Submetering
The Challenge
Water submetering in multifamily, manufactured housing, RV Parks and Marinas entails the installation of individual water meters for each residential unit, providing precise measurements of water consumption. Unlike Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBS) and other allocation methods, that distribute water costs among tenants based on factors like square footage or occupancy¬¬, submetering ensures fair and accurate billing by directly charging tenants based on their actual water usage. This transparent approach fosters tenant satisfaction and encourages water conservation. Sub-metering offers several advantages for property owners and real-estate management companies.
Firstly, it promotes fair and accurate billing, ensuring that residents pay for their actual water usage rather than an allocated share. This can lead to increased tenant satisfaction and encourages water conservation as individuals become more conscious of their consumption. Compared to RUBS, sub-metering provides a more transparent and equitable approach, eliminating disputes over unequal allocations and encouraging responsible water consumption. Property owners benefit from increased revenue recovery as they accurately bill each tenant, while site management companies can streamline their billing processes and reduce administrative burdens.
Beyond these benefits, sub-metering significantly impacts property owners financially. By passing water expenses directly to tenants, property owners experience improved cash flow with net operating income, positively influencing the overall value of the asset. The advantages extend to a quick return on investment (ROI), with property owners often recouping their initial investment in approx. 18 months. The rapid ROI, coupled with increased revenue recovery and operational efficiencies, makes the decision to sub-meter a financially sound choice. The implementation of sub-metering systems often leads to overall water conservation of approx. 40% on the property, aligning with sustainability goals and reducing environmental impact.
Our Solution
Unlike other submetering companies who focus on indoor submetering installations, our submetering RF solution can be installed outdoors or indoors with a wide variety of meters. It can be set up for simple pulse output or digital output/encoded utility meters in a range of sub metering applications and environments. The submetering RF transmitter device is an independent unit intricately connected to standard meter pickups, interpreting their encoded output. Remarkably versatile, this device efficiently collects and transmits information from a wide array of North American encoded or pulse-output utility meters, supporting multi-utility collection for water, gas, and electric within the same system network. One of its notable features is the ability to transmit data seamlessly from within underground pits, eliminating the need for any modifications to the pit cover. This standalone device is powered by a 5- year replaceable battery, or a 10-year heavy duty battery (depending on the model). Renowned for its high reliability in both indoor and outdoor environments, the device offers a hassle-free installation process, requiring no extensive infrastructure adjustments. Additionally, our submetering RF transmitters boast a splash-proof design that ensures durability, with an optional IP68 water-proof feature, further enhancing its resilience in diverse operating conditions such as underground water meter pits, etc.
What also sets us apart from our competition is that our solution utilizes a licensed 450-470 Mhz. radio frequency that transmits over a large distance back to our gateway, reducing the need for multiple costly repeaters that are required with non-licensed 900Mhz indoor submetering systems limiting them in outdoor applications.
In conclusion, the implementation of water sub-metering in multifamily, manufactured housing, RV Parks and Marinas results in enhanced billing precision, increased tenant satisfaction and improved water conservation. This approach not only delivers financial advantages for property owners but also streamlines operations for site management companies. Our RF submetering solution stands out for its reliability, meter compatibility, and exceptional coverage across diverse scenarios. Specifically designed to address challenging environments like manufactured housing and other demanding sites, the system offers a distinctive solution for such harsh conditions.