EV Charging in MURBs
Today we will be providing deeper insight into EV charging at multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) by exploring a very helpful guide by Pollution Probe and Delphi Group. Pollution Probe is a Canadian non-profit, charitable organization that works productively with governments, industry, and the public to advance policy to achieve positive and significant environmental change. Through numerous successful partnerships over the last 50 years it has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to clean air, water, and a healthy planet. Delphi Group is a Canadian consultancy providing strategic support and original solutions in the areas of corporate sustainability and climate change. A pioneer in sustainability consulting and environmental risk management, it has more than 25 years of experience in helping some of Canada’s top companies improve the sustainability of their organizations.
Increasingly Canadians are opting to live in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) such as condominiums and apartments as opposed to single-unit detached homes. The 2016 Census showed that in major Canadian metropolitan centers like Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, more residents make their homes in MURBs than in single detached homes. This trend is now being accompanied by a surge of electric vehicle (EV) sales in Canada overall, but especially in those same metropolitan areas like Vancouver. Given that most EV charging occurs at home, ensuring that Canadians living in MURBs have access to at-home charging is a critical step to facilitating EV adoption in the country.
Many property managers are eager to participate in this movement to provide EV charging for their residents and include EV charging infrastructure in their buildings under construction. However, charger installation at MURBs is usually more complex than at single-unit dwellings because of many factors including electrical capacity limitations, complicated physical layout or other difficulty getting electricity to parking areas, and gaining consensus among users about management details. Every building has its unique challenges and there is no “one size fits all” solution, which can make it especially difficult to know where to start.
Thankfully organizations are responding by creating detailed guides to ease the process for property managers. The Guide to Electric Vehicle Charging in Multi-Unit Residential Buildings from Pollution Probe and Delphi Group is a comprehensive study that acts as a fantastic resource for anyone, but is especially helpful for managers or board members who want to address a request for EV charging at their MURB. In addition to providing solid background information about EVs, charging, and benefits of EV charging in MURBs, the guide provides step-by-step instructions for all relevant stakeholders to walk them through the entire process and clarify each party’s responsibilities. It also identifies potential obstacles and strategies for streamlining the installation process. Where applicable, considerations specific to installations in new construction are detailed as well, which will be increasingly relevant as new MURBs are built to meet the housing demand.
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