Submetering News

When speaking with clients, a reoccurring question that arises is whether or not they need a different submetering system to measure each utility (electric, water and gas).  The simple answer is, that depends.  The majority of systems that are in the market right now communicate wirelessly; however, there are still systems that are being sold that require the meters to be hardwired into the properties building automation systems.  These systems often require that the meters need to have the ability to be read through the specific automation systems communication protocol.  This can potentially mean that you will need different devices to be installed to standardize the way your meters are communicating, which can end up becoming very expensive and labor intensive.

One of the most common questions that we are asked, by new and existing clients, is "I already have meters installed that are not smart meters. Is it possible to retrofit or upgrade these old meters to be able to read them remotely?" The answer to this question lies within the type of meter that you currently have installed.  Utility meters (electric, water, and gas) can be built with a pulse output and with many of the Byram meters, this comes standard.  The pulse output provides a signal that creates a way for the meter to be read remotely with the addition of submetering communication products such as the Byram Pulse Transmitter (BPT). Once the BPT is connected to the meter and counting the number of pulses generated from the meter, you can install a few repeaters and a collector and begin to read the system remotely.

In the latest issue of the National Apartment Association’s Units Magazine, an article was written regarding the operating income and expenses in rental apartment communities.  The NAA took a survey of over 180 firms who own or manage garden style and mid/hi-rise apartment communities with 50 units or more within the categories of market rent and subsidized.  A key highlight within the results of the survey is the difference in expenses between properties that are submetered vs properties that are master metered.  In fact, there is such a difference in the average utility expense that the NAA created two separate tables based upon these factors.

The Byram Utility Solutions team will be hosting a meter training seminar for our clients later this month.  The purpose of the training is to ensure that the individuals and companies that are using our meters and software everyday feel comfortable with the full operation of our submetering system; as well as a thank you for being a part of the Byram family.  We will be reviewing our submeter product line how to install our meters, how to best utilize our meter software, and future enhancements.  We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about Byram Utility Solutions submetering system to reach out to your sales representative or account manager so they can notify you of all future events.

A big topic of interest that the Byram Utility Solutions team has seen in the past few months deals with the data that our submeters record.  Our clients want to know how much data the meters are recording, communicating, and posting to their portal.  The simple answer to this question is....... well there is not one; however, it depends on the type of meter that you are using.  

The Byram Utility Solutions team is heading out to San Diego today for the annual National Apartment Association's Apartmentalize trade show.  We will be exhibiting at booth 3125 and we will be raffling off some great prizes.  Stop by to discuss how our submetering products and solutions can fit into your portfolio.  We look forward to seeing everyone and we hope everyone in attendance has a great show!

The Byram Utility Solutions team had another successful showing at the New Jersey Apartment Association.  The team saw a lot of interest in Byram's submetering offering, specifically the water submetering system.  Many property managers and owners were interested in how they can reduce their utilities and promote conservation efforts throughout their properties.  We look forward to assisting our current and new clients in all of their submetering needs!