A new study in the ACT is giving strata buildings a chance to get ahead, as the number of local EVs continues to rise. Photo: Vantage Strata.
Canberra still leads the nation in electric vehicle (EV) uptake. This likely comes as no surprise for road users, but the numbers behind it just might.
According to NRMA, new car sales have jumped to about 20 per cent electric this year – four times higher than in 2021.
To service the influx, local strata buildings are getting ready to further transition from fossil fuels to green energy – and the ACT Government is backing their efforts.
Vantage Strata has helped prepare the Park Avenue building (Canberra City) to apply for a Government-run pilot study aimed at strata managers and owners’ corporations.
“The Residential Strata EV Ready Pilot Study will help identify what a strata building needs to become EV ready and explore how best to meet those needs,” says Edzel Dy, senior facilities manager at Vantage Strata.
“$300,000 has been allocated to carry out feasibility studies on 10 buildings and complete EV-ready upgrades for two that meet select criteria.
“It’s worth noting that being EV ready doesn’t mean running out and installing chargers right away. It’s about doing the legwork for later installation, including electrical and infrastructure upgrades.”
As well as supporting the transition from fossil fuels, onsite chargers for buildings such as Park Avenue provide a boost to property value and convenience for EV owner residents. Photo: Google Street View.
Edzel believes the pilot will help involved stratas respond to the significant challenges they face when considering infrastructure for EVs.
“Each property is different. Some are relatively easy to instal stations in, while others are more complex,” he says.
“The biggest challenge facing these buildings is electrical infrastructure. Most don’t have the spare power capacity to properly supply charging stations, and upgrades are costly and time consuming.
“They also need to think about where chargers will go. Is there a budget to have chargers allocated to specific parking spaces, or does the building have visitor parks that allow for a dedicated charging area?”
Applications for this study have closed. But Edzel says there are a number of ways stratas can get involved in green energy, and other incentives for electrical infrastructure may follow.
“We are encouraging all owners’ corporations to start investing in green energy. For now, this might mean installing solar panels to cater for property utilities like lifts and common lighting.
“Park Avenue has already started to instal solar panels, so for them the next phase is EV chargers.
“The study isn’t just about solving challenges. It’s also a chance to show off what being EV ready looks like to other stratas and a resource to inform future policies that support residents, as they too move away from fossil fuel use.”
More information on the Residential Strata EV Ready Pilot Study can be found here.
