Equipment – A wireless submetering system with integral temperature sensor

Despite the fact that there are dedicated circuit breakers for each apartment in the building basement electric rooms, each apartment submeter was installed inside each apartment adjacent to the apartment breaker panel in order to take advantage of an integral temperature sensor. The temperature sensor provides management the ability to monitor apartment temperatures and to optimize the building complex’s heating distribution system and boiler(s) operation. This feature has assisted in addressing resident heat complaints and should result in significant winter fuel savings which will more than offset the additional installation cost associated with placing the submeter inside the apartment as opposed to in the basement area.

Billing History

Baseline year before submetering




Most recent year after submetering

An analysis of the building electrical data was conducted by Herbert E. Hirschfeld, P.E. in order to determine the impact of electrical submetering on the building complex’s electrical usage (kWh), demand (KW) and associated utility and ESCO electric costs. In order to determine the building’s cost benefit (or cost avoidance) due to submetering, the base line period (01/31/02 – 01/31/03) which was established during the submetering feasibility evaluation prior to submetering implementation was adjusted based on prevailing electric costs and weather data (cooling degree days or CDD) which occurred during the time period of comparison (03/27/07 – 03/26/08) after submetering. In this example the difference between the adjusted baseline period and the current period yielded an adjusted reduction in usage of 7,527,146 kWh or 35.3% and a cost avoidance (or cost benefit) of $1,450,713 which represents 35.3% of the adjusted total building complex’s electric costs. Additionally, there was a reduction in peak demand of approximately 29.1% which would have resulted in Queens Fresh Meadows obtaining additional financial incentives by participating in the New York State Independent System Operator (ISO) Curtailment program.

Resultant Adjusted Reduction in Usage of 7,527,146 kWh or 35.3% and
a Cost Avoidance from Electrical Submetering of $1,450,713 or 35.3%,
as well as a Reduction in Billing Demand of 29.1%