Make metering easy

Many organisations make metering more complicated than it has to be. Tim Hooper offers some guidance to getting the best from a metering system

Why are there so many unfinished, unused, or ‘in disrepair’ sub metering installations? Worse still, why are there so many new meters fitted as part of the building regulations without any useful connection for remote reading, or connected to a BMS and completely ignored?

Meter data has never lost its usefulness but it’s fair to assume it may have lost its appeal to energy managers due to previously challenging projects, failed sub meter roll outs, poor maintenance and degradation of old systems.

No one should be in any doubt that a metering system is about data, so if the data is not valuable or not used – you don’t need a metering system. Although one has to question how large organisations can manage energy and sustainability without extensive use of metering data.

Looking from the view of a company providing metering expertise, it is sometimes difficult to see why so many customers struggle with metering. However, if one views this from a customer perspective it may be clearer to understand if not resolve.

While I am certain metering data is undervalued, it has to be accepted that the reluctance to use metering data must in some part be attributed to:
• bad experience/bad choice of contractor and or equipment;
• lack of resources to analyse data;
• lack of knowledge;
• degrading systems overdue for replacement; and
• lack of understanding of meters and metering systems.

Organisations need to accept that metering, and metering systems are not simple. They are not ‘fit and forget’ and they need some degree of operation/oversight to stay working. It is totally unrealistic to think otherwise.
Any system over 20-50 meters can begin to get complex with respect to installation and data collection. Installation of a metering solution is multi-disciplined and needs experienced and knowledgeable installers. Systems over 100 meters become highly complex to install because every aspect of electrical installation, cabling and communication may have to be deployed to create a coherent and robust solution. Over 500 meters, and these projects will get quite challenging.

There are many successful metering implementations and there are many ways to achieve this. In most cases there a few main common characteristics:
• the customer uses the data and therefore attributes a value to the system;
• systems are managed and maintained;
• the use of correct and appropriate equipment; and
• expert installation and commissioning.

These characteristics can be simply adapted into the key factors for creating a successful metering system – whether new, upgrading an old system or enabling meters that are already installed but doing nothing. These key factors need to be considered to deploy a successful metering solution:

1. Know what you want to achieve. Only you really know what is trying to be achieved, no matter how expert the solution provider, your clear guidance is crucial if you want to achieve your goals and see results.
‘Just fit me a metering solution’ or ‘just monitor the major loads’ is not a specification. It would be easy to deliver but very doubtful it will be what you need. As a minimum, understand the main drivers you will use metering for:
• tenant billing or cost allocation;
• energy saving and project tracking; and
• identification of saving opportunities.
2. Use the correct equipment. This refers not only to the type of equipment but the quantity of it. Too many meters are just as bad as too few. Consider reusing existing meters (always reuse where possible). Don’t allow contractors to rip out and replace perfectly serviceable metering. Don’t buy a solution based on fancy software graphics, and don’t buy a solution based on over-specified meters – there is a middle ground that should satisfy most of the requirements. It is important that the metering equipment uses standard protocols, robust communications and flexible data collection. This is because proprietary solutions lock you into a specific provider. There is no guarantee that the provider will still be the best provider in ten years or they will still be in business. If your metering equipment uses standards, it can be used by alternative data collection devices. Data collection equipment that cannot send data to different platforms should be avoided.

3. Commission, commission, commission. This means full, end-to-end commissioning. Does the reading on the meter appear exactly in the software system? Is the accumulation of energy appropriate for the equipment being monitored?
If you do not carry out detailed end-to-end commissioning – the chances of successful metering are very limited. If you are not prepared to commission correctly – do not fit metering.

4. Operate and maintain. Why would anyone think a metering system would last forever without oversight and routine or ad hoc maintenance? Granted, meters rarely fail and system data loggers are reliable. However, IT networks can be changed, parts get damaged, unplugged, batteries fail, radio links can fail or be disabled. In almost all cases, a change of gas supplier will result in the loss of any AMR connectivity. It is frustrating but it always happens.

Tim Hooper is managing director of Elcomponent Ltd