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| What is submetering? |
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Submetering is the measurement of
energy use (electricity, gas, water or steam) via building-owned,
tenant-specific individual meters (also called “submeters”)
in a master-metered building. |
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| Where do you install the
meters? |
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Submeters are often installed in
electric closets located every few floors, in the basement of
the building or, in the case of garden-style housing, the meters
can be installed in a main utility closet. In other cases, the
most practical location for submeters may be inside the apartments,
close to the fuse box or circuit breaker panel. |
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| How do Quadlogic metering
systems work? |
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A Quadlogic meter (or “submeter”)
is installed for each apartment and measures each apartment’s
electric consumption. There is a central data collector within
the building (Quadlogic’s Scan Transponder) which collects
the metered data from all the individual meters using a patented
Power Line Communications technology. This means that the metered
data is communicated over the same electric lines that provide
electricity to the tenants – no addtional wiring is required.
The consumption information is typically communicated from the
Scan Transponder to a billing service company (i.e.Quadlogic
Billig Services) via a standard telephone line (although the
data can be retrieved via other communications networks as well.)
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| How are the meters read? |
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Quadlogic submetering systems are
most often read remotely from a computer using a modem. Through
the computer, a person can dial into Quadlogic’s Scan
Transponder, which is the central data collector for the system.
The Scan Transponder reports back all the data that it previously
collected and stored from the meters at the site, and makes
that data available to be downloaded into a software package
to calculate tenant electric bills. Quadlogic provides these
reading and billing services in the NY Metro area and there
are many other reading and billing service providers that read
and bill our meters throughout the world. In fact, you can read
our meters from your own on-site computer as well. Although
the meters can be read locally via the LCD or using an optical
probe, with the Quadlogic system, there is no need to physically
see the meter to retrieve the data. |
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| If my building isn’t
submetered now, how am I being charged for electricity? |
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Multi-tenant buildings and garden-style
housing are metered for electricity in one of two ways:
Direct-metered: Each apartment is individually
metered and billed directly by the utility at a residential
rate. The building receives a bill for electric usage in
the common areas (for example, hallways, elevators and lobbies.)
Master-metered: The utility supplies electricity
to the building through a single (or in some cases a small
number of) metering points. The building receives one electric
bill from the utility, usually at a rate significantly lower
than the residential rate, and bills residents based on
a formula such as total square footage or number of shares
owned. Tenant electric bills are not based on consumption,
and there is no incentive to conserve energy since the maintenance
bills are the same each month regardless of energy usage.
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| What are some of the benefits
of submetering? |
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Saves energy. Submetering promotes conservation
because residents pay only for the electricity that they
use. 60-70% of residents benefit from submetering; the remaining
portion are the heavier users who still pay only for they
actually use. When tenants are away and using little or
no energy, they pay for little or no energy. Submetering
is the most equitable method.
Saves money. Lower energy consumption will
mean lower energy bills for the residents and for the building
owners. In addition, a monthly statement showing electric
usage serves as a reminder that residents have control over
their energy usage.
Enhances safety and privacy. Quadlogic’s metering
system is remotely read. No meter readers are required to
be on the property to read the meters.
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| Who provides the electricity
to a submetered building? |
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The electric company continues to
provide electricity to the building. Quadlogic does not provide
electricity. |
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| How do electric costs get
allocated under submetering? |
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The building purchases its electricity
from the utility at a bulk residential rate. Then, the owner
charges residents for their actual metered electric consumption,
instead of a formula such as a square footage calculation or
by the number of shares owned as typically happens in a master-metered
building. With Quadlogic Submetering Systems,the building owners
or property managers can read and bill the meters themselves,
outsource this billing service to Quadlogic (for customers in
the NY metro area) or they can hire a third-party billing vendor
for this service. (Note, the building owner continues to be
responsible for the portion of the utility bill that covers
electricity consumed in a building's common areas, such as hallways
and elevators.) |
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| Do I need to get regulatory
approval to submeter? |
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You may need to get regulatory approval
to submeter your building. That will depend on your location
and whether the property is a rental, condo, coop or cond-op.
Typically rental properties will be required to petition the
local public service commission for approval to submeter. |
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