EP 17 - Stefan Schmidt (MeterZ)

<p><strong>Summary</strong><br>Stefan Schmidt is co-founder and CEO of MeterZ, a company that gets energy data out of buildings. He talks through his route from Microsoft into smart buildings via Hoare Lea, HB Reavis and WiredScore, and explains why reliable meter data is still so hard to come by. He covers utility meters nobody can find, submeters buried on BMS networks, and how wireless and IoT hardware are cutting the cost of metering. He also explains why a shortage of skilled installers is the next big problem to solve, and where demand response and grid flexibility could go next.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong><br>smart buildings, energy data, metering, submetering, decarbonisation, IoT, wireless metering, tenant recharge, sustainability reporting, demand response</p><p><strong>Key topics</strong><br>Stefan&#39;s path from Microsoft to smart buildings<br>Why energy data is so hard to get out of buildings<br>Utility meters versus in-building submeters<br>Hidden meters and inaccurate utility data<br>How wireless and IoT hardware simplify metering<br>The real cost of manual meter reading<br>Who benefits from metering in a multi-let building<br>The installer skills shortage<br>Future trends in demand response and grid flexibility</p><p><strong>Sound bites</strong><br>&quot;We really do believe that the lack of good quality energy data from buildings is one of the biggest bottlenecks to decarbonisation of real estate.&quot;<br>&quot;The wireless technology&#39;s been really positive for ease of deployment and also for maintenance.&quot;<br>&quot;Become an electrician. You&#39;ll never be out of work.&quot;</p><p><strong>Chapters</strong><br>00:00 Introduction to Stefan Schmidt and his background<br>01:56 Stefan&#39;s career journey from Microsoft to smart buildings<br>04:48 The genesis of MeterZ and its mission<br>07:53 Challenges in utility meter deployment and data access<br>12:07 Complexities of in-building submeters and BMS integration<br>16:05 The evolution of wireless metering technology<br>20:00 Common issues with manual meter reading and data accuracy<br>23:49 Stakeholder challenges in data-driven decision making<br>27:54 Next steps in solving industry-wide metering problems<br>33:01 Advice for newcomers in the energy data space<br>36:03 The importance of skills and simplifying deployment<br>39:58 Future opportunities in demand response and grid management</p><p><strong>Guest links</strong><br>Stefan Schmidt on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linke