This article is about EV charging stations in strata high rise and apartment buildings.
Table of Contents:
- Principal Scheme Committee Decision Leads to Death by Electrocution in Strata
- QUESTION: Is there any indication that Body Corporate insurance will increase due to EV fire danger in strata car parks?
- QUESTION: We are investigating EV charging and solar for our building. What is the best way to structure the installation of infrastructure to come up with a cost effective solution?
- QUESTION: I believe our high rise should be getting ahead of the EV charging curve. We have questions regarding EV charging and EV parking.
Principal Scheme Committee Decision Leads to Death by Electrocution in Strata
This recount has been submitted by a QLD lot owner with concerns about the way EV adoption has been managed in their building.
Not the perfect news headline to appreciate the value of any strata community, however, these may well be the words a Coroner determines appropriate to describe a terribly tragic circumstance in the event it happens.
A Brisbane Principal Scheme Committee has authorised owners to charge their electric vehicles using an untagged tested power lead laying on the floor of a large strata communities parking garage while options are explored to have common EV charges installed.
The QLD Electrical Safety Act [ESA] is directed at eliminating the human cost to individuals, families and the community of death, injury and destruction that can be caused by electricity.
On 26 February 2022, the retail level car park sprinklers of this complex triggered when a vehicle [not an EV] erupted into flames, resulting in a substantial amount of water pouring into the underground basement car park.
Car Park fires happen and although they can be a rare occurrence, this is undoubtedly why the installation of fire safety sprinklers is mandated.
The following photos of our car parking area says it all.
This post appears in Strata News #579.
Question: Is there any indication that Body Corporate insurance will increase due to EV fire danger in strata car parks?
Answer: Currently insurers are not charging extra premium for increased fire danger due to electrical vehicles in car parks.
Currently insurers are not charging extra premium for increased fire danger due to electrical vehicles in car parks.
We suspect this may happen if there is a major event due to the vehicles. This could cause insurers to review their premiums and underwriting criteria.
Tyrone Shandiman
Strata Insurance Solutions
E: [email protected]
P: 07 3899 5129
This information is of a general nature only and neither represents nor is intended to be personal advice on any particular matter. Shandit Pty Ltd T/as Strata Insurance Solutions strongly suggests that no person should act specifically on the basis of the information in this document, but should obtain appropriate professional advice based on their own personal circumstances. Shandit Pty Ltd T/As Strata Insurance Solutions is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 404246) of Insurance Advisenent Australia AFSL No 240549, ABN 15 003 886 687.
This post appears in Strata News #559.
Question: We are investigating EV charging and solar for our building. What is the best way to structure the installation of infrastructure to come up with a cost effective solution?
I am an owner in a strata that is billed for electricity via Altogether Solutions operating under the ‘Exemption Scheme’. We are investigating EV charging but have realised there is a lot more to this exercise e.g. smart load management.
Could Altogether Solutions (AS) setup something along the lines of a financial Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to finance, pay interest and recover the costs of upgrading our building infrastructure to prepare for electric vehicle charging and solar in our building?
Answer: It’s best to work out what’s the lowest cost structure to put in place, depending on the community.
There are no types of arrangements that we don’t consider. We absolutely would want to work with a client that’s looking for an EV or solar type solution to help them find a solution that is tailor suited to that body corporate. An SPV is a very specific type of arrangement, and it may be the most cost effective arrangement but what we will always look to do is to work out what’s the lowest cost structure to put in place depending on the community.
Typically, the main input drivers to things like cost of installing EV infrastructure and existing buildings are really the building size. How many EV chargers they want, the existing infrastructure installation, whether that needs to be upgraded or not and of course, how big the carpark is. You can’t run an extension lead out, you’ve got to instal this additional infrastructure. So, it is dependant on the number of lots that are available. It is dependant on how many EV chargers they want, and dependant on what the current infrastructure is. That will dictate the cost. Once we know what the cost is, and as every site is very, very unique, we can work on some type of funding arrangement.
What we typically look to do is fund the infrastructure ourselves, but not through an SPV. What we would look to do is say you’ve got your electricity rates. There’s a delta between what the market is charging and what the cost is in an embedded network. We always aim to make sure the customer is getting the best possible deal and far lower than what they can get on the on the market. If we can take an amount of that delta, it could be a relatively small amount, and spread that over a period of time, essentially that can be used to fund these infrastructure upgrades.
The reason that’s attractive to body corporates is because it means they don’t have to raise special levies. We will fund it, and we’ll recover that cost over a term from the users themselves. It’s always a user pays system. That’s always advantageous because user pays always gives you far more efficient outcomes. When the users paying for their infrastructure, there will always use that infrastructure far more wisely. If the body corporate or an investor or owner, or a special levy has to be raised to pay for infrastructure, people’s usage tends to be a little bit more ad hoc, so you don’t always get the best commercial outcome.
Drew McKillican
Altogether Group
E: [email protected]
P: 1300 806 806
This post appears in the March 2021 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
Question: I believe our high rise should be getting ahead of the EV charging curve. We have questions regarding EV charging and EV parking.
Our complex is a 21 unit high rise like many others with single-storey car parking below the building. I believe we should be trying to get ahead of the EV charging curve and have questions regarding EV charging and EV parking.
- With the danger of battery fires associated with electric vehicles, can EV’s be banned by BC Committee from parking in the car park.
- If the BC allows EV’s to park and recharge in the car park, does the BC pay for the engineering review to advise size of allowable charger outlets for every unit. I believe we must supply all units if we supply one, and if so, would the BC be responsible for the ‘skeleton’ ducting and distribution board, and each owner responsible for the cost of the electrical installation.
- Could a couple of open area visitor’s car parks be converted, (with council approval~ we have 8 visitor spots for 21 units), to be serviced by a commercial provider for EV charger bays for EV owners.
Answer: As many BC’s are shifting towards investment in renewables and a net zero future, as part of this journey we must ensure our buildings can accommodate EV charging into the future.
Should Body Corporate be Concerned About EV Battery Fires in Car Parks?
Whilst the exact data is quite early on this hot topic, recent studies into the North American market by Tesla, and based on the data from the National Fire Protection Association – have found EV’s 11 times less likely to catch fire compared to petrol (ICE) cars.
Given the popularity with the EV revolution as the new kid on the block, any incident involving EV’s grab a lot of attention and is often exaggerated and scrutinised heavily in the media. Whilst there have been EV fires, there are also petrol car fires every day of the week, yet we hear very little in the media about these. It’s also worth noting that battery technology with EV’s is in a constant state of evolution and new battery chemistry is seeing an enormous reduction in volatile compounds used.
Therefore, with reference to the risk in car parks, EV’s in fact pose a lower risk when one may consider for many years we have parked petrol cars, have diesel backup generators and have on site large electrical transformers often oil filled or featuring volatile components.
Banning EV’s from basement car parks would see – in time – virtually all vehicles parked out in the street without the right to their own car park or charging facilities.
Who pays for the engineering review to advise size of allowable charger outlets for each unit?
The key here is a strategic pathway that clearly outlines responsibilities of the BC and that of the apartment owner. This is created by an independent assessment relevant to your complex.
For example, many (most) strata’s it is often impractical to run an EV charger off their own apartment power supply or meter due to physical distance, or not enough power capacity is available. This also means that all the EV chargers cannot be optimised to be managed as a group and take advantage of benefits like cheaper tariff’s, on site renewables, consistent billing and a unified maintenance program etc
The best way for a strata to manage EV charging is engaging a holistic strategy by an EV infrastructure specialist. This identifies the BC responsibilities for ensuring the building common power supply and ultimately it’s backbone of switchboards, distribution boards, cable containment pathways and a crucial EV energy management system is put in place to enable 100% of residents of access to EV charging. This ensures fairness across all owners and futureproofs the building and maps out an easy regimented process (or by-law) for the adoption of EV chargers by residents.
The apartment owner then is responsible for purchasing a pre-defined EV charging package set by the BC which often includes the charger, circuit protection and the electrical works to run it back to the EV distribution board. The resident or BC may also be responsible for the ongoing operational software fees associated with the system administration or billing. Size and model of EV charger must be compatible and appropriate for the power supply, management system and billing platforms installed in the building.
BC’s should be forward planning now to provide the required upgrades to their sites and carving a policy to avoid ad-hoc procurement of EV chargers by residents. If residents are left to do their own thing, put simply the building infrastructure will not cope when EV adoption increases.
Converting visitor car parks to EV charger bays
This is possible, and companies such as Chargefox and JET Charge can provide this shared charging service, which is a common starting point for many BC’s if they can afford the space. However, it is a short-term measure that ultimately will give away to residents demanding their own charger in their own car bay due to aspects such as running out of space when more cars are EV’s, security concerns and the consumption of visitor bays. If you invested in a brand-new shiny EV, would you be happy parking your car overnight, every night, in a public shared space to charge up – as opposed to your own personal secured car bay?
The EV revolution is a generational change with many new learnings associated with ownership and how we manage the uptake in our homes and businesses. It’s important to understand how EV drivers charge their vehicle too which is more akin to a mobile phone being topped up regularly, compared to a petrol car where it’s a once a week thing, so regular access to a charger is important.
What we do know however is this is happening, faster than we think and that 90% of all EV charging in Australian cities will happen at home overnight or at work during the day.
As many BC’s are doing with solar and shifting towards investment in renewables and a net zero future, part of this journey is we must ensure our buildings can accommodate EV charging into the future.
Mark Jeisman
JET Charge
E: [email protected]
P: 1300 856 328
This post appears in Strata News #533.
Have a question or something to add to the article? Leave a comment below.
Read next:
- NSW: Q&A Installing Private Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations
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- NAT: Energy Solutions For Strata Complexes
Visit our FactSheet: Apartment Living Sustainability OR Strata Legislation QLD.
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Re “The following photos of our car parking area says it all.” What the photos show me is:
– the extension cord has been carefully secured to ensure there is no trip hazard in the other parking spaces.
– the cord is a heavy duty type, most likely with conductors capable of handling 15A while actually only being used at 10A.
– the car is being charged via a 10A EVSE charge cord, mostly likely the one supplied by the vehicle manufacturer, which would comply with standards defining a range of safety features that prevent excessive current draw.
– the charge cable has been uncoiled, which is important to avoid risk of over-heating the cord.
– the loops of the charge cable have been positioned to avoid a trip hazard.
If this were happening where I lived, I would not be concerned.
This publication is disgracing itself with its support foe EV charging which is expensive and dangerous.
Hi Peter
Whether we agree with EV charging in high rise buildings or not, today’s post highlights the fact that residents are charging electric vehicles in QLD body corporate buildings and committees need to be aware of how to facilitate this safely. It is a topic that requires discussion so safe and cost effective solutions can be reached.
Fire and operation legislation is late to catch up with the push from salesman touting a new tech.
Wait and see what requirements on fire suppression come following the first issues before agreeing to having an aluminium cladding or hoverboard debacle.
Spend your body corp money on other obtainable improvements before this.
Btw the petrol car fire vs electric car stat is distorted. There are vastly more and much older petroleum vehicles that cover vastly greater distances so a simple comparison is invalid. Plus lithium ion is self sustaining in runaway and can’t be extinguished by water sprinklers in all our bc garages and has the energy density of an explosive device. Currently GM in the US has told Bolt owners not to park their cars in their garages due to a danger of ignition. Expect more of this as densities, ages, damage manufacturing and operation flaws occur.
“The Battery revolution is in my opinion a fleeting phase”. Fortunately, and for some unfortunately, EVs are here to stay. Internal combustion engines are highly complex in comparison to electric motors and batteries. The cost of EVs and batteries will decrease exponentially over the next decade owing to simplicity in manufacture.
The question raised ” I believe our high rise should be getting ahead of the EV charging curve”, is totally correct. Some older BCs will not have the electrical infrastructure to handle high-powered fast charges. However, EV’s can be charged by plugging into a domestic 20 amp power point, depending upon the existing circuit load. The better solution would be a dedicated 30 amp circuit with power point which most older BCs could accommodate; this would provide a little faster charging time that would be adequate for most domestic situations.
EVs Batteries are not simpler to manufacture and there is no definite prospect of battery manufacture becoming cheaper given the nature of materials needed. The assumption that slow charging is acceptable is probably wishful thinking given Owners are often reluctant to accept compromise. I live in a 100 Unit complex built over 20years ago so our electrical system is unlikely to cope if every Owner buys an EV. Currently only 3 owners have EVs. With Body Corporate’s permission, they have installed domestic type charging in the car parks supplied from their Lots. Installations were professionally done. Owners bore the cost of installation on the basis of an Owner’s improvement to common property. We are 50% rental. To date we have had two Tenants with EVs. They charged their EVs off site with no complaints. Maybe demand for EV charging will increase. I don’t see any point in being “ahead of the curve” because that may mean wasting Owners’ money if the EV demand does not eventuate as the curve predicts.
This answer is nonsense, EVs are very flammable and can not be extinguished by fire suppression systems, an EV fire is likely to take down the whole apartment block, I have built several developments and the upgrade costs for the electricity supply will be massive as you will not only have to upgrade the building but the supply chain.
The capacity of the electrical supply to an apartment block does not need increasing to cope with EV charging so long as charging is well managed. It is explained in the Australian Electric Vehicle Association’s submission on a recent draft update to the National Construction Code
EV charging standards enable networked wall boxes to tell the car how much current it is allowed to take for charging. Let’s say that early in the evening a high proportion of cars have been plugged in to charge. With people cooking and turning on TVs, lights etc., there is little headroom in the building supply so the cars do not charge. Later, people have finished cooking, some have gone to bed early and the building load is well below the building’s supply capacity. The cars are told they can draw just 6A each (1.5kW) and they start trickle charging. Later, some that did not drive far that day will be fully charged and the building load will be lower still as more people go to bed. Then the remaining cars are told they can take 10A (2.3kW) and still we remain within the building’s supply capacity. And so it continues till a minority of cars that drove further that day are still charging in the early morning at 32A (7kW) each.
By the morning all can be fully charged or at least have several hundred km of range added without requiring the building capacity to be any greater than it would have been without car charging. This also benefits the local network capacity and the grid as a whole which has the same concern to move loads off the evening peak as the microcosm of one apartment block.
Thank you re the Battery revolution & charging.
A few points:
1) The comparison I believe with the petrol and EV volatility is not valid as I believe they are talking of Charging Vs fuelling….and no-one re-fuels a car in the Body Corp building..
2) As mentioned, the re-charge infrastructure, with batteries such as 100KW is similar to having a current 3.5KW air conditioner on flat out for 6 days…..and that is expected to be done overnight for each apartment?
The Battery revolution is in my opinion a fleeting phase such as steam engine transport that will be rapidly replaced by hydrogen cell vehicles. The clueless statements of people whose awareness is vacant of developments are asserting that Hydrogen is needed to be gained from H2O via electrolysis. This is 19th century tech and once Hydrogen has overtaken Battery within 10 years, the benefits of reduced dangerous chemicals, reduced highly warming methane etc and will make the expense of upgraded electrical grid just another waste of heavy industry activity that in itself is a danger to our climate.
Think about all aspects of impact upon our earth and resist this phase of lunacy.