A New Option C M&V Software Tool
Why a New Software Tool?
Metrix 4 has been around since the early 2000s, and has been used on billions of dollars of performance guarantees by the ESCO community.
Option C will have almost all the functionality of Metrix 4, while improving on its shortcomings, AND, Option C will be able to handle Option C M&V in ways that Metrix 4 can not.
Improvements over Metrix 4
There are a few fundamental drawbacks with Metrix 4 that we have resolved with Option C:
- Metrix 4 had a proprietary database, not SQL or Access. The Metrix 4 database topped out at 244 rows. This has been problematic for our software users who have been tracking usage and savings over 20 years. Option C has a SQL database. It can handle an unlimited number of rows.
- One drawback of the 244 row limitation is that projects with weekly data were capped at less than 5 years, and daily regressions were not possible, as there are more than 244 days in a year. As there are no limitations on numbers of rows, Option C can handle daily regressions and weekly regressions.
- Metrix 4’s reporting engine, Metrix ReportMaker is a brilliant tool, but has been proven to be problematic whenever Microsoft updates Excel or their common libraries. Option C’s reports are built into the software. There is no fooling with Microsoft libraries.
- Metrix 4 could only handle about 200 meters per database. After that it slowed down. Again, this is due to a database issue. Option C does not have that limitation. It has a SQL database.
- The Metrix ReportMaker did not work with 64 bit Excel. This was a big problem for some of our Metrix users. As the report generator in Option C no longer is based on Excel, there no longer is any problem with 64 bit Excel.
New Capabilities
Option C was made to be similar to Metrix 4, but we are expanding on its capabilities.
Daily Usage Data
Right now, you will be able to model daily usage data. Daily data can be modeled using weather, and weekday/weekend variables.
Charts
We have added charts at the meter, area, site and project level. These charts generate automatically, and will aggregate information for all the child meters, areas, and sites:
Weather, Variables and Rates
We also changed the weather variables and rates interface.
Weather resides in a weather tree, and is then assigned to the different sites. In Metrix 4, weather was assigned to each site. If many sites were in the same weather location, the redundancy was irritating.
Variables
Variables have also been improved in Option C. Rather than have to enter the same variable over and over under each area, you now list each variable only once, as with weather, and assign the variable to items. You can now assign a variable to the Project, Site, Area, or Meter level.
Rates
Rates are created once in a master list of rates, and are applied to the meters as a setting. This way, as rates change you do not have to make changes for each meter’s rate. You only make the change once at the master rate level.
Coming Functionality
The first release of Option C should be comparable to Metrix 4. Additional capabilities in later releases will include:
- Import of Green Button Data format in daily, weekly or monthly increments.
- The ability to use TMY data. Baselines will be developed using base year usage and weather data. A second regression can be made using the post-retrofit data. Both regressions then can be applied to TMY data to determine savings for typical years.
- The ability to track ECM perseverance. You will be able to track a building’s usage daily or weekly to identify when the ECM savings you expect are starting to deteriorate. This new model will allow you to quickly return to the building to identify the problem and resolve it before too much energy savings gets eaten up.
How Hard Is It to Transfer Information from Metrix 4 to Option C?
We provide a translator that will grab data from your Metrix 4 project and create your Option C project.
Would I Have to Get Trained on the New Software?
Metrix users should be able to grasp the functionality of Option C without having to attend a training. Instructional videos are included with the software. The concepts are the same as Metrix 4. Option C was designed by the same people who designed Metrix 4.
But we do love being with you in a classroom. So, yes, we will offer 2-day trainings, just like we do for Metrix 4.
Can I Run Projects in Both Metrix and Option C?
Sure. Why not? Maybe it would be a good idea until you feel completely comfortable with the software.
What if I Don’t Like Option C?
We are offering a 60-day money-back guarantee for any reason.