PART 2: 6 STEPS ON HOW TO BE EV READY IN YOUR STRATA BUILDING

In the realm of sustainable living, Electric Vehicle (EV) readiness within strata buildings stands as more than just a regulatory necessity. It’s a pivotal stride towards fostering a greener future. Building on our previous exploration of EV readiness, we delve further into practical steps and guidance, empowering strata communities to adopt EV charging seamlessly.

Step 1: Educating the Community on EV Benefits

The initial phase of EV readiness revolves around enlightening the community about EV benefits. This includes spreading knowledge on environmental advantages and cost efficiency through forums and workshops, thereby nurturing a collective drive towards eco-friendly mobility.

Step 2: Assessing Building Needs

A critical step is understanding your building’s specific requirements. The simplest way to do this is to start by conducting surveys to ascertain existing :

• Parking availability.
• Current electrical infrastructure.
• Number of resident car owners and existing EV users.
• How many residents drive EVs now?
• How many residents are considering EVs, and when?
• Building’s existing electrical capacity and load.
• Assessing current and projected future demand for EV charging.

Current and future demands for EV charging.

• Appointing a sub-committee within the Owners’ Corporation can streamline this information-gathering process.

These types of surveys will help you profile current patterns and behaviour around driving, parking and EV charging. With this very useful and validated information, you can then start to plan ahead with a strategy specifically suited to your strata building’s requirements.

Step 3:  Planning and Designing EV Infrastructure

With a clear grasp of your needs, it’s time to consult specialists in EV infrastructure and electrical engineering. Their expertise will simplify the planning phase, focusing on elements like metered circuit boards, load management, charger selection, billing systems, safety, and future-proofing technologies.

Step 4: Establishing Effective Policies

As strata managers, it’s crucial to implement clear and comprehensive policies to ensure the efficient operation of your Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Here are key guidelines to consider:

Fair Access to Charging Bays:

• Implement a system or policy ensuring fair access to limited EV charging bays.
• Consider using parking bollards to reserve EV charging spots, ensuring they’re available for those who book them.
• Prevent the misuse of charging bays for regular parking or ICE’ing (Internal Combustion Engine vehicles occupying EV spots).

Defining Responsible Charging Behaviour:

• Determine guidelines for EV charging usage, such as whether EVs with 80% or more charge should be allowed to top up if others are waiting.
• Develop a clear understanding among residents about responsible and considerate use of EV charging facilities.

Billing for EV Charging:

• Establish a transparent system for billing the power usage from common property EV chargers.
• Consider individual usage, shared expenses, and reimbursement methods to the strata corporation for electricity consumption.

Addressing ICE’ing in EV Charging Bays:

• Create policies to prevent non-EV vehicles from occupying charging bays.
• Consider implementing penalties or other measures to enforce these rules.

Transparent Communication:

• Clearly communicate all policies and guidelines to residents.
• Ensure residents are aware of their responsibilities and the operational aspects of the EV charging infrastructure.

By setting these policies early and maintaining open communication, you can create a harmonious environment in your strata community. This approach not only streamlines the EV charging process but also fosters a sense of collective responsibility and respect among residents.

Step 5: Installation and Deployment of EV Chargers

Selecting the right EV supplier, whether an independent contractor or a specialist operator, is essential. Drawing insights from other installations and seeking expert advice for complex projects is advised. For both owners’ corporations and individual tenants, obtaining detailed quotes and coordinating with the building management for installation are key steps. Distributing informative resources helps in educating the community about new EV charging facilities and policies. [1] [2] [3]

Step 6: Monitoring and Maintenance

Establishing a system for regular monitoring and maintenance of the EV charging infrastructure is crucial. Utilising software tools for usage tracking and adjusting resources as needed ensures optimal performance. This responsibility can be managed by the building or facilities manager or a volunteer from the Owners’ Corporation.

Embracing EV Readiness

Adopting these steps enables strata communities to support EV owners effectively and contribute to a greener future. Integrating systems like automatic parking bollards from ThatsMYspot enhances both EV readiness and parking management in strata buildings.

Managing EV Charging and Parking Challenges

Strata managers often face challenges in managing parking spaces, especially with the integration of EV charging infrastructure. ThatsMYspot offers solutions like smart parking bollards that address these issues, ensuring fair access to parking and EV charging bays, and preventing non-EV vehicles from occupying these spots. These systems promote a harmonious living environment and contribute to sustainable urban living.

For more information or to explore tailored parking solutions for your strata building, contact ThatsMYspot and download your free EV Charging Procurement Guide.

Conclusion

Adapting to EV readiness in strata buildings is a journey of education, planning, policy implementation, and technological integration. By following these steps, strata communities can play a significant role in advancing sustainable transportation, making strides towards a greener, more efficient, and harmonious living environment.

This article was contributed by Angelique Mentis, Director, thatsMYspot.com.au