Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Owners
Q: What is Submetering?
Q: What Cities does RBC Utilities service?
Q: How does submetering work?
Q: Who does the billing to my tenants?
Q: Does Submetering really conserve resources
(water,electric,gas)?
Q: Can I submeter older apartments or condos
with shared piping systems?
Q: How much will submetering cost me?
Q: What is the normal return on investment?
Q: Are your products proprietary and does
that require that I use your billing service?
Q: What utilities can be sub-metered?
Q: What are the laws around submetering?
Residents
Q: How do I report meter problems?
Q: Is it legal to charge me for water?
Q: How do I know that the meter is accurate?
Q: Who owns the meters in my home?
Q: Why do tenants have to pay for their utility
usage?
Q: Will RBC Utilities need to enter my home?
Q: How can I reduce my bills?
Q: How do I let you know when I am moving out?
Submeters is the process of installing meters in individual
units at your apartment/condo complexes, commercial parks,
marinas, and short-term recreational vehicle parks. The meters
record actual consumption and the tenants are billed according
to the local rates. The goal of submetering is to reduce the
domestic consumption, increase net income, increase property
values, and provide a fair and equitable bill to your tenant.
Submetering has an economical impact as well. Studies have
shown that tenants responsible for their own water bill reduce
their consumption by as much as 35%.
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RBC Utilities can install submetering solutions and
provide billing services in many states across the country.
Our unique automated reading system based from Wellspring
Wireless enables us to read your property meters remotely.
Access remotely to this valuable data also allows our customer
service agents to accurately respond to your tenants needs.
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Small individual meters are installed in each unit
of the complex. These meters are linked via a robust wireless
network which sends the consumption data up to our data center.
Here it can be analyzed for leak detaection and other diagnostics
before billing your tenant.
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RBC Utilties bills your tenants on a monthly basis.
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Absolutly! Many studies have statisically shown that
water consumption alone can be reduced as much as
35% after implementing a submetering system.
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Yes. RBC offers the only wireless point-of-use
meter that can be installed on older properties with shared
piping. These meters, no bigger than your hand, are placed
on every water inlet, both hot and cold, to the apartment.
Behind the toilets, under the sinks, hidden behind the showerhead
or at the hot water heater. Every day the collected consumption
data is wirelessly transmitted to our data center.
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The cost per submetering system can vary depending on the
building type, the number of units, and the billing services
required. A member of our sales team would be glad complete
a free Site Analysis and provide you with a full proposal.
Please contact our sales team at sales@rbcutilities.com
or complete the Site Analysis
form and fax it in to us.
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Most properties see a full return on investment (ROI)
within 6-15 months. ROI varies depending on the purchase plan
and the number of utilities you are recovering.
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All of products we offer are based on the open protocol
Zigbee™ technology. ZigBee™ radios are used by
Wellspring (and many others) to communicate building control
and monitored data using an open published communications
protocol. The word "ZigBee™" actually refers
to an open radio protocol documented in the IEEE Standard
802.15.4. As such, any product that uses the ZigBee™
protocol to communicate can send its data over any ZigBee™
network (including the one installed for your submetering
system). That's why ZigBee™ is actively supported by
175 companies, including Motorola, Johnson Controls, Trane,
Inovonics, Mitsubishi, Honeywell, Samsung, IBM, Itron Eaton,
Invensys, Cisco, Hitachi and Texas Instruments, just to name
a few.
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RBC utilities can submeter for any utility and in any
building type. However, most of our customers are interested
in submetering primairy for water and boiler energy. Our unique
Aqura point-of-use meter
can not only measure water consumption, but also determine
the amount of energty required to heat it. In a day of rising
energy cost this is paramount if you currently pay for your
tenants energy to heat water.
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Most states permit pass through submetering under general
guidelines. Check your local legistration for details.
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If a meter has a problem or is damaged, you should contact
the property manager immediately. Do not attempt to fix the
meter. If water is leaking from the meter and there is a shut
value you should shut off the water before calling the property
manager.
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Yes. Water metering of individual residences is no different
than the metering of other utilities like electric or gas.
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All of our meters have been tested and approved by the International
Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officals (IAPMO).
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All equipment is owned either by RBC Utilities or your building
owner. However, keeping them in good working is your responsibility.
If the meters are damaged they should be reported right away
to the property manager. Tampering with any installed meter
is a violation of your lease agreement and you will be liable
for the repair or replacement cost.
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Traditional utility cost we included in your condo fess or
rent. This meant that often you would be paying for other
abuse and misuse. It often lead to increased fees to cover
the rising cost of the utility. With submetering you control
your cost and condo fees and rents can remain more stable
and predictable.
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Not on a regular basis. All meters are electronically read.
After the initial installation is complete, a service technician
will only need to enter your home on scheduled visits to repair
damage or faulty equipment.
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Read our Conservation Fact and
Tips page. Here you will find all kinds of information
on ways to conserve resource, thus reducing your bill.
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Your property manager is responsible for informing RBC Utilities
when you move out. You will be billed for only the consumption
while living in the unit.
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