Metering

Description

Metering provides the means to measure, monitor and verify enegergy and utilities consumption at building, system and equipment level. In accordance with the Building Engineering Services Particular Requirements (BESPR), metering shall be designed, installed, supervised, commissioned and handed over as a core MEP system, fully integrated with the Building Management System (BMS) and Imperial College London energy monitoring platforms. 

For laboratory, research and critical infrastructure environments, metering plays a key role in operational assurance, resilience and risk management and must provide sufficient granularity, segregation and reliability to support safe and continuous operation. 

Metering requirements shall be treated as an integral part of the wider MEP Supervision and Site Inspections regime, providing assurance that systems are installed correctly, commissioned appropriately and capable of long-term operational use. These requirements shall be reviewed and agreed with Engineering, Energy & Environment, Maintenance and BMS as part of the project's technical assurance process. 

Laboratory and Critical Infrastructure Metering - Specific Requirements

Where projects include laboratories, specialist research facilities or critical infrastructure, metering shall incorporate enhanced provisions, including:

  • Dedicated sub-mtering for laboratory and specialist services, including ventilation, process cooling, high-load electrical supplies, and critical plant 
  • Clear segregation between:
    • Laboratory and non-laboratory areas
    • Critical and non-critical systems
    • Normal and standby/resilience supplies
  • Enhanced electrical metering for high-energy and mission critical areas such as freezer rooms, containment suites, clearn rooms and specialist equipment zones
  • Spare capacity within metering panels, communications and addressing to accommodate future research change without major rework

Engagement

During the course of any project it will be necessary to speak with one of the Controls Engineers (Mark Reader - m.reader@imperial.ac.uk) or David Leon (d.leon@imperial.ac.uk) and Energy System Engineer (Diana Dos Ramos Cabral - d.dosramoscabral@imperial.ac.uk)

The Project Manager (PM) shall ensure that metering requirements are coordinated with:

  • Engineering Team
  • Energy & Sustainability
  • Electrical and Mechanical Consultant(s)
  • Electrical and Mechanical Contractor(s)
  • BMS/Energy & Utilities Monitoring (BEMS)
  • Maintenance and Asset Management Teams
  • Laboratory Users/Scientific Stakeholders (where applicable)

Engagement shall be aligned to the project's MEP Scope, Supervision and Site Inspections and BIM Data Review activities, ensuring that metering is fully integrated with MEP systems, controls and asset data requirements.

Forms & Links

  • Building Engineering Services Particular Requirements (BESPR - 8.4 Metering Section): EEE10 BESPR 2025
  • Approved Suppliers and Components List (meters, CTs and communications equipment): Approved Suppliers and Components List Apr26
  • MEP and Electrical Single Line Diagrams, clearly identifying metering points and segregation boundaries 
  • BMS/Energy Monitoring Integration Requirements (approved protocols and data structures)
  • Commissioning, calibration and validation records

Approvals & Compliance Review 

Metering designs and installations shall be subject to formal review and approval as part of the project's MEP technical assurance framework, including:

  • Review through Technical Review Meetings (TRMs) where applicable
  • Verification during MEP Supervision and Site Inspections that meters are correctly installed, accessible labelled, segregated and coordinated with associated systems 
  • Confirmation that metering complies with BESPR and approved standards prior to commissioning 
  • Metering systems shall not be accepted unless:
    • Installation defects and inspection findings are closed 
    • Live data is validated within the BMS/Energy Monitoring System
    • Commissioning and calibration records are complete 
    • Metering is confirmed fit for operational and asset management use

Repeated Subsequent RIBA Stages

RIBA Stage 3
  • Coordination of meter locations, panels, containment and maintenance access
  • Confirmation of segregation between laboratory/critical and non-critical systems
  • Coordination of CT locations, panel zoning and resilience arrangements
  • Alignment of metering with MEP system zoning and laboratory layouts
  • Review of metering data and geometry as part of the MEP BIM Data Review
RIBA Stage 5
  • Site inspections to confirm correct installation, accessibility, labelling and segregation
  • Commissioning and calibration of meters 
  • Verification of metering integration within thr BMS/energy monitoring systems
  • Support to the agreed Witnessing and Commissioning Strategy, particularly for laboratory and critical infrastructure systems 
RIBA Stage 6
  • Submission of complete metering documentation and commissioning records
  • Demonstration of reliable live data and alarms where applicable
  • Inclusion of metering data within the Asset Register
  • Acceptance of metering systems into operational energy and asset management processes