot manage it:

The purpose of our service is to fit permanent metering to the main supplies in your building which can be monitored remotely to provide benchmark date to enable us to make conscious and accurate decisions about how to save energy in a building.

This will require an initial survey of the building to see where meters can be fitted, however typically we have installed meters to the following supplies:

• Main supply
• Mechanical MCC Panels (Cooling and Heating)
• Chillers main plant
• Tenants supplies
• Lifts
• Landlords supplies

Benefits

• Able to monitor the supplies and determine the exact load profile of the building
• Accurate data and transparency
• Can monitor real cost savings
• Tool mechanism for monitoring carbon emissions and keeping the carbon footprint low
• Ticks the environmental box for most companies
• Allows you to determine the control and functionality of your building
• Can be viewed remotely
• Analysis of results
• Can be used as a marketing tool for the building
• Fit a plasma TV in reception with live date transparency to tenants.

Implementation

1. Contract manger to undertake review of the metering in a building, are there any meters present
2. Ask the landlord or tenant for a copy of their bill how much are they spending (remember that it may not be cost effective to fit permanent metering due to cost, however we can meter on a weekly or monthly basis)
3.  Ask Polyteck to quote, contact Costas or Sven.
4. We will provide the client with various options and quote
5. Once agreed we will carry out the work, normally in a 4 6 week time frame.
6. The client will need to order an ADSL line separately to enable the remote monitoring
7. Once we have the kit we will install it normally can take up to a week depending on complexity of the site.
8. No shut down required so it can be installed with minimal fuss
9. Plasma TV in the reception is optional.
10. Commissioning and handover rot the client
11. There is an annual charge after the first year no more than £1000 per annum normally for the energy suite.
12. Hopefully happy client who can now make some key energy decisions in his buildings to save money and actually make a difference to the environment

Polyteck Building Service provides an enormous range of electrical services. Contact us for more information.