Title
Electric Vehicle Charging and Solar-Ready Development
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Briefing only. No action requested.
City Manager Recommendation:
Briefing only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Briefing on policies to support electric vehicle (EV) charging and solar readiness in new buildings.
Staff Contact:
Pamela Braff, PhD, Climate Program Manager, City Manager's Office, 360.753.8249
Presenter(s):
Pamela Braff, PhD, Climate Program Manager
Erik Jensen, CBO, CFM, Building Official
Background and Analysis:
Constructing buildings to accommodate future EV-charging and rooftop solar is one of the most effective strategies to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and solar energy. EV-ready and solar-ready codes establish infrastructure requirements for new buildings, such as electrical capacity, pre-wiring, and any design features that are necessary for the installation of future EV charging stations and solar energy systems.
Solar and EV-readiness is an important strategy to future-proof new buildings. It ensures that new buildings will be able to accommodate the anticipated rapid growth of rooftop solar and electric vehicles, without requiring expensive and complicated retrofits in the future.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness
Access to convenient charging is frequently cited as one of the most important factors influencing EV purchasing decisions. However, installing the necessary infrastructure to support EV charging after a building has been constructed can often be cost prohibitive. Ensuring that buildings are designed and built with the capacity to provide future EV-charging is known as EV-readiness.
Analyses of EV-infrastructure costs consistently report that is more cost-effective to plan for future EV parking in new construction, than it is to retrofit buildings to accommodate EV charging in the future. EV-readiness requirements can range from providing a minimum electrical panel capacity to support future ch...
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