The energy manager's guide to real time submetering data 1.16.14

The Energy Manager’s Guide to
Real-Time Submetering Data
Understanding How Asset-Level Submetering
Helps Enterprises Comply with Industry
Standards and Unlocks Seven Hidden Benefits

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ..................................................... 3
Introduction to Energy Management .......................... 4
Real-Time, Asset-Level Submetering ........................... 5
Industry Organizations, Programs, and Standards ...... 6
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) .................................... 8
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ...... 9
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) ........................................ 10
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating,
and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) ................................ 11
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ............... 12

Seven Hidden Benefits of Submetering ..................... 13
Driving Economic Value ............................................................ 14
Seven Hidden Benefits of Submetering .................................... 15

Conclusion ................................................................. 23
About GridPoint ......................................................... 24

Energy Manager's Guide to Real-Time Submetering Data
© 2014 GridPoint, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2

Executive Summary
Real-time, asset-level submetering is
beneficial because unlike traditional
metering solutions, which only measure
total site energy usage, submetering data
allows energy managers to:
• Optimize equipment performance
• Implement smarter alarms
• Monitor sustainable sources of energy
• Leverage dynamic control strategies
• Verify project performance and utility bills
• Participate in demand response programs
• Intelligently design new buildings

A variety of standards bodies have recognized
the importance of asset-level submetering in
an effective energy management system
(EMS) and require enterprises to submeter
their sites in order to pass building codes and
comply with state and local laws.


3

To realize the
greatest energy and
operational savings,
energy managers
must be able to
leverage asset-level
submetering data in
a comprehensive
EMS that enables
advanced analysis
and dynamic control
changes in real time.

Introduction to Energy Management

Combining control with real-time submetering data
Energy management involves the planning and operation of energy consuming
and producing assets with the goal of reducing expenses, increasing operational
efficiency, and optimizing capital utilization. Traditional control-based energy
management systems (EMS) achieve some of these objectives by allowing
energy managers to regulate high-energy consuming equipment, implement
temperature setpoints, create lighting schedules, and adjust other parameters
to establish energy policy within a site or across an enterprise.
Submetering data provides a feedback loop for advanced analysis
A simple control-based EMS is limited because it does not feed asset-level data
back to the energy manager. Instead, an effective EMS must leverage a bidirectional approach that collects real-time, asset-level submetering data from a
variety of endpoints and aggregates it in a platform where the energy manager
may identify data trends, apply advanced analysis, and make dynamic control
adjustments based on those insights (Figure 1).

Figure 1. GridPoint’s data-driven approach to energy management

4

Real-Time, Asset-Level Submetering
Advanced visibility, insight, and analysis

The typical problem with utility meters today is that they only provide
visibility into site-level, main load energy usage and produce billed data
30-60 days after the energy has been consumed (Figure 2).

Site
Utility
Meter

?

Utility bills lag 30-60 days
Figure 2. Utility meters only provide consumption data for total site energy usage

With submetering technology, energy managers may track main load
energy usage, real-time consumption at the asset level (e.g. HVAC,
lighting, refrigeration, etc.), and production efficacy (e.g. renewables and
energy storage) (Figure 3).

Utility
Meter
Submeter

Real-time consumption data
Figure 3. Submetering enables total site and asset-level insight and analysis

5

Industry Organizations,
Programs, and Standards
How Real-Time, Asset-Level Submetering
Enhances Industry Compliance


6

Industry Organizations, Programs,
and Standards
There are numerous organizations that create and promote standards for
energy management and overall building energy efficiency which energy
managers should be familiar with, including the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE),
the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO).

These organizations highlight, among other things, the importance of realtime, asset-level submetering to achieve granular visibility into energy use,
optimize site operations, and satisfy regulatory compliance requirements.


7

EPA

Identifying efficiency measures through ENERGY STAR®
Many organizations and programs have been
established to promote energy management and
encourage businesses to purchase technologies that
optimize energy use. For example in 1992, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established
ENERGY STAR under the authority of the Clean Air Act
as a voluntary program to identify and promote more
energy efficient products, homes, and buildings.1

In a 2011 report, the National Science and Technology Council
stressed that “submetering provides the operations and
maintenance transparency necessary to enable more efficient
management of energy resources.” 2
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®
measures performance against
benchmarks
To receive the ENERGY STAR,
commercial buildings must score 75
or greater using ENERGY STAR
Portfolio Manager®, a free online
tool that benchmarks energy
consumption against similar
buildings (Figure 5). Some of the
Portfolio Manager criteria include
establishing performance baselines,
analyzing energy trends, and
normalizing energy data for accurate
comparisons, all of which can be
improved through submetering.
Figure 5. ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®
DataTrends for energy use in retail stores3

8

ACEEE

Promoting state-level energy savings targets
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is a non-profit
organization that promotes energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies,
investments, and behaviors. One such set of policies are the Energy Efficiency
Resource Standards (EERS), which are state-level, long-term energy savings
targets that utilities or non-utility program administrators must meet through
customer energy efficiency programs.4 As of July 2013, 25 states have enacted
EERS and to help meet those targets, both states and utilities offer financial
incentives and tax credits for things like lighting controls and energy
management systems that drive energy savings (Figure 6).5,6

As part of their 2010 study on energy efficiency in buildings, ACEEE
confirmed that submetering helped consumers reduce energy usage,
lower energy costs, and reduce energy demand, “proving again that
submetering is a most effective energy conservation measure.”7
Energy Efficiency Resource Standard

Combined Energy Efficiency and Renewable Standards

Figure 6. Energy efficiency and renewable standards are active in 25 states across the U.S.

9

USGBC

Providing LEED certification nation-wide
In 2000, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
introduced Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) as a green building certification system
for commercial, institutional, and residential projects.8
The system consists of certain prerequisites and
optional credits which add points toward certification.
The LEED certification levels include:
•
•
•
•

Certified: 40-49 points
Silver: 50-59 points
Gold: 60-79 points
Platinum: 80+ points9

There are several LEED credits related to the measurement and
verification of building performance that require asset or system-level
metering, which is made possible through submetering (Figure 7).

Credit Ref. #

Description

LEED NC Energy
& Atmosphere:
Credit 5

Install the necessary metering equipment to measure energy use.
Track performance by comparing predicted performance to actual
performance, broken down by component or system as appropriate.

LEED CI Energy
& Atmosphere:
Credit 3

Install continuous metering equipment for the following end uses:
Lighting systems and controls; constant and variable motor loads;
variable frequency drive operation, etc.

LEED EB Energy
& Atmosphere:
Credit 3.2

Employ system-level metering covering at least 40% or 80% of the
total expected annual energy consumption of the building.
Permanent metering recording are required.

Figure 7. Submetering-related criteria in LEED certification10

10

ASHRAE

Driving building code requirements
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers
(ASHRAE), which was founded in 1894, publishes commonly accepted standards
for building system design, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration,
and sustainability projects.11 These standards are often mandatory in state and
local building codes and influence requirements for new construction and
major building, system, and equipment retrofits.

As of October 2013, ASHRAE requires that all buildings or building
additions over 10,000 sq ft include submetering devices that measure
energy use for total load, HVAC, lighting, and other assets separately.
ASHRAE’s 2013 standard incorporates
submetering requirements
In early October 2013, ASHRAE introduced
its newest set of requirements, Standard
90.1-2013 (Figure 8). This standard added a
number of submetering-related
requirements, including electrical energy
monitoring, for all buildings or building
additions over 10,000 sq ft.12 More
specifically it states that:
• Measurement devices shall be installed to

monitor the electrical energy use for total
electrical energy, HVAC systems, interior and
exterior lighting, and receptacle circuits
separately.
• The electrical energy usage for all separate

loads shall be recorded a minimum of every
15 minutes and reported at least hourly,
daily, monthly, and annually.


11

Figure 8. ASHRAE’s Standard
90.1-2013 introduced
submetering requirements

ISO

Impacting global energy trends
The International Standards Organization (ISO) officially began operations in
1947 and today is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international
standards for products, services, and good practices that help make the
industry more efficient.13 ISO has published over 19,500 standards that cover
almost every aspect of technology and manufacturing, including over 150
standards specifically related to energy efficiency and renewables.

ISO 50001 specifies requirements applicable to energy use and
consumption, including measurement, documentation and reporting,
and procurement practices for equipment, systems, processes, and
personnel that contribute to energy performance.14
One such standard, ISO 50001, was
released in June 2011 and provides a
framework of requirements for energy
management systems (EMS) including
how to:

Establish Energy
Policy
Implement
Control Changes

• Develop a policy for more efficient
use of energy
• Use data to better understand and
make decisions about energy use
• Continually improve energy
management15

Continually
Improve EMS

Analyze and
Report Data

Having access to granular submetering
data can help energy managers
improve performance in all of these
areas and more effectively manage
energy use across sites (Figure 9).

Take Corrective
Action
Figure 9. Improve EMS performance with
submetering data


Submeter and
Monitor Assets

12

Seven Hidden Benefits
of Submetering
Leveraging Real-Time, Asset-Level Data, Advanced
Analysis, and Dynamic Control in a
Comprehensive EMS


13

Driving Economic Value

Real-time data maximizes energy savings
Incorporating submetering data into an EMS will translate into real savings for
energy managers. As shown in the GridPoint Energy Optimization Model (Figure
10), control and building instrumentation saving techniques, such as adjusting
temperature setpoints and reducing unnecessary overnight energy
consumption, build the strong foundation for an energy management system,
but there are additional levels of savings that can be accessed with real-time
submetering, which enables a host of data-rich applications.
Additional value in operating expense and capital expense savings
Submetering data provides further opportunities for operating expense (OPEX)
and capital expense (CAPEX) savings, such as preventative maintenance on
aging HVAC units or “right-sizing” equipment when designing a new building.
With this data, energy managers not only gain insight into current energy
expenses at the site and asset level, but they can also forecast how to best
optimize the energy needed to operate that site in the future.

Figure 10. GridPoint’s Energy Optimization Model delivers multiple levels of savings


14

Seven Hidden Benefits of Submetering


15

#1: Optimized equipment performance

To begin, real-time, asset-level submetering
helps energy managers drive savings by
highlighting opportunities to optimize
equipment and site performance. For example,
submetering may provide a holistic view of sitewide energy consumption, as well as details
regarding asset-level consumption over time.
With this level of visibility, energy managers may
see how much energy is being used throughout the day and identify which
assets are consuming more energy than necessary (Figure 11).
Energy managers may also use real-time submetering data to diagnose
inefficient equipment and potentially damaging power quality issues. For
example, after deploying submetering devices across 1,100 sites, a major
retailer identified 249 operational issues. Assuming submetering alone can save
businesses up to 4% on energy expenses, then a major retailer that spends
$250,000 per site per year across 1,100 sites could save up to $11 million.

Energy use during
unoccupied hours

Figure 11. Submetering data provides asset-level visibility into each site

16

#2: Smarter alarms

Another benefit of real-time, granular submetering
and monitoring data is the implementation of
smarter alarms, which can incorporate multiple
data points and alert customers to a range of
operational issues across their sites.

For example, a pharmacy could use real-time submetering and monitoring data
to set up alarms for their coolers that contain valuable prescription medicine. If
the coolers’ temperature rises above an unsafe threshold or if the coolers stop
drawing energy demand, then an alarm would trigger and send an immediate
notification out to the energy manager (Figure 12).
The energy manager could then quickly address the problem and prevent any
inventory spoilage, which for a cooler full of prescription medicine, could cost
up to $50,000. After the issue is resolved, the energy manager may also use
real-time data to confirm the return to normal activity.

Return to
normal
temperatures

Alarm triggered

Figure 12. Real-time monitoring data can identify elevated cooler temperatures
and potentially save the loss of expensive inventory


17

#3: Integrated sustainability

With more enterprises adding solar panels and
fuel cells to their sites, energy managers may use
real-time submetering and monitoring data to
measure energy production and determine
whether renewable sources of energy are a
viable business strategy for each site.
For example a major retailer could use solar and fuel cell dashboards to
integrate production and consumption data, measure equipment efficiency, and
calculate how much they’ve reduced their carbon emissions by not consuming
that energy from the grid (Figure 13). This visibility may enable the retailer to
increase the number of sites that use sustainable energy sources and even have
sites that approach 100% self-generated power.

Figure 13. A solar monitoring dashboard displays submetered energy consumption
and production information for each site


18

#4: Dynamic control

Energy managers may also take advantage of
real-time, asset-level submetering and
monitoring data to increase savings through
sophisticated control strategies, which
dynamically and automatically adjust
operations based on current site conditions.
Control strategies leverage the constant feedback loop between equipment and
the environment in which it operates to ensure that energy usage is optimized
(Figure 14). For example, a major restaurant chain and national convenience
store chain were able to save 12% and 22% respectively on annual energy
expenses by implementing dynamic control strategies.
Control Strategy

Description

Load Curtailment

• Determine which equipment may be turned down or shut off
to meet target load limits

Dynamic Setpoint

• Monitor outdoor temperatures and automatically adjust
internal HVAC setpoints to account for spikes and drops

HVAC Recovery

• Leverage submetering data to determine optimal times to
transition zones from unoccupied to occupied setpoints

HVAC Setback

• Leverage submetering data to determine optimal times to
transition zones from occupied to unoccupied setpoints

Humidity Control

• Monitor indoor humidity and temporarily lower cooling
setpoints when humidity levels exceed a certain threshold

Demand Control
Ventilation

• Monitor CO2 concentration and add more fresh air to the
building when CO2 levels exceed a certain threshold

Motor Protector

• Monitor power quality and shut off equipment when there is a
voltage imbalance to protect motors from damage

Figure 14. Control strategies integrate real-time submetering and monitoring data


19

#5: Financial verification for projects and bills
In addition, energy managers may boost
savings by utilizing real-time submetering to
track various projects and verify utility bills.
The National Utilities Refund claims that 80%
of their audits find errors within clients’
invoices and result in refunds so having
access to submetered usage data is critical
for resolving these discrepancies.16
Submetering data is also helpful in measuring project performance and
providing key stakeholders with the information they need to make data-driven
decisions. For example, energy managers may use submetering and monitoring
data to measure the impact of equipment retrofits at their sites (Figure 15).
With real-time, asset-level data, energy managers can monitor decreases in
energy consumption, compare energy savings to reduction goals, and record
data to substantiate additional retrofit projects at other sites.

Figure 15. Track real-time project performance with submetering data

20

#6: Demand response and peak shaping
Real-time submetering also gives energy
managers the data they need to understand
where and when they can shape peak energy use
to take advantage of lower utility rates. This data
also enables enterprises to participate in lucrative
demand response programs that reward sites for
reducing load during certain time periods when
the utility grid is overtaxed.
As an example, a major retailer leverages asset-level submetering data to
determine where they can shed load across 840 of their sites during demand
response events. In addition, they use recorded submetering data to verify
declines in energy usage and the return to normal operations once the event is
complete (Figure 16). By shedding load, this retailer receives almost $2 million
per year in program compensation.

Demand
response events

Figure 16. Real-time submetering data enables participation in demand response programs


21

#7: Intelligent building design

Finally, energy managers may benefit from
historical submetering and monitoring data by
facilitating more intelligent building design. With
asset-level granularity, energy managers may see
how efficiently their equipment currently
operates and how much total energy their sites
require for normal operations (Figure 17). This
information may then be used to forecast energy
capacity for new buildings and “right-size”
equipment accordingly.
For example, energy managers may use historical data from current sites to
accurately predict how much energy a new building would require. This would
allow them to determine transformer capacity, purchase the correct number of
HVAC units, and ultimately save money on equipment.

Figure 17. Leverage asset-level consumption information to design new buildings


22

Conclusion
Real-time submetering data provides granular visibility into asset-level energy
consumption and helps buildings meet some of the industry’s leading programs
and standards. To truly maximize the value of submetering, energy managers
should consider a comprehensive energy management solution that combines
real-time submetering and monitoring insights, advanced data analytics, and
dynamic, enterprise-wide control.

References
1About

Energy Star; http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.ab_index. Accessed 9/29/13

2Submetering of

Building Energy and Water Usage. October 2011
http://www.energystar.gov/buildings/sites/default/uploads/tools/Submetering_of_building_energy_and_water_usag
e.pdf?e296-28f0. Accessed 9/29/13
3Energy Star Portfolio Manager Data Trends, Energy Use in Retail Stores;
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/downloads/datatrends/DataTrends_Retail_20121006.pdf. Accessed 9/29/13
4ACEEE Energy Efficiency Resource Standards; http://aceee.org/topics/eers. Accessed 9/29/13
5ACEEE Policy Brief, July 2013; http://aceee.org/files/pdf/policy-brief/eers-07-2013.pdf. Accessed 9/29/13
6Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency: Financial Incentives for Energy Efficiency Table;
http://www.dsireusa.org/summarytables/finee.cfm. Accessed 10/4/13
72010 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings;
http://aceee.org/files/proceedings/2010/data/papers/1939.pdf. Accessed 10/4/13
8USGBC History; http://www.usgbc.org/about/history . Accessed 9/29/13
9LEED

Certification; http://www.usgbc.org/leed/certification/certify. Accessed 9/29/13

10Pike

Research “Electricity Submeters Basic and Advanced Submeter Hardware, Submeter Energy Management
Software, and Submetering Services: Market Analysis and Forecasts “ 2Q 2012
11About

ASHRAE; https://www.ashrae.org/about-ashrae/. Accessed 8/19/13

12ASHRAE

Standards Addenda. Addendum bz, page 30
https://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/docLib/StdsAddenda/90_1_2010_2012AddendaSupplement_Published.pdf.
Accessed 8/19/13
13About
14ISO

ISO; http://www.iso.org/iso/home/about.htm. Accessed 10/4/13

50001:2011; http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=51297. Accessed 10/4/13

15ISO

50001 – Energy Management; http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso50001.htm.
Accessed 10/4/13
16National Utilities Refund;

http://www.nationalutilitiesrefund.com/Audit-vs--Energy-Switch.html; Accessed 12/6/13


23

About GridPoint
GridPoint is an innovator in comprehensive, data-driven energy management solutions
(EMS) that leverage the power of real-time data collection, big data analytics and cloud
computing to maximize energy savings, operational efficiency, capital utilization and
sustainability benefits.
GridPoint’s integrated energy management portfolio of asset-level submetering and
monitoring, intelligent control, energy management software, and professional services,
provides customers granular visibility, actionable analysis, and dynamic control that can
generate 10-30% energy savings and an 18-36 month payback.
GridPoint solutions are deployed at over 12,000 sites with over 64 billion customer data
points collected to date, and 100 million added daily. Customers include 7 of the top 20
quick serve restaurants, 4 of the top 10 casual dining restaurants, 3 of the top 20
convenience store growth chains, 6 of the top 10 retailers by total sales, leading
commercial and industrial enterprises, and major government and educational institutions.

For more information on GridPoint’s Energy Management System please
reference the following white papers:
• A Data-Driven Approach to Energy Management
• Hurricane Sandy Recovery Accelerated by Energy Management Solution:
GridPoint’s Disaster Recovery Framework


24

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