Not that long ago, an institutional or commercial facility was likely to feature one device to track its total energy use. But due to rising utility costs, a growing number of maintenance and engineering managers have turned to submetering to more accurately track utility costs for numerous areas within facilities.
A shift in motivation for submetering has meant major changes in the installation and operation of submeters. Instead of installing submeters to track the energy use for various areas of a building, managers now are having them installed on individual pieces of energy-using equipment.
This strategy enables managers to track the utility use of that system or piece of equipment and evaluate its performance. When tracked over time and changing conditions, data collected from these submeters can help identify problems and energy-conservation opportunities.
An article in the July issue of Maintenance Solutions magazine examines some of the benefits of submetering as well as the installation considerations, and how to streamline and maximize submetering systems.
Medical Outpatient Buildings: 4 Trends Bringing Risk, Opportunity
Nemours Children's Health Opens the Betty and Jack Demetree Family Center for Otolaryngology
Building Senior Care Facilities for Harsh Temperatures
Laser Scanning: Reducing Risk in Construction Projects
MOBs Get Smarter and More Complex as Space Pressures Mount