Smart meters function as earlier meters do, but with the added benefit of two-way communication with the home utility company, and the ability to send an hourly report of the rate of usage. The utility company can send your business a report showing the hourly use.
These smart' functions work on any meter; most are on electric, gas and water meters.
You can study these reports and determine during which hours your company uses the greatest amount of each utility. Once you know which hours are peak usages, there are
energy management programs that can help you control the utilities.
These energy management programs work with sensors placed throughout the building to monitor uses in certain sections of the building. By reading how sections use the utilities, research can be made to determine if any wasteful habits are occurring in the areas of high use.
Electric companies have higher rates for usage during peak times. Your business can see how much electricity it uses during these times. To lower your costs, you can spread out the electrical use into non-peak times. Any water heater can be fitted with a timer, controlled by the energy management program, so it turns on only during the low demand times of the day. If it is not feasible to re-arrange the electrical usage, there are other ways to reduce electric costs.
You can look at more energy-efficient devices to bring down your electrical cost during these peak hours. Water and gas utilities likewise have peak demand rates. Sensors can also be placed in buildings that are connected to the energy management computer system.
Once you have determined where the high-use areas are, and what volume is needed, some research will help you find methods to limit the use to what you need. Water lines can be fitted with reducers to lower the use of water with the combination of smart meters, with an energy management program will reduce your utility bills.
