As the building environment evolves toward higher efficiency and lower carbon impact, one theme consistently rises to the top: you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Submetering, once considered a specialized tool for large campuses or industrial facilities, has become a central requirement in modern energy codes and a key strategy for achieving LEED certification. Together, these frameworks are reshaping how owners, designers, and operators think about energy transparency and long‑term building performance.
Submetering Codes and LEED: Building the Foundation for Smarter, High‑Performance Facilities
Why Submetering Is A Code Essential
Energy codes such as the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE Standard 90.1 increasingly require buildings to install submeters for major electrical and mechanical loads. These requirements are driven by a simple reality: whole‑building utility meters don’t provide enough detail to identify inefficiencies or verify that systems are operating as intended. Submetering requirements typically focus on major end uses, including:
- HVAC systems
- Interior and exterior lighting
- Plug and process loads
- Renewable energy systems
- Data centers or other high‑intensity spaces
By breaking down energy consumption at this granular level, building teams gain actionable insights, allowing them to detect anomalies, benchmark performance, and make informed decisions about upgrades or operational adjustments. In many jurisdictions, these code requirements are expanding as cities adopt performance‑based policies and carbon‑reduction targets.
How LEED Builds on Submetering to Drive Performance
The LEED rating system, particularly in versions v4 and v4.1, places strong emphasis on ongoing performance rather than one‑time design achievements. In the Energy & Atmosphere category, LEED awards points for Advanced Energy Metering, which require:
- Hourly or finer data collection
- Storage of data for at least 36 months
- Metering of all loads representing 10% or more of total consumption
- Remote access for analysis and reporting
These requirements align closely with modern energy codes, meaning that buildings designed for compliance are already well positioned to earn LEED points. LEED goes a step further by encouraging owners to use metering data for continuous commissioning, fault detection, and long‑term optimization—turning raw data into measurable performance gains.
Compliance, Insight, and Long‑Term Savings
Investing in submetering isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about creating a building that performs better, costs less to operate, and adapts more easily to future regulations. To learn more about Leviton’s submetering solutions and how they meet energy codes and LEED requirements visit Leviton.com/submetering.