Utilities

Connecting your utility provider offers a powerful (pun intended) way to visualize and track your energy usage.

Why connect your utility provider

Scope 1 (On-site and mobile combustion) and Scope 2 (Purchased electricity) are essential parts of any organizations carbon footprint. Understanding how your offices and locations are using energy efficiently is essential for reducing your energy usage overall. Plus, keeping track of your energy usage means real savings in the long term.

By connecting your electricity or natural gas provider, GreenPlaces can provide up-to-date insights on your energy usage and how your locations compare in terms of usage, emissions, and efficiency.

What data do we store?

GreenPlaces prioritizes the privacy and data security of your company. That's why we focus on storing only the minimum amount of data necessary to evaluate your carbon footprint.

Utility Meters

Utility Data	Description
Meter ID	The unique ID of the meter provided by the utility.
Service Identifier	The service identifier of the meter provided by the utility.
Service Tariff	The type of service being provided, i.e. "E19S Medium General Demand-Metered TOU Service"
Service Class	The type of utility being provided. i.e. "Electric", "Natural Gas", "Water"
Service Address	The address where the meter is providing power.
Voltage	The total voltage that the meter provides.

Utility Data

Description

Meter ID

The unique ID of the meter provided by the utility.

Service Identifier

The service identifier of the meter provided by the utility.

Service Tariff

The type of service being provided, i.e. "E19S Medium General Demand-Metered TOU Service"

Service Class

The type of utility being provided. i.e. "Electric", "Natural Gas", "Water"

Service Address

The address where the meter is providing power.

Voltage

The total voltage that the meter provides.

Utility Bills

Utility Data	Description
Billing Contact	The name the utility meter bill is addressed to.
Billing Address	The billing address for the utility bill.
Billing Account	The account number for the bill, provided by the utility.
Start Date	When the service began for the billing period.
End Date	When the service ended for the billing period.
Cost	The total cost for the service provided.
Volume	The total amount of energy provided. i.e. "15,000 KWh"
Unit	The unit the utility bill is selling energy in. i.e. "KWh"
Kind	How the utility classifies the energy provided. i.e. "supply"
Rate	The per unit cost of the energy provided. (in USD)

Utility Data

Description

Billing Contact

The name the utility meter bill is addressed to.

Billing Address

The billing address for the utility bill.

Billing Account

The account number for the bill, provided by the utility.

Start Date

When the service began for the billing period.

End Date

When the service ended for the billing period.

Cost

The total cost for the service provided.

Volume

The total amount of energy provided. i.e. "15,000 KWh"

Unit

The unit the utility bill is selling energy in. i.e. "KWh"

Kind

How the utility classifies the energy provided. i.e. "supply"

Rate

The per unit cost of the energy provided. (in USD)

How to Connect your utility provider to GreenPlaces

The steps below should be completed by a utilities administrator or someone who has access to the online account with your electricity or natural gas provider.

Not a utilities admin? Invite them to join GreenPlaces

Inviting your utilities or facilities admin to collaborate with you in GreenPlaces is an easy process. This person needs to have access to the online portal for your utility provider. Simply send them an invitation through the "Members" tab in GreenPlaces.

For more information on inviting your teammates to GreenPlaces, click here.

Step 1: Navigate to the "Integrations" tab

The "Integrations" tab is on the left side of the dashboard under the "Settings" menu. You can also navigate to the "Integrations" page by clicking here.

Next, navigate to the "Utilities" tab on the integrations page.

Step 2: Select your utility from this list

GreenPlaces connects with a variety of utility providers around the world. Don't see your utility on the list? Just let your account manager know.

After selecting your utility provider, click "Connect Provider" to continue.

Using the login form that pops up, enter the username and password for your online utility account.

We partner with Arcadia and UtilityApi to integrate with 2000+ utility providers. You will use one of the two login forms to connect your utility provider to GreenPlaces. Examples of both forms are provided below.

Step 3a: Using the UtilityApi form

Complete the form, and click "Authorize Access and Data Sharing".

GreenPlaces will attempt to connect to your utility provider. You must click "Continue" to complete the connection.

All set, proceed to Step 4!

Step 3b: Using the Arcadia form

Complete the form with your username and password for your online utility account, and click "Submit".

After clicking "Submit", Arcadia will attempt to validate your username and password. This can take 2-3 minutes, so leave the popup window open.

If you get an error here, try once more, then reach out to your account manager.

To connect another account, repeat steps 1-4. Do not use the "Connect Another Account" button in the window to connect additional utility integrations.

Step 4: GreenPlaces takes care of the rest

GreenPlaces will synchronize with your utility provider every week. You can view the status of your integration at any time under the "Integrations" tab, as well as see the last time the GreenPlaces synced with your platform.

To disconnect your utility provider, just let your account manager know.