Product Spotlight: H2O Degree

By Mallory Bulman

Cheverly Crossing, a 60-unit property in Hyattsville, Md. owned by NOVO Properties, was experiencing high utility bills that were mostly due to water, sewer, electric and gas use. In order to curb energy spending, NOVO decided to monitor their usage through H2O Degree, a submetering manufacturer which offers solutions for monitoring and reporting tenant utility costs.

By determining the specific usage of each tenant and identifying water leaks, the system implemented by H2O Degree ended up saving more than half of its previous utility expenses. The building installed the company’s measurement and control system, which allows monitoring of the electric, water, sewer and hot water energy, as well as the heat run-time of gas used for heating.

NOVO installed battery-powered water meters, mounted at the tub, shower, toilet and kitchen hot water feed. The four meters installed in each apartment provide a radio interface to collect water consumption data from the H2O Degree flow sensor. At Cheverly Crossing, thermostats and electric meters act as transceivers, which offers more savings than a traditional wireless network.

Once the meters were installed, managers at Cheverly Crossing began receiving daily billing reports reporting the utility usage data for each tenant. When tenants received bills reflecting their individual usage, they were immediately prompted to change their habits in order to conserve energy. To make it easier, H2O Degree offers a consumer-facing website and mobile app that allows residents to adjust their thermostat remotely and track their own energy usage.

After a year of submetering through H2O Degree, NOVO Properties saw a $70,000 per year cash flow improvement and a $1.32 million boost in valuation.

For more information about H2O Degree’s submetering options, call (215) 788-8485 or visit their website.