Environment - Climate Change

January 30, 2024 Published by Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter - By Colleen Morrison, Adrian Turpin, John Leonard, Kira Hanesly

We’ve Only Just Begun: The Quest to Make Our Building Electric Vehicle (EV) Ready

From the CCI Newfoundland and Labrador Winter 2024 Condo Chronicle Newsletter

Electric Vehicle (EV) Ready

What do we need to do to get our building EV ready? Well, that is certainly a question that has been asked many, many times over the past few years. There have been discussions at Board meetings, conversations among owners and Board members, and the casual Q & A with electricians and engineers. Board members and owners alike have attended virtual seminars and shared articles on all things EV. While a great deal of knowledge on EVs and EV chargers was gathered through all of those activities, we still did not have any concrete information as to how McKee’s Grove Condominium Corporation could incorporate EV charging stations into our already existing infrastructure.

Following up on a discussion about EV charging stations from CCI-NL’s November 2022 AGM, we contacted an electrical contractor to meet with us on site to discuss the possibilities for our building. At this point, we had no idea if Level 3 fast chargers or individual Level 2 chargers were the best option to provide service to 40 units, nor did we know where we would locate those chargers. In an already constructed multi-unit residential building such as ours, with both underground and outside parking, we did know it wasn’t going to be a simple fix. Our underground parking garage accommodates vehicles for 32 units, with the outside parking lot having designated parking for the other 8 units. The electrical room with individual unit meters is also located in the parking garage.

These initial meetings did give us further insight into the options available. Accommodating Level 2 chargers in the parking garage would involve running electrical connections between unit meters to individual parking stalls. Providing those same connections to the outside parking spaces would involve extensive work to bring the connection back inside the building. If we decided on a Level 3 charger, it would have to be installed in the parking garage near the electrical room in a space that would provide easy access for vehicles. Thinking was toward one Level 3 charger. However, it was suggested that we contact Drive Electric NL to further discuss our needs before making any firm decisions as to which route to take.

Drive Electric NL

A visit to Drive Electric NL did provide us with plenty of information on various types of EV chargers, but we still had many questions about the best fit for our building. Our next step was an e-mail to provide them with structural information about our building and to ask some very basic questions about EV charging stations. Kira Hanesly, the Resource Centre Coordinator with Drive Electric NL, contacted us right away. She was a wealth of information; and we discussed various types of chargers, electrical work to install chargers, and various rebates available. Our knowledge of our current electrical system was limited, so after that very lengthy conversation, it was decided that a visit to our building and a meeting with our Board of Directors was necessary.

When Kira visited McKee’s Grove Condominium, she was accompanied by an electrician from a company with whom her organization works closely. They did an overall inspection of the electrical room, the available space in the parking garage next to that room, the individual parking stalls, the support structure in the parking garage, and the outside parking spaces. We accompanied them during the visit and made arrangements to meet again the next day.

The next meeting gave us an opportunity to discuss the available options for our building as they related to getting the building EV ready, installing chargers, and accessing rebates. Board members who were unable to attend the meeting submitted a number of questions that were also discussed. Finally, we felt that we had some concrete information that would help us move forward when we were ready to do so.

Our Best Option

Because our knowledge of EV chargers was limited, our initial thought was that installation of a Level 3 charger (fast charger) in our underground parking garage would be a viable option that would allow residents to pay for their usage individually. However, after our meeting with Kira, it was obvious that this was an unrealistic option for the possible eventuality of 40+ vehicles needing charging in the parking garage. Those types of chargers are more suited to the use of the general public as is currently being done in many places. Consumer payments for using the Level 3 charger can often be less than the cost of administering the charger and payment program. In addition, the cost could range anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000 installed. Finally, it was determined that Level 2 chargers (individual chargers) would be best suited to our needs as they would provide a better charging experience for residents and would be easier to install.

Level 2 Chargers

As indicated above, the Level 2 chargers were recommended as being best suited to our needs since they would offer a better individual charging experience for residents and would be easy to install. Each individual parking stall can be pre-wired, and residents would then be able to purchase their own Level 2 charger and pay for their particular charging costs, or the Corporation could purchase the chargers with later reimbursement from residents.

The challenge for our building would be the outside parking stalls, which are located directly in front of concrete walkways. Because the electrical connection would have to be brought back inside the building, those walkways would have to be dug up to run the wiring underground and then through the building to connect to the electrical system. Quite a challenge for sure, but it could be done.

The chargers themselves are 250 volts/40 – 50 amps, and each parking stall could be equipped with a charger. A typical charger requires a 50 amp circuit at 80 percent capacity/40 amps with a load shed box.

Our Building’s Electrical Functionality

The current electrical setup for our building is a good one. Our electrical room is located in the underground parking garage, and there is sufficient space between the meters to run electrical lines.

This would eliminate the need to run cable from the meter itself to the panel box in each resident’s condominium unit. By running new lines for power from the electrical room to charger panels outside the room, the parking stall chargers can then be hooked into individual meters.

After the electricians had assessed and measured our electrical room and the space at the rear of our underground parking garage, they outlined the setup necessary for EV readiness. A separate small electrical room constructed from the same type of concrete blocks as our present electrical room would have to be constructed next to the current room to provide housing for the charging panels. The space at the rear of our parking garage would be sufficient to accommodate this structure.

The room would measure approximately 15 feet long by 5 feet deep, and it would contain seven (7) charging cabinets, with each cabinet accommodating six (6) charger hookups. Three (3) charging cabinets would be installed on each of the two longer walls, and one (1) would be installed on the shorter wall. Access to the room would be via a door in the front, and there would be a space between this new room and our existing electrical room.

Electrical cabling would run from each individual meter, connect to the particular hookup assigned in the charging cabinet, and, in turn, would be connected to the parking stall hookup.

Costing and Rebates

Finally, we could see the possibility of being able to make our building EV ready when the time came. Our next step was to look at the financial aspect of carrying out this project and whether the Corporation would be able to access various types of funding through rebates.

Obviously, requirements for an EV readiness project for a multi-unit/multi-family residential building differ significantly from those requirements for a single unit dwelling, and our project would likely need to be completed in phases and at a much higher cost. For our particular building, we were looking at the following:

• Construction of a secondary electrical room using concrete blocks and equipped with steel doors
• Rewiring of all 40 electrical meters to connect to the load shed boxes in this room
• Connection of the electrical wiring to each parking stall
• Purchase and installation of 32 chargers for the underground parking stalls
• Purchase and installation of the remaining 8 chargers for the outside parking spaces

At the time we did our assessment, NL Hydro was offering $5,000 per charger up to a maximum of 19 chargers, for a total of $95,000 in rebate money for installation. However, an EV ready plan had to be in place, and the work would have to be done before the rebate was given. Looking at that being our only rebate source initially, the financial outlay to the Corporation would be close to $250,000.

Further meetings with Kira over the summer of 2023 alerted us to other sources of funding that might be applicable to our particular situation which included NL Hydro, NRCan (Natural Resources Canada), and a project pitch to the provincial government by Drive Electric NL. With all those sources factored in, we were looking at a cost of $2,500 per charger if all 40 were purchased at the same time, thereby making the Corporation’s commitment $100,000 at the beginning of construction, with another $180,000 due at the end of construction; however, this $180,000 amount would come back as a rebate portion within 60 – 90 days. Again, an EV ready plan would have to be in place, and the work would have to be completed before the rebate was available. Indeed, further detailed technical and financial/cost assessments would be required to confirm the findings to date.

A Lot to Think About

To ensure that the Board of Directors were involved in all stages of our research, we submitted regular updates to them via e-mail and followed up with written reports before Board meetings. As well, John Leonard, President, was on hand for many of the meetings we had with Kira and the electricians.

Making a decision to spend funds for any type of project requires serious thought and discussion, and this project was no different. The Board reviewed all our submissions thoroughly and discussed the pros and cons of going ahead with a project of this magnitude. They looked at the present level of interest of all residents; the associated required funds for the purchase; the need for further investigation into electrical requirements of the building’s systems and its associated costs; the need to install 32 chargers inside the underground parking garage and 8 chargers outside the building; and the prevalence of EV systems like the one proposed in condominium buildings in the province at the time. After much discussion, the Board decided not to pursue the project; the demand was simply not there. However, there was considerable interest to monitor the installation of EV systems in buildings similar to ours and to stay informed on the EV situation as it evolved.

This discussion continued at our AGM in November of 2023. While the decision had been made not to pursue the project, the discussion at the meeting very much centered on the need to continue to stay informed on EV charging systems as the technology and implementation options became more defined. There was agreement that the current demand and cost for the work required to make our building EV ready at this point in time did not warrant proceeding with the project. However, it was understood that the need is there for us to be prepared for the eventuality of becoming EV ready.

Making buildings such as ours EV ready, with its existing infrastructure, is certainly a challenge, both financially and physically. It is not a decision to be taken lightly, and Boards of Directors must ensure due diligence as they represent the interests of all. And while the federal government has set a target of 2035 to end the sale of vehicles powered only by gasoline or diesel, the question remains whether they’ve given the same consideration to ensuring that the ability to charge these vehicles is also present. Of course, as consumers, we too need to consider the pros and cons of the purchase, with two of the biggest considerations being the cost of purchasing and operating an EV, along with the ability to charge it conveniently.

There is no mistaking that EV purchase is increasing and that consumers are looking at ways to be more environmentally friendly. The challenge remains, however, for buildings such as ours to find a way to embrace this change.

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Colleen Morrison is a retired educator in the field of business management who spent over 30 years with College of the North Atlantic. She has also worked as an employee relations officer with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees. Colleen was a member of the Board of Directors for McKee’s Grove Condominium Corporation from 2014 - 2022, and she was a Director with CCI-NL from 2020 - 2023. She is a condo owner and resident at McKee’s Grove Condominium.

Adrian Turpin is a retired educator in the field of communications who spent over 30 years with College of the North Atlantic. He is condo owner and resident at McKee’s Grove Condominium who regularly volunteers his assistance with many building projects.

John Leonard is a retired civil engineer who has worked in private industry, with government, and in his own consulting firm. He has been an invaluable member of the Board of Directors of McKee’s Grove Condominium Corporation since September 2017 and has served as President since November 2018.

Kira Hanesly is the Resource Centre Coordinator with Drive Electric NL. She has been a small business and management consultant for over 20 years. Kira is an EV owner and a fierce advocate for disseminating factual information on all things EV related.