It is not new to suggest that more needs to be done to tackle the current climate emergency. The push for rapid decarbonisation can be felt throughout the UK and expands far into the world. Something that has been acutely felt in the built-environment industry. Especially with the UK Government’s introduction of the Part S building regulations.
Residential and commercial EV infrastructure has been a huge conversation point the last few years. And the Government’s Part S regulations have only worked to further cement this concept. Making it compulsory for all new build properties (with off-street parking) to provide an EV charge point for future occupants. It also applies to properties undergoing major renovations (that will have more than 10 parking spaces upon completion). As well as introducing a set of minimum standards for all new charge points.
The aim, of course, being to make EVs more accessible and create infrastructure to support the switch to fully electric.
This new regulation specifically aims to tackle this problem of electric vehicle infrastructure we currently have in the UK. Highlighted as one of the greatest problems facing the adoption of electric vehicles, many people have stated increased range anxiety and the inaccessibility of EV charge points as one of their main deterrents against taking the plunge into emission-free transport.
Our 16 years of experience in the EV industry means that we can offer solutions that meet both your current and future charging needs. Providing you with assistance from planning to breaking ground and after. Streamlining the installation of chargepoints while ensuring full compliance with all current regulations.
Key Considerations
Design & Specify
Architects, do you feel like your plans are missing something but can’t quite put your finger on it? We’re giving you the pieces to build your development from the ground up.
Rolec EV are partners with NBS, which means you can find our products on NBS Source. ‘NBS Source’ is a free-to-use construction product platform that allows you to find, select and specify our products quickly and easily. Giving you the detailed information you need to make informed product decisions. As well as access to BIM & CAD packages to help you visualise our chargepoints in your development.
Installation
The first thing you need to consider when selecting the right charge point is where it will be located.
For example, a home charger such as, Zura, WallPod, or QUBEV Smart, is likely to only be used by you and often only once a day (overnight) whereas chargers located in a residential estate or commercial development are likely to be used by a number of different electric vehicles, and subject to a greater level of wear and tear. This is where BasicCharge and Quantum chargers step in.
Furthermore, factors such as the complexity of the installation, site conditions, the types of chargers, and labour will determine the installation cost.
A fully qualified and experienced EV chargepoint installer will be able to give you the best advice on what would work for your specific location and based on their assessment they will give you an accurate cost for the installation.
To aid you in this process, the team at Rolec EV can recommend an Approved Installation Partner, who can offer a full turnkey solution from site survey, to civils, installation, and commissioning.
Additional considerations for commissioning, like opting for wireless setup via Bluetooth allows for building control approval before the homeowner or resident installs Wi-Fi. This approach therefore gives you the freedom to set up chargepoints without ongoing costs to the developer until the property is occupied.
Load Balancing and Management
Adding chargepoints to your development means that the demands on your electrical load can increase significantly. Therefore, influencing the capacity needed on site.
Our Load Balancing solutions can allow you to increase the number of chargepoints you can operate on the site’s existing available supply. We are able to provide this in two ways.
For single charging units, we can supply Automatic Dynamic Load Balancing via a CT clamp that is attached around the property’s live cable between the meter and consumer unit.
For multiple charge points, a load management profile is created at point of installation and balances the property’s available power: Dynamic Load Management via a DLB & Fuse Protection Device which is connected directly to the main electrical supply.
Charging Speed
For homes, a 7.4kW charger is the industry standard and is in fact required to meet the Part S regulations. Since the user is likely to plug in for 8-hours overnight or to top up during their off-peak tariff hours.
Whereas commercial spaces would typically opt for either 7.4kW or 22kW chargers for general charging and fleet operators may look toward DC rapid charging with speeds of up to 240kW.
Solar
As part of your journey to future-proofing your development it is important to consider how the chargers will work with any existing or future solar arrays.
Not all chargers are created equal, and some models may not be compatible with solar power. You will need to pay attention to the listed features for each chargepoint you are considering to ensure it will work for the development.
Thankfully, all of Rolec’s AC units support Solar charging via a CT clamp.
MID-metering
MID-approved metering is essential for accurately monitoring energy usage and producing automatic billing. This is something that is especially important to consider when creating a public or shared charging network.
For this reason, Rolec’s commercial/public charging solutions come equipped with in-built ‘class B accurate’ MID-metering as standard, whilst many other models on the market do not.
A Trusted Name
Rolec was recently chosen to supply electric vehicle chargepoints for a Keepmoat Development in Doncaster which features over 600 houses, all fitted with WallPod charging units. And we have truly made a name for ourselves as providers of charging hardware throughout the domestic and commercial markets alike.
Rolec is a trusted name and our products have been featured by many other major developments including Balfour Beatty, Winvic, Kier, Bellway Homes, Skanska, St. Modwen’s Logistics, and Taylor Wimpey.
By choosing Rolec you are putting your trust in a UK manufactured, innovative and sustainable company with a reputation for delivering quality products and attentive customer care.
Want to download our FREE BIM & CAD assets? Follow the link to view our products on the NBS Source library: https://bit.ly/4cVgyD4
Let’s discuss your next project today! Get in touch with our team of dedicated charging experts at developmentcharging(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)rolecserv.co.uk or +44 (0) 1205 724 754.