Submetering In Vertical Subdivisions

Submetering in vertical subdivisions provides a value engineering opportunity for developers, builders, architects and engineers. Traditionally, gas meters are placed in meter banks on the exterior of a building with distribution lines running to each floor and branching off to each unit.

This overlay shows the distribution lines feeding each floor from the meter bank. Keep in mind this is only the vertical piping and is not including horizontal piping within the building.   

Let's say a building with ten floors has ten units per floor with each floor being ten feet tall. It would require 1,000 feet of vertical pipe just to reach the tenth floor. It would take an additional 4,500 feet of pipe to reach the other floors. Remember, this is the vertical piping only. That is a total of 5,500 feet of pipe !

If each ten foot section of pipe cost $20.00, the cost of vertical piping alone for this building would be $11,000.  

THE ALTERNATIVE
Submetering is a value engineering option that cuts building costs, saves space and also benefits from bulk rate discounts from gas companies. A master meter is the only meter that would be located on the exterior of the building and one trunk line running vertically would distribute gas to each floor.

This overlay shows one trunk line running vertically and distributing to each floor. Submeters are located in each apartment in a utility closet, usually with the water heater and furnace. Submeters are read remotely using automatic meter reading technology (AMR) so there is no need to enter the unit.

This building option uses considerably less piping and therefore cuts building costs. Using the same building dimensions as above, this option uses only 100 feet of pipe to reach all floors of the building. Granted the trunk line is bigger diameter, but the savings are still great. If each ten foot section of trunk line cost $60.00, the total cost of the trunk line would be $600.00. Compare that to the cost of running vertical lines for each apartment and you would save $10,400!

With submetering the savings in piping alone is incredible, but there are more savings involved. Labor costs are reduced and the building owner/residents benefit from bulk rate discounts. In Salt Lake City, the bulk rate discount is 18% after 45 decatherms of usage.

Please let us know if you have any questions about submetering in vertical subdivisions. There are many submetering applications and we specialize in submetering and billing all types of utilities.

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