Commercial Bay is one of Auckland’s most ambitious mixed-use developments, transforming the harbour-end of Queen Street into a modern commercial precinct. Developed by Precinct Properties, the site integrates retail, hospitality, hotel, and office spaces across a multi-building block.
A shared central cooling plant located in the 40-storey Commercial Bay tower serves several neighbouring buildings within the development, requiring a highly accurate and scalable thermal energy metering system to fairly allocate energy usage costs across multiple tenancies.
The Challenge
As Commercial Bay evolved into a multi-tenant, multi-building complex, Precinct Properties faced a key challenge, how to accurately allocate cooling energy consumption across a wide range of occupants, from boutique retailers in the foodcourt to a luxury hotel located in the middle floors of the adjacent 1 Queen Street building.
The centralised nature of the cooling infrastructure complicated cost apportionment, with a single plant feeding multiple tenancies, conventional utility energy metering was insufficient for billing or sustainability reporting. A robust, expandable system was required, one that could monitor thermal energy flow at granular levels, integrate with the existing Building Management System (BMS), and evolve alongside future developments in the precinct.
The Energy Metering Solution
Direct Control, as the authorised agent for Kamstrup thermal energy metering solutions in New Zealand, partnered with Kamstrup to design and deliver a high-accuracy energy monitoring system tailored to the needs of the Commercial Bay precinct.
System Design
Kamstrup MC603 thermal energy meters
Engineered with modular communication capabilities, including BACnet MS/TP, the MC603 units provided seamless integration into the site’s Tridium Niagara-based BMS. This ensured real-time visibility of thermal loads at both equipment and tenancy level.
Ultraflow ultrasonic flow sensors
Paired with the MC603, these sensors provided precise, maintenance-free measurement of thermal flow, essential for tracking energy use and billing tenants fairly.
LoRaWAN & remote diagnostics
Although BACnet was the primary protocol, the system architecture allows for future inclusion of LoRaWAN-based telemetry for remote sites or submeters, offering scalability and ease of deployment.
Commissioning protocol
Understanding that energy metering accuracy is only as good as its commissioning, Direct Control followed a rigorous verification process to ensure:
•. Correct physical installation (including flow direction, pipe placement, and sensor accuracy)
•. Proper meter addressing for seamless network communication
•. Full functional validation through remote diagnostics and on-board commissioning tools
Compliance & documentation
All installations included Green Star/CMVP-compliant documentation, supporting sustainability reporting, energy audits, and tenant transparency.
Scalability & Future-Proofing
The system was designed not only to service Commercial Bay but also to expand into 1 Queen Street, a subsequent development within the same precinct that now houses hotel and office facilities. The modular architecture means additional meters and zones can be added without significant rework, a critical feature in a dynamic commercial precinct.
Outcomes
Accurate thermal cost allocation
Tenants are now billed based on actual energy usage, ensuring transparency and fairness across commercial, hospitality, and office spaces.
System integration
Seamless connectivity with Tridium Niagara BMS allows facility managers to monitor and optimise HVAC performance in real-time.
Sustainability support
The system provides reliable data for Green Star reporting and long-term energy efficiency strategies.
Expandability
As Precinct Properties continues development in the area, the solution can scale — including integration of LoRaWAN water monitoring or other utility meters to complete a unified energy profile.
Conclusion
Direct Control’s technical expertise in energy metering, integration, and commissioning enabled Precinct Properties to manage the complexity of shared energy infrastructure at Commercial Bay. With a future-ready thermal energy metering solution now in place, the precinct is equipped for sustainable growth, energy transparency, and smarter building operations.
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