Jumeirah Group Achieves Accurate Cooling Cost Allocation with Augos BTU Metering
Discover how the Jumeirah Group used Augos BTU metering to solve complex cost allocation challenges for their centralized chilled water plant, ensuring fair billing and financial transparency across four luxury properties.
The Challenge: Shared Central Plant Complexity
At the iconic Jumeirah complex, four properties—including the Burj Al Arab and Wild Wadi Water Park—rely on a single centralized chilled water system. The primary challenge was how to fairly allocate the significant operational costs of the central plant, given the reliance on shared infrastructure.
Traditional methods failed because the system's efficiency and thermal energy consumption were non-linear and constantly fluctuating based on the number of chillers and pumps in operation, changes in ambient temperature and humidity, and the individual and dynamic cooling demands of each property. Inaccurate cost allocation complicated financial reconciliation and reduced the individual properties' incentive to manage their cooling demand efficiently.
The Augos Solution: Precision Thermal Energy Measurement
To solve this highly complex allocation challenge, Augos implemented a tailored solution using BTU metering. Augos Pulse Sensors were strategically deployed to read BTU values from the chilled water system at the entry/exit points of each property. These devices measure the flow rate and temperature difference (Delta T) to accurately calculate the Thermal Energy consumed (in BTUs or kWh) by each distinct entity.
The Augos platform received this real-time data and performed dynamic calculations. It determined the actual Energy Input required to generate the cooling, assessed the system's efficiency (COP), and calculated the minute-by-minute kWh per BTU value. Energy costs were then accurately allocated based on each property's actual, verifiable off-take, ensuring precision and transparency across the Jumeirah Group's asset management and financial controllers.
The Result: Long-Term Value and Transparency
The implementation of the Augos solution delivered immediate and sustained results. The system achieved accurate, dynamic distribution of chilled water energy costs, reflecting true usage across the four properties, while providing clear, auditable data to enhance budgeting and financial reconciliation processes for asset managers.
It created site-level accountability for cooling costs, motivating individual property managers to pursue energy efficiency measures. The solution has been operating reliably for over 10 years, validating Augos' innovative problem-solving and commitment to long-term value. This methodology is directly applicable to managing shared central plant costs common in South African mixed-use developments or business parks utilizing district cooling/heating.
10+ Years of Accurate Cost Allocation
For Jumeirah Group, our BTU metering solution has delivered precision thermal energy measurement and fair cost allocation across four luxury properties for over a decade, demonstrating the robustness and sustainability of the Augos platform.
Key Takeaways
BTU metering with dynamic COP calculations solved what traditional methods could not—fair allocation of variable thermal energy costs
Verifiable data creates individual property accountability, motivating efficiency improvements across the portfolio
Over a decade of continuous operation demonstrates the robustness and sustainability of the Augos platform
The methodology is directly transferable to SA mixed-use developments and business parks with shared infrastructure