Electrical Submetering to Enable Time Sensitive Pricing

Trump Village Apartments Section One, a master metered, hi-rise, rental type residential building located at 2940 Ocean Parkway near the intersection of the Belt Parkway and Ocean Parkway (in Brooklyn) implemented electrical submetering during 2005 – 2006. Most of the 441 apartments are occupied by rent stabilized tenants under the jurisdiction of DHCR and subject to its guidelines.

Trump Village Section 1 agreed to participate in a NYSERDA sponsored Time Sensitive Pricing program with residents receiving shadow time sensitive bills for a time period to be determined by management and contingent on system performance, as well as tenant response, at other buildings under the same ownership which were participating in the same NYSERDA program.

Equipment – Wireless submetering system with integral temperature sensor

An apartment submeter was installed inside each apartment adjacent to the 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 heating distribution system and boiler operation. This feature has assisted in addressing resident heat complaints and should result in significant fuel savings which will further improve the energy efficiency of this building.

Billing History

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’s electrical usage (kWh), demand (KW) and associated utility costs. In order to determine the building’s cost benefit (or cost avoidance) due to submetering, the base line year (established prior to submetering – see Fig #1) was adjusted based on electric utility costs and weather data (cooling degree days or CDD) which occurred during the year of comparison (4/4/07 – 4/3/08) after submetering. In this example the difference between the adjusted baseline period and the current period (see Fig #2) yielded an adjusted reduction in usage of 627,507 kWh or 20.6% and a cost avoidance of $134,832 which represents 21.63% of the adjusted building electric costs. Additionally, there was a reduction in peak demand of approximately 7.41% which would have resulted in Trump Village Section One obtaining additional incentives by participating in the NYS ISO ICAP program. The impact of TOU pricing will be determined after the 12-month TOU billing period has been completed.

Resultant Adjusted Reduction in Usage of 627,507 kWh or 20.6% and a Cost Avoidance from Electrical Submetering of $134,832 or 21.63%, as well as a Reduction in Billing Demand of 7.41%

Contributed by Herbert E. Hirschfeld, P. E.