Common Issues

December 18, 2020 Published by North Saskatchewan Chapter

Submetering for Electric Vehicle Charging in MURBs

From the North Saskatchewan Chapter Winter 2020 issue of Condo Voice

In Canada, the transportation sector is the second largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for a quarter of total national emissions, according to the Government of Canada. That makes Electric Vehicles (EVs) essential to reducing our overall emissions; every kilometre driven in an EV is one kilometre closer to our carbon reduction targets. Canadians have already driven the popularity of EVs to new heights, with more than 100,000 plug-in EVs now on the road in Canada. Naturally, this rise in EV usage is accompanied by an increased demand for landlords to provide the right charging experience.

The Canadian government has set ambitious federal targets for zero-emission vehicles reaching 100% of light-duty vehicles by 2040. Increasingly, metro jurisdictions are setting strict guidelines for infrastructure to accommodate these vehicles. Leading the charge toward meeting our nation’s green emission goals, Vancouver, British Columbia already requires 100 per cent of residential parking spaces for new developments, excluding visitor spaces, must be designed with an energized electrical outlet capable of providing Level 2 EV charging or higher to the parking space. Other major Canadian cities like Toronto, Ontario are on their way as well, requiring new developments to outfit 20 per cent of parking spaces with EV supply equipment while designing the remaining spaces for future EV station installation.

Beyond bylaws, ensuring your building is EV-ready is essential to meeting the future needs of residents. Your residents want a plug-and-charge solution as seamless as it is efficient. Working with a submetering provider can simplify the process for both landlord/strata and residents to provide the right plug-andcharge solution for your building. Submetering offers metering and direct billing for designated EV parking areas, and convenient solutions for visitor parking areas as well.

From a set-up and operational standpoint, working with a professional submetering provider offers advantages like clean, straightforward installation that seamlessly fits into your design and available power supply. Your provider will offer reliable and robust industry leading technology, as well as proactive ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Submetering can also offer advanced energy management to reduce capital costs. As available electricity supply may become a concern as more EV charging services are required over time, the technology incorporated into the stations can be used to reduce further installation costs, power requirements, and to future-proof sites for additional deployments without heavily increasing underlying infrastructure.

The ideal solution for most multi-res buildings is the Level 2 EV charger supported by a cloud network because of its power- sharing and power-limiting capabilities. These Level 2 chargers – available in wall-mount, single pedestal and double pedestal – provide your residents with convenient, reliable service while not overtaxing your building’s electrical infrastructure. This makes it possible for organizations to meet driver demand and charge more EVs without making major electrical investments. Most cloud-network enabled Level 2 chargers will allow for a variety of ways to control and monetize these amenities, including the ability to track energy and utilization, control access to select drivers, and scale-up charging station operations as demand for these services increases.

By having EV charging solutions in place in visitor parking areas, you will offer EV drivers reliability, convenience and ease when visiting your building. In visitor parking areas, the common practice is to offer bill-by-the-hour service via a driver app. It is quick and convenient and well suited to a communal- use environment. In designated resident parking areas, residents of submetered buildings are increasingly seeking an alternative billing solution for EV charging, by-the-kWh. This allows for a single source bill for all electrical use and saves them money – a full charge will cost the same no matter how long it takes. By implementing submetering solutions for EV charging in your building, you will offer an elevated user experience through simplified billing, timely and accurate service, and available insights into every kWh used.

From a business advantage standpoint, outfitting your building with EV charging equipment will provide a desirable sustainable living feature, enhancing your building’s marketability. Submetering your EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) offers advanced analytics that provide total insight into utility consumption and give ranks to buildings as well as residents. Submetering can also simplify your billing process, offering a single source bill for all electricity usage, including EV charging, which is monitored and administered by your provider.

With so many options and incentives available, deploying EV charging stations is a wise and proactive choice that will attract residents, meet your jurisdiction’s building legislations, and contribute to Canada’s goals around decarbonizing transportation.

This Article was written by Peter Mills, Co-CEO, Wyse Meter Solutions Inc.

Wyse Meter Solutions Inc. is Canada’s leading provider of submetering and utility expense management services.

For more information, contact pmills@wysemeter.com