Home
  
About Us
Why Smart Meter
Case Studies
FAQ's
Contact
 
     

GHMS Proven Solutions

Selected GHMS Project #1:
Provision of turn-key Smart metering technology for Multi-Dwellings in Oakville including all new buildings and retro-fitting of existing buildings.  (Approximately 16 Multi-Dwelling projects consisting of 1500 units completed as of July 2007 for Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc.)  

Problem:
Oakville Hydro required a meter system that would support metering of all new Multi-Dwelling buildings and retro-fitting of existing Multi-Dwelling buildings within its distribution territory. The meter system would be available in wall mount and socket base configuration and would be compact and require minimal square footage while being adaptable to a variety of different electrical systems and components within each building. The meter system would implement individual suite metering for each unit of a condominium and make each suite a direct customer of the utility. In relationship to bulk metering, the individual metering would eliminate cross subsidization of energy costs among suite owners while simultaneously encouraging energy conservation.  The system would also introduce an AMR system that would provide interval data to support complex rate structures, eliminate manual meter reads, and support future value added services.  

Solution:
In 1999 Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc. (OHEDI) began installing Quadlogic MC5 meters in all new Multi-Dwelling buildings. MC5 meters were installed in the electrical closets on various floors of each building and small window type current transformers were installed on each live conductor within the distribution panels and terminated in the MC5 meters. The bulk meters became redundant since all units and common element loads were metered. A transponder was installed in the main electrical room and connected to the buildings electrical system through a 15 amp breaker. The transponder would collect daily interval data from all meters using power line carrier (PLC) technology. PLC technology eliminated the need for wiring between each meter and the transponder. Each transponder transferred the meter data daily back to the utility using telecommunications. OHEDI initially read the transponders using their MV-90 system but converted over to another multi-vendor system called PrimeRead. OHEDI currently meters several thousand customers using GHMS Quadlogic Meters. Many of these customers are now billed on TOU rates supported by the Quadlogic Meter System.

System Features Include:
Interval remote metering via PLC for all suites and common element loads.
Display window for customer access to meter reads

  • Interval metering prepares residents to take advantage of the anticipated TOU rates.
  • System read by PrimeRead software already in use by Utility.
  • Provides access to Utility web-presentment of billing data for customers on TOU rates.

 

Selected GHMS Project #2
Provision of turn-key Smart metering technology for all new residential single-dwellings in Oakville beginning in 2003 (approximately 3000 installed meters as of July 2007) for Oakville Hydro Electricity Distribution Inc.  

Problem:
Oakville Hydro required a meter system that would support metering at distribution transformers. This migration to metering at distribution transformers would introduce an AMR system that would provide interval data, eliminate manual meter reads, eliminate theft of power and support future value added services.  

Solution:
In 2003 Oakville Hydro Electricity Inc. began working with GHMS to have Quadlogic MC5 meters installed inside meter cabinets mounted at distribution transformers in all new sub-divisions. Small window type current transformers were installed on each conductor and terminated at the MC5 meters. A transponder was installed on various distribution transformers that would collect meter data using PLC technology. Initial stages of the project used a DLC cable between each transformer to accommodate the PLC communication. Each transponder transferred the meter data daily using telecommunications. OHEDI initially read the transponders using their MV-90 system prior to converting to PrimeRead system.  To permit the utility to read water meters, a communication cable was run from the MC5 meters to each water meter remote installed on the side of each home. This cable was installed during the installation of services in the sub-divisions. OHEDI has recently converted WAN communications for the above system from dial-up telephone to cellular using the Bluetree Wireless Modems on an IP network. Many residential customers metered at the distribution transformer are now billed on Time-Of-Use (TOU) rates supported by the Quadlogic Meter System.


System Features Include:
Interval remote metering via PLC for residential communities
Display window for customer access to meter reads
Encoded modules to receive data from water meters encoded heads- provides interval data for water

  • Interval metering prepares residents to take advantage of the anticipated TOU rates.
  • Many customers now billed on TOU rates.
  • System read by MV-90 and PrimeRead software already in use by Utility.
  • Elimination of power diversion.


Selected GHMS Project #3
Enersource Hydro Mississauga required a turn-key Smart Metering technology for Multi-Dwellings in Mississauga including all new buildings and retro-fitting of existing buildings.  

Problem:
Enersource Hydro Mississauga is an Ontario Distribution company serving approximately 170,000 customers and is currently experiencing significant growth in the multi-residential market. Enersource had tradionally bulk metered multi-residential buildings, but new market conditions provided incentive for individually metering each unit. Enersource Hydro required a meter system that would support metering of new Multi-Dwelling buildings and retro-fitting of existing Multi-Dwelling buildings within its distribution territory and meet OEB Smart Meter requirements. The meter system would be available in wall mount and socket base configuration and would be compact and require minimal square footage while being adaptable to a variety of different electrical systems and components within each building. The meter system would introduce individual suite metering for each unit of a condominium and make each suite a direct customer of the utility. In relationship to bulk metering, the individual metering would eliminate cross subsidization of energy costs among suite owners while simultaneously encouraging energy conservation.  The system would also introduce an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system that would provide interval data to support complex rate structures, eliminate manual meter reads, and support future value added services.  

Solution:
Enersource awarded a metering contract to GHMS to provide its Quadlogic Power Line Carrier (PLC) MC5 meter system for new and existing Multi-Dwelling buildings. The MC5 system interval metered multiple services at breaker panels on various floors of each building. The meter data would be collected using PLC technology by a transponder located in the main electrical room. The data would be back hauled to Enersource Hydro’s MV-90 system using telecommunication system. Once in house, the data would be used to create utility bills for all tenants. GHMS proceeded to successfully meter several new Multi-Dwelling developments totaling close to 3000 units and retro-fit a 200 unit Town House complex .  

System Features Include:

  • Interval remote metering
  • Redundant data storage at the Meter and the Transponder
  • Individual metering of each tenant
  • PLC communication throughout the complex
  • Metering of all common services
  • Interrogation of meters using MV-90 system

 

Selected GHMS Project #4

Burlington Hydro Inc. required a turn-key Smart Metering technology for retrofitting multi unit dwellings as part of their Demand Side Management program. Burlington Hydro recognized that converting multi unit buildings to individual smart meters was a proven method of reducing a buildings energy use.

Burlington Hydro selected the Harbour Lights Condominium project as their first bulk to multiple smart meter retrofit in the city. GHMS was the preferred vendor selected by Burlington Hydro to complete this important first project.

The Condominium is an upscale 83 unit building utilizing central boiler and chiller systems with in-suite fan coil units for heating and cooling. The building is 12 stories with underground parking and an indoor pool and spa. Each unit has their own washer and dryer. The board of directors was interested in the project from an energy conservation perspective but also to eliminate the cross subsidization of electricity costs between suite owners.

GHMS worked with Burlington Hydro and the building management to install the system with minimal impact on the buildings residents. Due to the technical superiority of the meters which utilize power line carrier communication technology, the power interruptions were kept to a minimum and the system was installed and operating within weeks. Burlington Hydro utilized it’s existing MV-90 system to collect the meter data which is then used for billing and energy profiling.

Feedback from Burlington Hydro and the building has been very positive. Some of the comments have proven the information collected from the meters has been very valuable. Within the first month, a large ramp heater was found to be operating in the summer months and was repaired immediately. The first year of operation shows that the building has reduced its overall energy use by more than 20 percent.

Since the completion of Harbour Lights, GHMS has completed 2 more projects for Burlington Hydro and continues to partner with them on new projects.

 

Selected GHMS Project #5

A 12 Storey Condominium in Oakville had introduced many energy efficiency measures in their bulk metered condominium building such as weather-stripping, upgrading their make-up air unit, a new heat pump system for pool heating and common area lighting upgrades over the past few years. Even with these proactive measures, they found the cost of energy for the building continued to rise in the 30 year old condo.

Fortunately, the condominium management and board of directors inquired to Oakville Hydro about retrofitting the building to individual metering from their single bulk meter. The reason was simple, have residents pay for their own hydro consumption to allow them to benefit from their own in suite conservation measures and eliminate cross subsidization of hydro costs.

Oakville Hydro utilized GHMS to evaluate the buildings electrical system and found a unique opportunity to retrofit the building to individual smart meters. The condo suites are heated and cooled separately by in suite heat pump units with electrical resistance as a back up source. It also found the heating/cooling system was a separate supply voltage from the rest of the suite appliances which presented an even bigger challenge to meter the building cost effectively.

GHMS worked with the board and property management company to design a system which would combine the information from dual suite meters into one single bill. GHMS was able to design, install and commission the building’s smart metering system and do it cost effectively. It was able to do this due to it’s use of superior, Measurement Canada approved metering technology which takes advantage of the building’s existing electrical infrastructure for communication of meter data.

The new metering system was commissioned in 2007 and suite owners have begun to take advantage of new in suite appliances and replacement of inefficient heating/cooling units.