Apartments and condominiums provide homes to families with different comfort preferences and different attitudes on energy use. Similarly, many commercial buildings are divided into spaces where tenants have different temperature requirements or usage schedules.
In some buildings, the thermal energy required to heat or cool each adjoining space is supplied by the building owner at a fixed monthly cost, irrespective of usage. In other cases, each space is equipped with its own heating and cooling system, along with the associated meters for electrical and natural gas usage. The cost of heating and cooling is paid directly to a utility by the owner or tenant. Those that use their systems conservatively enjoy lower bills and vice versa. It’s a simple “pay for what you use” arrangement.