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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Along with the rapid rise in EV ownership in Canada comes the increase in at-home charging infrastructure needs, especially in cities where the EV adoption rate is high. To accommodate this trend, more governments are now requiring new developments in these locations to incorporate “EV Ready” parking for residents (ie. stalls with enough electricity adjacent that EV chargers can be installed now or when needed). Policies like this are intended to “futureproof” local architecture and prepare for mass EV adoption, likely in the not-so-distant future. A solid plan can ease this process, but until recently it was difficult to find accurate and detailed information with which to create and implement one.

As an answer to this problem, the City of Calgary and the City of Edmonton commissioned this Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Costing Study to analyze the costs involved with incorporating EV Ready parking in new construction. It is a comprehensive resource that examines this in three building types typical of new residential construction in those cities: high-rise, mid-rise, and townhouse. It explores various electrical designs for each type and provides itemized lists of associated costs for all. In addition to providing background information on EV Ready requirements, the study also provides recommendations for design options in different scenarios and strategies that can help keep costs down. Notably, the study highlights the importance of incorporating EV Ready parking into new construction rather than retrofitting since it is much less costly and complicated.

While it is helpful to inform the general public, the study most effectively acts as a resource for local governments, developers, electrical engineers, utilities, and other project stakeholders. Detailed appendices include specific building archetype details and load calculations, single line diagrams, and parking layout drawings for each building type that are excellent references for similar projects.

The costing study was conducted and prepared by AES Engineering Ltd., an electrical engineering firm and leader in “EV Ready” charging requirements. They provide policy advising, infrastructure planning, program design, and strategy development services to support the transition to zero emissions buildings and transportation.

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There is a wealth of information out there about electric vehicles (EVs) with many organizations doing the hard work of producing engaging and helpful content. However, finding the right information can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Since our team 'lives and breathes' electric vehicles, we decided to create a series of blog posts highlighting some of our favorite resources out there. 

Today we will be writing about a Condo Charging guide created by Plug'n Drive for condominium board members, property managers, and residents. Plug’n Drive is a non-profit organization that has helped over 125,000 consumers learn about electric vehicles and facilitated over 23,000 EV test drives. Its EV Discovery Centre was the first facility of its kind worldwide to host a variety of EV models from leading manufacturers in a sales-free, brand neutral environment.

As more drivers switch to EVs, their needs for at-home charging solutions are evolving. Most current EV owners live in single-unit dwellings where charger installation and maintenance is relatively straightforward. However, increasingly property managers of multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) such as condos or apartment buildings are receiving requests to install chargers from their residents. While there are major benefits to adding EV charging to a MURB, the process is more complex than for a single-unit residence. Among the many factors to consider are: what are the financial and legal responsibilities of the different groups involved? What is important to include in a successful EV charging policy for a condo or apartment building? How do you ensure your building has enough electrical capacity to support EV charging now and plan for the future? It can feel overwhelming and difficult to figure out how to begin.

To address these questions and assist condo owners, boards, and managers in getting EV charging at their MURBs, Plug’n Drive provides a very helpful resource that is a great first step in simplifying the process. Its Make Your Condo EV Ready guide teaches the basics about EVs and charging and explains the main steps involved in typical charger installations at condos. It reviews available incentives, cost saving tips, and provides resources for finding more information. It also addresses numerous frequently asked questions from managers and residents about the process. 

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