Affordable Advanced Metering Technology Solutions (DERs for energy generation, distribution and consumption awareness with Real-time energy data)

iFormit Solutions Inc. develops accessible and cost-effective smart metering technologies aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency in utility consumption. Their solutions serve landlords, property managers, utility companies, and electric vehicle (EV) users who face challenges with the high cost and complexity of traditional smart metering systems. The core innovation, the iMID Connector, allows for the retrofitting of conventional analog or digital meters to enable remote meter reading and real-time data collection through a cloud-based platform. This eliminates the need for full infrastructure replacement, significantly lowering deployment costs. Through this project, iFormit aims to address the technical challenge of inconsistent communication protocols across legacy meters. The intern will investigate ANSI standards and analyze optical communication methods to support multi-protocol integration. This work directly supports a pilot with Mahone Bay Electricity Utility to retrieve protocols from residential, commercial, and bi-directional meters and convert them to remote-readable formats. Another pilot with Vida Living will retrofit a 24-unit apartment building to monitor energy and water usage in real time. The anticipated social and economic benefits include reduced utility costs, enhanced user engagement, and emissions reduction. The project aligns with Net Zero Atlantic’s goal of enabling low-carbon innovation and modernizing energy infrastructure in Nova Scotia.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hamed Aly

Student:

Partner:

Net Zero Atlantic;iFormit Solutions

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: