Over $1 billion dollars will be spent over the next decade to make multi-residential social housing more energy efficient, cost-effective, and cleaner for the environment.
The Provincial Government of BC is planning on investing $400 million of the $1 billion-dollar initiative in retrofitting current social housing to be more energy efficient, with some buildings reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50%.
This is welcome news, as the upgrades would seek to improve overall building efficiency, and reduce energy use through upgrading mechanical systems, electrical systems, and repairing building envelopes.
A key factor in implementing a successful retrofit program is to install a submetering system with an intelligent reporting program. Submetering systems are important when retrofitting older buildings because:
They help identify existing issues in your building through compiling and using data
Installing submeters with an intelligent reporting program like MeterConnex™ can help your building automation systems (BAS) find underperforming systems, and allow you to make early proactive repairs before occupants see any changes on their utility bills, compared to costly reactive repairs that revolve around rush jobs and decreased occupant satisfaction. This would also allow for a cost-effective use of public funds, reducing any waste through detecting leaks or underperforming systems.
They help drive behavioral changes when tenants see their utility bills go down
Studies have shown that just by installing submeters and implementing incentives for reduced consumption, some buildings were able to reduce their overall consumption by 20%. This can be achieved by small changes such as turning off unused lights, lowering the thermostat by 1 degree, or taking shorter showers.
They help find problems in your building as they arise by pinpointing problem areas and systems
Submeters are also able to help by diagnosing if there are problem areas in your building. For instance, installing a water submeter at the suite level can help identify faulty pipes or a broken toilet flap, saving both the property and the customer hundreds of dollars in the process.
Submetering for utilities in older buildings is crucial for measuring building efficiency and helps reduce overall costs for building maintenance. This allows for a more cost-efficient use of tax dollars, as well as reducing our impact on the environment. Looking to submeter your property? QMC can help: We offer regulation-approved meters with cutting-edge metering and reporting technology to provide you with reliability and near-real time reporting, with advanced fault detection at the ready. Contact us today.
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