Installing an Electrical Sub-Meter

More and more landlords, property managers, and facility engineers want to know how and where the electricity is being used within their building. Utility sub-metering is a system that allows for this individual measured approach.  

 

By sub-metering your building’s electrical usage, you can get a very specific break down of who is using what amount and how it is being used. If you are interested in learning more about how installing an electrical sub-meter can benefit your residential or commercial property, make sure to reach out to Axiom Power!

What is a Sub-Meter? 

 

All buildings and residences are equipped with utility meters that measure the amount of electricity, water, and gas being used, and then that property is charged by the local utility company for their consumption of that utility. 

 

This type of metering offers a broad and generalized view of what is going on with the property’s energy consumption. A utility meter measures how much total energy is being used, but nothing else.  

 

Regular meters do not tell you: 

 

  • Where the energy is being used 

  • How it is being used 

  • Who is using it? 

 

If you are interested in finding out how and where the electricity is being used in the building than a sub-meter is the perfect solution.  

 

Benefits of an Electrical Sub-Meter 

 

A sub-meter is a system that allows you to measure energy usage after it reaches the building’s main utility meter and then breaks it down into specific measurements of energy usage for tenants or building components.  

 

There are two major benefits to sub-meters and they vary in their benefits depending on what you are looking for in the purpose of your sub-meter. There are two main reasons for sub-metering: 

 

Tenant sub-metering  

This use of sub-metering is great for individual measured utility usage among multi-tenant properties. It is also the most common form of electrical sub-metering. By installing electrical sub-meters you can bill tenants more accurately and in turn, this benefits both the landlord/property owner and the tenant.  

 

The tenant can feel that they are in charge of their energy consumption and that they can reduce their energy bill by conserving energy if they wish to. They are not forced to split the bill with other tenants who may not be as conscious of their energy usages. 

 

Energy usage of building components 

 This type of sub-metering is used frequently in buildings where companies want to capture usage information of their equipment and components. This may include such units as an HVAC or chiller.  

 

By capturing this data, companies can now make better and more informed decisions that can reduce, cut, and eliminate excess waste and in turn reduce overall utility costs while improving the building’s efficiency. 

 

 

Sub-Meter Installation  

 

Installing an electrical sub-meter is not your simple DIY project, it is something that should be better left to a trained utility sub-metering technician and company. Our knowledgeable electrical technicians at Axiom Power are ready and waiting to help you.  

 

When you contact us, we will do a thorough assessment and evaluation of your property and equipment. We take into account the size of your property, what you want to monitor, and the number of energy units you are looking to monitor. 

 

We will perform a scope and design analysis and have certified technicians perform the installation making sure all city regulations are met. We will also make a recommendation on what type of sub-metering system to install.  

 

There are different types of sub-meters that have differing factors, features, and integration protocols. Knowing what type of sub-meter you need is just one reason why it is so imperative to trust Axiom Power to correctly specify which sub-meter will fit your unique energy needs and goals. 

 

Basic sub-meter differences include: 

 

  • Cost 

  • Mounting 

  • Number of loads 

  • No display versus local display 

  • Form factor (footprint) 

  • Connectivity 

  • Inclusion of high-end quality data 

 

Understand Your Electrical Use 

 

Choose Axiom Power for your sub-meter installation near Tampa, FL. We can assist you, whether you need to add sub-metering to a small residential building, or you need to install a complex system that will monitor a large commercial property with many units. 

 

No project is too big or too small. Contact us at 727-687-4452 (commercial) or 813-308-9328 (residential) if you are ready to take your electricity usage to a new level! 

Gregory Bennettcommercial electrician, residential electrician, electrician, electrical, tampa electrician