This is part of a collection of case studies that focus on creative charging solutions for EV drivers in multifamily housing. For more information and the full collection, visit our Charging Solutions for EV Drivers in Multifamily Housing hub.
Challenge
Installing EV chargers in multifamily properties can often require expensive electrical upgrades, especially when retrofitting existing buildings with limited panel capacity. How can technology support EV charging by capping additional load to save on costly infrastructure upgrades? How can they scale their charging needs effectively?
Objectives and solutions
SWTCH Energy provides multiple solutions designed to accommodate EV charging in multifamily properties. Their product SWTCH Portal™ is a customized dashboard that gives building managers real-time information and control over rate structures, turn-key billing, loitering enforcement, and access control. This product makes charger operation simple for property managers, especially those with many chargers at one site. It is a tailored solution designed for the needs of each specific property. Another product that SWTCH offers is SWTCH Control™, an advanced load manager that maximizes the number of chargers that can be installed while avoiding infrastructure costs resulting from increased demand.
One example of advanced load management is at the Lofts at Beacon, located in Beacon, New York. When residents started to request EV charging as new units were being added to their property, the building installed 10 EV chargers that all existed on individual circuits. By using SWTCH Control™, which provides continuous monitoring of chargers, the property could expand to up to 40 charging units with no need for electrical upgrades. With this much capacity, even people who don’t live in the Lofts can use the chargers.
With a convenient app and platform for both users and operators and 24/7 support available to its users, SWTCH Energy improves efficiency for property managers and residents to ensure EV charging can meet current and future demand.
Elements for Success
- SWTCH’s tailored and comprehensive portal allows building managers to observe and control their chargers in real time, making the operation more efficient and beneficial to their properties
- Load management software is a very scalable solution that allows buildings to expand their EV charger capacity while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
References
- Multifamily EV Charging
- The Lofts at Beacon Future-Proofed their Building & Business with a Scalable EV Charging System
- Multifamily Case Study: Condo adds 21 EV charging stations and avoids $24K in electrical upgrades
Recap:
Average charging cost: $0.39/kWh
Charging type: Public or Private
Problem addressed: Access, Equipment
Solution type: Technology
