Monitoring and Measurement

We have conducted a vast scope of innovative monitoring of equipment energy use and operating characteristics.

We have one of the largest in-house monitoring staffs in the country, with skills in all aspects of the process, including customer recruitment, equipment installation, data collection and verification, and data analysis.

We have developed streamlined protocols for equipment installation and validation and have developed and refined highly sophisticated software for data validation.

Further, we have used remote data collection for years to expedite data retrieval. Some applications have near real-time viewing capabilities of the data. We have also applied analytical and computing procedures to reconcile metered load data.

We have:

Conducted spot metering, short-term monitoring, and long-term monitoring using a variety of monitoring equipment and monitoring protocols;
Monitored not only electricity and gas use but also thermal flows; and
Monitored energy use in a variety of facility types, including office buildings, retail stores, grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals, schools, warehouses, and single-family and multi-family residences, etc.

Featured Projects

ASHRAE

For ASHRAE (Research Project 1274-TRP), we conducted a field performance assessment of commercial HVAC package equipment to quantify the benefits of proper service.

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Entergy Services, Inc.

We collected baseline end-use information for commercial buildings in Entergy’s service area. We installed monitoring equipment at various types of commercial buildings

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Southern California Edison

We provided technical support to Southern California Edison for end-use metering of commercial buildings in Edison's service area.

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Example Monitoring Applications

Our engineers continually stay up to date with the latest and most sophisticated monitoring equipment available. Our engineers have typically performed customization and modification of equipment to fit within the physical constraints of the application monitored. All monitoring equipment is tested regularly and comprehensively before deployment to the field.

The following are examples of how we approach monitoring for different types of applications:

Monitoring HVAC Units

A cost effective approach involves making one-time measurements of the power factor and voltage of a DX unit or of the compressor for a chiller and conducting continuous measurement of amps over a period of time in order to obtain the data needed to develop load profiles for the A/C compressor and for the whole-building load. We accomplish the amp monitoring using a HOBO® external channel logger manufactured by Onset Computers. The HOBO® can record the amps that a circuit is drawing and also record the average amps over the interval. Using this type of recording equipment, we collect amperage data for a pre-determined interval (e.g., 1-minute, 5-minute, 10-minute) for the equipment being monitored (i.e., DX unit or chiller compressor).

Motor Applications

For motor applications, we use either on/off HOBO® data logger where the motor load is constant, or a current transformer connected to an Onset HOBO® where dynamic loading conditions exist. A one-time measurement of power draw and power factor of the motor is made at the time of logger installation.

Complex Projects

For sites where complex monitoring is required, we generally use either Synergistics Control Systems Model C-140 or Enernet K-20 series meter/recorders. Special equipment may also be needed to meter electrical inputs and thermal outputs of chillers and thermal storage units. For example, we measure thermal flows using resistance temperature devices (RTDs) and flow meters that produce analog signals that are transmitted to a BTU meter for translation into a digital reading of BTUs. The readings from the BTU meter then measure how much energy is being extracted from conditioned space during a cooling mode. Chilled water flow rates are measured, as are the temperatures of supply water and return water (while at the site).

Analysis of Lighting Energy Usage

We use lighting loggers to collect data pertaining to hours of operation for lighting equipment. Various evaluation studies have suggested that self-reported information on hours of lighting use may be inaccurate. We therefore use time-of-use (TOU) loggers (e.g., those manufactured by Onset Computers) to collect information on the time profile of on-off usage, allowing the calculation of kWh usage according to on-peak and off-peak hours. HOBO® light level loggers are useful in applications where ambient light is available or the light level can be dimmed by the occupant.

Motor or HVAC Applications

For motor or HVAC applications where the speed of the motor is variable we monitor with a WattNode watthour transducer. These meters can be placed inside electrical panels to measure true RMS power. With a pulse output which is proportional to the energy used it is recorded onto a HOBO® pulse logger.

Monitoring Equipment Inventory

Our monitoring equipment includes that listed in the table below:

Equipment	Description
Synergistic C-160E / K20 Logger	Channels: 16 power, 8 analog, 8 digital; modem, 512KB Mem, 3-ph PT
Synergistic C-140 Logger	Channels: 8 power, 8 digital; w/ modem, 128KB Memory, 3-phase PT
HOBO U12-006	4 Channels 0-2.5Vdc input, use as Amp logger
HOBO Pro U23-001	Outdoor temperature and relative humidity logger
HOBO U12-013	Temperature, relative humidity, external channel logger
HOBO U12-014	Thermocouple logger for type J, K, S or T
HOBO U09-004	Motor On/Off logger, Records time of use, up to 43,000 transitions
HOBO U09-001	State logger for doors or switches, Records TOU up to 43,000 transitions
HOBO U09-002	Lighting On/Off logger, Records TOU up to 43,000 transitions
HOBO UA-002-64	Light level and temperature logger in water proof casing
HOBO UX90-002	Lighting On/Off logger, Records TOU up to 43,000 transitions
HOBO UX90-005M	Occupancy and Light logger
HOBO UX90-001M	State/Pulse logger. Holds 1 year of 1-minute data. Use with WattNodes
HOBO UX100-023	External temperature and relative humidity logger
HOBO UX120-014M	4-channel thermocouple logger, Type J, K, T, E, R, S, B, or N
HOBO UX120-006M	4-channel analog logger, 0-2.5 Vdc input, use as Amp logger
HOBO H11-001	Carbon Monoxide logger
Telaire	Carbon Dioxide meter, Use with Hobo U12-006 to record
ADM AQ box	Air Quality logger: records temperature, %RH, CO2 and CO
T and D RTR-501	Wireless temperature logger with remote data collection
T and D RTR-505	Wireless pulse logger with remote data collection
ACR Smartbutton	Temperature logger
ADM	Occupancy sensor loggers, passive IR detector
ADM Appliance Loggers	Plug-in loggers, 120V appliance power logger, records up to 6 months
Extech EM100	Appliance power meter
BOSS 120	Plug-in appliance logger with remote data collection, 120V
Watt Node WNB-3D-480-P	True RMS Watthour transducer with pulse output, 277/480V
Watt Node WNB-3D-240-P	True RMS Watthour transducer with pulse output, 120/208/240V
Watt Node WNB-3Y-208-P	True RMS Watthour transducer with pulse output, 120/208V
Senva EM-Pulse	kWh Energy Meter with 1500A flex coil CTs, pulse output
Dent Elitepro	Electrical power logger, V, A, kW, kWh, pf (true RMS)
AEMC 3910	Hand held power meter with Volts, Amps, kW, pf (true RMS)
AEMC F05	Hand held power meter with Volts, Amps, kW (true RMS)
AEMC PEL103	Hand held power meter with Volts, Amps, kW, pf (true RMS), harmonics
Fluke 33	True RMS hand held clamp on Amp meter
Fluke 87	True RMS hand held multimeter
Tasco PTR300	Current tracer
Current Transformers, Split-Core	0.333Vac full scale output. Primary 5A, 20A, 50A, 100A, 200A, 400A, 800A
Current Transformers, Split-Core	2.5Vdc full scale output. Primary 5A, 30A, 50A, 100A, 200A, 400A
Current Transformers, Flex Split-Core	Rogowski flexible coil CTs, 1200A
Current Summing Module	Combines output of multiple 0.333V CTs for input on one channel.
Omega Flowmeter	In-line water flowmeter, ½” and ¾”, pulse output
GE Panametric PT878	Ultra-sonic flowmeter, pipe diameter 1” to 30”
Insertion Flowmeter	Brass body, plastic paddle wheel, 2″ value
BTU Meter	For chilled water loops
UEI C75	Combustion gas analyzer, CO, O2, Stack Temp., Efficiency
A.W.Sperry SLM-110	Light Meter (ft candles or LUX)
Li-Cor	Pyranometer
TSI VelociCalc+	Hand-held, hot-wire anemometer, temp, RH, static pressure
Digital Thermometer DK200	Air and surface probes
Omegaflo HH-600	Hot wire anemometer
Alnor Electronic Capture Hood	Balometer, w/digital readout in cfm, hood sizes 2’x2’, 1’x5’, 2’x4’
Minneapolis Blower Door	Air infiltration and building leakage test equipment
Duct Blaster	Air Duct Leakage Test Blower
Ness Fog Generator	Theatrical Fog Generator
Digital Pressure Gauge DG-7	Digital air flow and pressure meter
TrueFlow	Air Handler Flow Meter
Huba Control 694	Differential Pressure Transducer, 0-1.2 “ H2O
Ritchie model 41232	Refrigerant gauges, ±1%, range 0-500 psi, for R-12, R-22 and R502
EDTM, WP4500	Window Energy Profiler, % Transmittance UV, Visible, IR & SHGC
ProVision PV2-2in1	Borescope, ¼” flexible shaft
Bosch GLM-42	Laser Distance Meter
Digital Camera	Various digital cameras, phones, and tablets
FLIR TG130	Infrared Imager
PE T7350	Infrared Thermometer
Radio Shack	Sound Level Meter
PPE	Personal Protective Equipment, electrical
PPE	CO and Oxygen personal alarms
PPE	Hydrogen Sulfide personal alarm

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