Charging infrastructure in multi-unit buildings

With EVs likely to reach price parity with conventional vehicles by the mid- to late-2020s — and with the federal government's commitment to increase domestic EV supply — zero-emission vehicles are poised to dominate Canadian automobile sales over the next decade. Although many Canadians live in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs), few if any of those buildings provide charging stations either in the attached parking area or nearby.

Property owners and managers must quickly adopt to accommodate EV ownership. Likewise, municipalities and provincial governments need to update building codes and pass regulatory measures that support and incentivize the deployment of charging infrastructure in multi-unit homes.

Start planning for charging installation now

The federal government recently passed regulatory measures mandating that 20% of new passenger vehicle sales by suppliers be zero-emission by 2026, followed by 60% of sales by 2030, and 100% by 2035. The internal-combustion engine era is ending with an EV-friendly future fast approaching. Electrical renovations can take considerable time to plan and implement and, in the case of new builds, charging plans must be in place at the beginning of the project.

Make parking spaces "EV-ready"  

EV chargers do not need to be the first step in making a building EV- friendly. Installing outlets or junction boxes adjacent to parking spaces allows residents to easily connect to a charger in the future.  

Use EV energy management systems (EVEMS) to reduce costs. EVEMS are a technology that controls the rate, or speed, of the charge, and the most efficient times to charge. This allows multiple chargers to share the same branch circuit (the wire from the electrical panel breaker to the outlet connecting the charger).

Understand the benefits of a comprehensive EV-ready approach 

It can be tempting to electrify only a few parking spaces at a time, or to install a handful of chargers for drivers to share in common parking areas. As demand for charging grows, however, and more drivers want access to a charger in their dedicated parking spot, a piecemeal approach can quickly become unsustainable and expensive. If only a handful of parking spaces are electrified with little forward planning, those first few chargers could end up exhausting electrical capacity.

Policymakers need to step up  

• New buildings should be required to be 100% EV-ready.
• All levels of government should work together to establish rebate programs that encourage property owners and managers to undertake retrofits of existing buildings.

These resources are designed to help property owners and managers prepare and plan for retrofitting their building to accommodate electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

• Survey template for residents' EV charging needs
• Template to create an EV-ready plan
• How Energy Management Systems work
• Glossary of EV terms
• Frequently Asked Questions for EV Charging in Multi-unit Buildings 
• Learn about Calgary's ChargeYYC EV-ready retrofit program

This resource provides a list of jurisdictions that require owners to install electric vehicle charging in multi-unit buildings. 

• The haves and the have nots