Building Technologies Office Announces Challenge to Spur Development of Low Cost Electric Metering Devices

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 4, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office has announced plans to issue a new Wireless Metering Challenge  to spur the development of low cost electric metering devices that can serve growing interest in panel level sub metering being seen throughout the commercial sector. According to a 2006 Federal Energy Management Program study, energy costs can be reduced by taking action to resolve problems identified by examining metered data. While metering systems do not directly improve energy efficiency, they do enable focused, energy efficiency actions and upgrades. It is estimated that using systems results in energy efficient actions that deliver electricity energy savings of at least 2%.

Key features of the challenge specification include a low cost target, essential requirements for electrical energy measurement, and wireless data transmission to an onsite collection point. Draft specifications for the wireless metering device are now available for review.

The Department of Energy invites the commercial sector, manufacturers, and federal agencies to participate in the Wireless Metering Challenge.

• Manufacturers and other interested parties are invited to review and comment on the draft specification by April 23, 2013. All comments and feedback should be submitted to ">.
• A webinar to present the revised specification and discuss frequently asked questions is scheduled for April 30, 2013 from 2-4 pm ET. Register for the webinar here.

Once a final version of the specification is released, engaged stakeholders will be asked to decide if they want to formally participate in the Challenge and sign a letter of intent. Manufacturers who sign on to the Challenge will be announced during the formal launch of the program in late May.