Conservation Labs provides smart water monitoring solutions to detect leaks, measure usage, and reduce water waste.
Conservation Labs
Smart Water Monitor
H2know is a non-invasive sensor and reporting platform that provides high-resolution water and plumbing maintenance insights to reduce utility costs, maintenance costs, and risks.
Description
Conservation Labs' H2know is a non-invasive water monitoring sensor and reporting platform that uses acoustics to identify water usage patterns, pinpoints leaks to specific units or fixtures, and provides actionable recommendations to cut consumption and prevent equipment failures. H2know reduces utility costs by lowering water use by 10–20%, which also decreases associated energy and wastewater expenses. For a mid-sized building, this can generate around $50,000 in annual savings, while households may see utility bill reductions of up to $400 per year.
Cost Savings
Conservation Labs can reduce water-related maintenance costs by 10-30%. For a mid-sized building, this can generate around $50,000 in annual savings, while households may see utility bill reductions of up to $400 per year.
Key Differentiators
Minimally-disruptive installation - H2know differs from many water monitoring solutions in that it typically requires only one sensor per riser or unit and can be installed without plumbing modifications.
Precise sensing - H2know is able to provide fixture-level water use estimates.
Real-time, actionable insights - H2know provides visibility into real-time water use and offers conservation insights and risk predictions based on building-specific usage patterns.
Cost savings - H2know reduces utility costs by lowering water use by 10–20%, which also decreases associated energy and wastewater expenses.
Use Cases
Gain better visibility into real-time water use at a building
Reduce building utility costs
About
Decarbonization Impacts
Operational Emissions
H2know contributes to decarbonization by improving water efficienct, which reduces energy use associated with water systems—often the second-largest energy load in multifamily buildings—and raises overall energy efficiency.
Project + Building Compatibility
Project Type
Both existing building retrofit and new construction
Essential Building Characteristics
H2know installation requires access to building pipes, power, and Wi-Fi, with sensors installed on risers or within individual units. Sensor quantity and placement can be adjusted based on the desired level of data resolution. Specific requirements include a standard power outlet within 30 feet of the installation location and a stable 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection.
Ideal Building Characteristics
H2know may be installed in any size and shape of building.
Minimum Project Size
Minimum order size for H2know is 10 sensors.
Ideal Project Size
Properties with over 100 units are preferred for economies of scale at deployment and monitoring.
Additional Considerations
Wi-Fi is required for H2know to function. If Wi-Fi is not available, Conservation Labs can deploy a cellular network for IoT devices. In environments with limited access to power outlets, a Power over Ethernet (PoE) network may be deployed.
Example Installations
Installed By
H2know monitors and protects over 2,000 multifamily units including buildings owned or managed by Aldar, Burbank Housing Authority, Colliers, Greystar, Selfhelp, and UDR.
Case Studies
Resident Experience
During Installation
H2know installation is designed to be minimally disruptive for residents. For a typical 100-unit property, installation takes about 2–3 weeks with a small team, and most of the work is completed by trained installers rather than skilled trades. In some cases, a licensed electrician may be needed.
Post Installation
H2know sensors are typically not accessible to residents. However, building owners and managers can receive insights and alerts from H2know based on their needs. Conservation Labs provides direct access to detailed usage data or summary-level data, as appropriate.
Financing
NY Incentives/Financing Resources
NYSERDA's Multifamily Building Programs
New York State's Affordable Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program
Con Edison's Multifamily Energy Efficiency Incentives
Payback Period
Under 12 months.
Upfront Costs
The H2know sensor retails at $140. Volume discounts may be applied to the retail price.
Ongoing Costs
H2know requires an annual monitoring fee of $36 per sensor.
Operations, Management, and Maintenance
Operations and Maintenance Requirements
Operations and Maintenance teams may receive leak alerts or weekly maintenance reports that reveal the magnitude and location of chronic leaks and plumbing risks. Leak and risk data may be integrated into existing work order management tools.
Ease of Operations
Conservation Labs offers training tools and video tutorials to support onboarding. The reporting application and weekly usage reports are designed to be clear and easy to understand.
Data + Performance
Conservation Labs provides visibility into real-time water use in a building by combining the H2know sensor with a platform that delivers insights via a web app, mobile alerts, and reports. The platform identifies water usage patterns, pinpoints leaks to specific units or fixtures, and provides actionable recommendations to cut consumption and prevent equipment failures.
Specifications
The H2know sensor has the following certifications: FCC, CE Mark, REACH and RoHS compliant.
