Just landed a contract with a major state university - 47 separate meters across campus including dorms, academic buildings, athletic facilities, and research labs. They're on Duke Energy's Schedule TOU-8 but some buildings might qualify for educational rates. Anyone tackled something this complex before? Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the scope.
State University campus with 47 meters - where to start?
Brian, congrats on landing that! Universities are goldmines if you approach them systematically. Start with the biggest consumers - usually the central plant, dining halls, and research buildings with lab equipment. The educational rate thing is tricky - some states have it, others don't, and utilities interpret it differently.
Rob's right about starting with the big users. I found $180K in overcharges at Ohio State over 3 years, mostly from incorrect demand billing on their medical center. Universities also love detailed reports - they have committees for everything. Make sure you understand their fiscal year too, it affects how they budget for any refunds.
Watch out for power factor issues on research buildings - all those motors and lab equipment can create penalties. Also check if they have any co-gen or solar installations that might affect net metering calculations. Universities often have engineering students who've done 'energy audits' that missed the billing side completely.
Great advice from everyone. Brian, one thing to add - universities often have multiple departments paying for electricity (facilities, housing, athletics) so your findings might need to be allocated differently. Document everything meticulously because they'll want to understand every detail before cutting a check. The payoff is worth it though - they're usually good for repeat business once you prove your value.