AUTOMATED METER READING SYSTEMS
& IT'S POTENTIAL
Chrispal Anand - Carbon and Energy Manager


Purpose of Automated Meter Reading (AMR) system

What does an AMR system entail?

University of Leicester's estate and It’s AMR system

The use of AMR

Maintenance of AMR

Things to bear in mind when embarking on an AMR


Eliminate manual meter read

Better quality of data

Help to understand energy and water usage profile

Avoid energy and water wastage early

Making it easier for legislative compliance

Helps to justify energy efficiency and water savings projects

Assists in bill validation and re-charges

Manual meter reading system


Monthly or weekly meter reads using clip board or handheld devices
Manually enter the readings into the energy management software.
Automated meter reading system



Half-Hourly meter reads via a suitable method
Meter reads transferred automatically into a database
The energy management software uses this database for further analysis
EMT’s
Server
Internet Comms
Customer’s
Host Running
DYNAMAT
GPRS Comms
N
Site
DATA BIRD
Central
Receiver/
Data Logger
M Elec Meter
M
Heat Meter
M
Gas Meter
M
Water Meter
T
Outside Temp
DB
T1
M M M M
Boiler House
DB
T1
M M M M
Office
DB
T1
M M M M
Factory
ETC
M M M M
Annexe
Energy Metering Technology Ltd
.


Data collection methods

Low radio powered

Network (TCP/IP)

SMS

GMS

Hardwire
Data Logger
Transmitter


Typical meters

Data loggers

Electricity meters/sub-meters

Flow meters

Gas meters/submeters

Heat meters

Portable meters

Steam meters

Water meters


Web based

Client hosted

PC based

Intranet based


The University has an extensive estate in the City of
Leicester, Oadby and Glenfield comprising of:

5 main sites

291 buildings occupying an area of 290,455 m 2

48 hectares of grounds

Number of employees – 3,803 (2010-11)

Number of registered students – 22,784 (2010-11)

What do you know about your meters?




Gas - Do you know your MAM (Meter Asset Manager)?

National Grid / Energy Asset / Smart Metering System /
Exoteric / Off Stream/ etc
Electricity - Do you know your MOP (Meter Operator)?

Siemens / EDF / EON / British Gas / etc
Of course, you need to know your suppliers
Meter location is important (plant room/boiler house/ pavement/ under kitchen sink/cleaner cupboard/etc)


UoL has been through
2 AMR tenders

Tender 1 (2007) –
Non-Residential
Buildings

Tender 2 (2011) –
Residential Buildings

Selection criteria

Cost

Software user-friendliness

Data collection method

Installation experience

Ongoing maintenance for hardware and software

Staffing levels

University of
Leicester –
Data Bird
AMR System

University of
Leicester –
Digital Energy
AMR System


Number of fiscal meters

Electricity – 127 (non Half-Hourly) and 23 (Half-Hourly)

Gas – 112

Water – 94

Number of sub-meters – 321 approx

Number of meters on Data Bird system – 461

Number of meters on Digital Energy system – 216

- Legislative compliance:
Energy data for Display
Energy
Certificate /
Energy
Performance
Certificate /
CRC & EU ETS data check

-
- Business case energy efficiency projects
-
- To prove energy saving projects
Charles Wilson Building -
Voltage Optimisation Project
Before :
Energy consumption – 1,415,098 kWh
Energy cost - £112K
After :
Total project cost - £51K
Savings predicted – 11%
Savings per year projected - £11,846
Payback – 4.4 years
CO
2 savings – 83.6 Tonnes pa

-
- To prove behavioural change projects
-
- Example: Student Switch Off Project during Feb 2012 at Percy Gee (Students Union Building)
 26kwh saved over the switch off period.
 5% saving compared to previous Thursday (2/2/12).

- AMR access for environmental coordinators

The Use of AMR – Billing & Re-charges
- Set-up energy contractors within AMR software for re-charge purposes


Dedicated personnel resource depending on size of the system

Set alarms and monitor alarms on a daily basis

It’s good practice to take 1 or 2 manual meter reads per year to reconcile the automated reads

Site tree structure

AMR providers to provide familiar reports


Make sure you have valid business case for the preferred AMR system

Ensure you choose an appropriate data collecting system that works for your institution

Speak to your utility suppliers, MOP and MAM

Choose a user-friendly software

Small contingency pot for unknown meters

Ensure you have a maintenance contract for hardware and software, which suits your institution

Chrispal Anand
Carbon and Energy manager
0116 252 2308 cpa4@le.ac.uk