Overview

​

We were approached by Genesis Housing Association (GHA) in regards to multiple system and metering issues they were experiencing across the portfolio.
Genesis Housing Association manages around 33,000 homes across London and the south east, providing services to tens of thousands of people. It was formed by a merger in May 2011 of PCHA, Pathmeads and Springboard Housing Associations. They had for some years been managed as a corporate group, Genesis Housing Group. The group also includes Genesis Community, a charitable foundation, and Genesis homes which provides shared ownership properties. 
 

​

Background

​

The following sites needed solutions in place to read the energy meters onsite. GHA were unable to bill the tenants or get an idea of site energy usage. We worked in partnership with GHA to plan and deliver the solutions needed, and utilised our highly skilled team and our very close relationship with Kamstrup to deliver a reliable solution.

The sites which presented immediate challenges were:

​

Site 1:

Out of 475 apartments, 225 meters were unreadable over the existing network.

Site 2:
80 apartments with radio output meters which needed a solution to be remotely read being of closed protocol, a solution to read the data being transmitted from the meters was needed.

​

Site 3:
180 apartments with radio output meters which needed a solution to be remotely read being of closed protocol, a solution to read the data being transmitted from the meters was needed.

​

Site 4:
180 apartments using existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

Site 5:
62 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

Site 6:
218 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

Site 7:
117 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

Site 8:
62 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

Site 9:
700 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

Site 10:
102 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.

​

​

Solution

​

​

Site 1:
This site needed to be approached in phases. On initial investigations we found that the water meters in the apartments were of a spec which did not allow for heat conduction from the heat exchanger within the HIU, this internally raised the CWS meter to a temperature much higher than its design temperature causing the meters to leak.
This was now an urgent issue and meters of a higher temperature resistance needed to be fitted to eliminate the multiple leaks across the site, this was completed and the issue had been resolved, the remaining meters are now being changed as they fail.
The next phase was to retrieve manual reads to allow GHA to send bills from an actual read. Working closely with GHA, this was done within 3 months.
The final phase would now be to replace the energy meters to enable remote reads from site.

 

Site 2:

80 apartments with radio output meters which needed a solution to be remotely read being of closed protocol.
This needed specialised concentrator / reader units to push the data back to the main server. The reads can now be read but a meter upgrade will be needed due to the meters onsite which are starting to fail.
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions.

​

Site 3:
180 apartments with radio output meters which needed a solution to be remotely read being of closed protocol.
A concentrator and data radio network was installed by Enerza and pulse parameters within the apartments were set to reflect the pulses accurately, the network was then configured to be remotely read.
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions.

​

Site 4:
180 apartments using existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely. 

​

Site 5:
62 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely. 
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions.

Site 6:
218 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely, being Diehl meters some software Mbus data gram changes were needed on the head end to accommodate the longer data telegram.
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions.

Site 7:
117 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely, there were some minor addressing issues on the network which Enerza had resolved to bring allow the network to function.
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions.

​

Site 8:
62 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely, there were some Mbus data ram and register changes needed to be able to read the network. (the meters onsite are now obsolete).
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions 

Site 9:
700 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely.
The network needed extensive diagnostics by the Enerza team to find the issue with the Mbus meter network, a network of masters with correct load balancing was needed and had to be implemented to bring the network online.
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions. 

​

Site 10:

102 Existing Mbus network with no head end to read the network, a solution was needed to remotely read the data.
A master unit communications cabinet and router were installed and the network was tested and configured to read remotely, after some minor cabling issues that needed to be diagnosed the network was commissioned and put online.
This site is now being remotely read by Enerza Solutions. 
 

​

Results

​

The approach to the found a resolution to all sites above was important realising the needs of the GHA tenants and that some are vulnerable adults a very understanding and patient, respectful approach was needed, by utilising our highly skilled professional  team we were able to deliver the required solutions.

​

Conclusion

​

We feel GHA have been impressed by what Enerza have been able to offer, as we have enabled GHA to bill tenants across a number of sites and bring in the needed income for energy supplies consumed, we have been a very specialist supplier to GHA and delivered services which have been of great benefit, we hope to continue working with GHA in the future.