Futureproofing Buildings is Our Present

When Power Design is brought to the table, we always focus on future-proofing our clients’ projects because who wants to waste millions of dollars on service upgrades a few years down the road? Part of that futureproofing is finding the best equipment fit for the building and its ultimate use – that is where smart chargers come into play.  

Smart chargers utilize load management that can move power around the building where it’s needed but also able to prevent overloads. These chargers can also assist with making the building more energy efficient by optimizing charging times based on electricity rates and reduce overall energy consumption. But what is most relevant to our clients when it comes to smart chargers is that they can accommodate future needs. In a 2022 National Multifamily Housing Council survey, 27% of renters said they were interested in EV charging stations. Think about it with a 350-unit complex – 27% of that is close to 95 units that would want access to charging. Smart chargers are designed to allow the addition of 50, 100, 200 chargers as markets continue to grow, but without costly future upgrades. Because it’s not a matter of if, but when you’re going to have to add more chargers. 

Developers are being compelled to meet people’s expectations of readily available EV charging stations where they live, work, and play. With those expectations comes the cost of providing the infrastructure to not only meet the current expectations, but the future ones as well. We know developers don’t want to spend millions of dollars upfront to install a system that they won’t need until further down the project lifecycle.  

To mitigate some of those upfront costs, we have been seeing developers work with outside companies to help with the financial burden. We are now seeing companies step in to provide the charging infrastructure for the developers so there aren’t upfront costs to them – making it more accessible for projects with longer ownership timelines. While end users may face slightly higher charges, it offers a quick and seamless way to meet a building’s requirements. 

Renewable energy is another part of the ever-growing energy sector in construction. But it is also one that will continue to see more and more stringent mandates enforced by local, state, and possibly federal entities as it becomes a pivotal need in the future. We already have 27 states across the country and the District of Columbia who have 100% clean electricity targets, deep greenhouse gas targets, or municipal mandates. One of the most innovative construction practices to harness renewable energy currently is building integrated solar. This remarkable advancement in solar technology goes beyond the traditional rooftop panels straight to where solar can seamlessly blend with architectural aesthetics while meeting rigorous requirements. Building integrated solar can mimic a myriad of building materials like brick, windows, and even marble. And with the high-end high rises that are taking over our skylines, building integrated solar will be instrumental in ensuring the aesthetics are kept luxurious while still being able to harvest energy seamlessly. 

With electricity pricing soaring all over the country, many are looking to tap into more cutting-edge energy solutions; and microgrids are starting to become one of those solutions. This is where you would have enough solar and battery power stored to operate your building without relying on the grid. The building would be self-reliant and the microgrid would be the backbone of the energy infrastructure. Though at this time, the upfront cost of batteries and solar is substantial, there are various tax credits that could offset those costs – the Inflation Reduction Act solar tax credit is worth 30% of the total project costs. But take into consideration that energy costs currently will be miniscule compared to the trajectory of energy costs in the next 10 years and the tax credits will begin to phase down next year so the time is to act now.