Frequently Asked Questions

Electrical submetering involves installing revenue-grade meters to measure individual tenant or unit electricity consumption. These meters automatically read consumption data and integrate with billing software to generate accurate tenant bills. This allows property owners to fairly allocate utility costs and recover expenses from tenants based on actual usage.

Savings come from two places. Costs you now absorb can be billed to the tenants who use them, where the law allows it, and tenants who pay for their own usage use less. A 2004 national study of U.S. apartments (Aquacraft et al., for the EPA and industry) found submetered properties used 15.3% less water, and a 2017 Swedish study (Elinder, Escobar and Petré, PNAS) found individual metering and billing cut apartment electricity use by about 25%. What you can recover depends on the utility: in California, submetered residential tenants in PG&E, SCE and SDG&E territory pay exactly the utility's rate, LADWP tenants pay no more than LADWP would charge, and commercial tenants in PG&E, SCE and SDG&E territory generally cannot be billed separately for electricity. We size the opportunity property by property.

Yes, our billing software automatically handles all types of utility rate schedules including Time-of-Use (TOU), tiered rates, demand charges, real-time pricing, and seasonal rate variations. This is crucial for accurate cost recovery — if your utility charges peak rates during certain hours but you bill tenants a flat rate, you lose money when tenants use energy during expensive periods. Our system mirrors your utility's exact billing structure, ensuring you recover true costs and maintain profitability regardless of rate complexity.

Commercial office buildings, multi-family residential complexes, retail centers, and industrial facilities all benefit from submetering. Any property with multiple tenants or units sharing utility costs can implement submetering to improve cost allocation, increase NOI, and promote conservation.

Most electrical submetering installations are completed within 1-3 days depending on property size and complexity. Water submetering typically takes 1-2 days. Our installation team works efficiently to minimize disruption to tenants and operations. Billing software setup and integration occurs simultaneously with installation.

RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System) allocates utility costs based on factors like square footage or occupancy, while submetering measures actual consumption. Submetering provides more accurate billing since tenants pay for exactly what they use. We offer both options and can recommend the best approach based on your property type and goals. In California, SB 7 doesn't ban RUBS for water and sewer, though your water utility's tariff and local rules can limit it. Electricity billed separately from rent must be submetered.

Yes, we provide 24/7 system monitoring, regular meter maintenance, billing software support, and technical assistance. Our team ensures 99.9% system uptime and handles any issues promptly. We also provide monthly reporting and can integrate with your existing property management systems.

Our electrical meters are revenue-grade, built to the ANSI C12 electricity-metering standards; the former ANSI C12.20 accuracy classes are now part of ANSI C12.1-2024. In California, the legal test for an electric billing submeter is a type-approved design that reads within 1% at installation and 2% in service, checked by the county sealer. Water meters are NSF/ANSI 61 certified for potable water applications. All equipment meets or exceeds industry standards for commercial submetering applications.

Yes, our billing software integrates with most major property management systems including Yardi, AppFolio, RealPage, and others through API connections. This allows seamless data transfer and automated billing workflows within your existing management processes.