This document summarizes a webinar about EV readiness and building codes. It discusses why building codes should address EV readiness to support increased EV adoption. Key points include: - Building codes are adopted by states/municipalities and generally updated every 3 years. They include requirements for electrical capacity and infrastructure. - EV readiness in building codes is important because home charging can help fill gaps in public and workplace charging availability. It also avoids high retrofit costs. - The webinar reviews examples of EV readiness code language adopted in places like Vancouver, California, Washington, Seattle, and Oregon. These generally require a percentage of new parking spaces to include EV charging infrastructure or conduit. - Fact

1. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Why it matters and what to adopt in the
area of residential charging.
Eric Huang
Program Manager
EricH@forthmobility.org
05.14.2019
EV-Readiness &
Building Codes
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2. ● Building Codes Introduction
● Why EV-Readiness? Why Building Codes?
● EV-Readiness Building Codes
Recommendations
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Today’s Topics:

3. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
What are Building Codes?
“Collection of laws, regulations, ordinances adopted by a government legislative authority
with the physical structure and health conditions of buildings and building sites”
● Who creates model codes?
○ ICC - Int’l Code Council
○ NFPA - National Fire Protection Association
○ ASHARE - American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
● What codes are there?
○ IBC - Int’l Building Code
○ IRC - Int’l Residential Code
○ IECC - Int’l Energy Conservation Code
○ NEC - National Electrical Code
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5. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Building Codes FAQ (Cont.d)
● Who adopts?
○ Nations, States, and Provinces adopt codes recommended by the ICC
● How often are they updated?
○ Code cycle is generally 3-yr (ICC)
■ Code Development Committee, Code Change Proposal, Code Development
hearing, Call for Public Comment, Final Action Hearing
■ Code adoption cycle in U.S. States is also generally 3-yr (i.e. OR, WA)
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7. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
How are codes adopted?
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8. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
How are codes adopted? (cont.d)
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9. • Building codes are generally divided by
sections such as Building, Electrical,
Mechanical, and Plumbing.
• Model Codes are developed by specific
agencies and adopted by state,
municipality, and sometimes nation.
• The ability of each level to create and
enforce code varies widely depending
on the state and locality.
Summary:
Building Codes

10. 10
What is EV-Readiness and Why Building
Codes?

11. What is EV-Readiness?
11Source: Director’s Report, Electric Vehicle Readiness Ordinance,.Seattle Department of Construction & Inspection, January 2019

12. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
The Environmental Impact of EVs
● Transportation Emission accounts for 23% of global energy-related greenhouse gas
emissions
○ EV Charging Infrastructure is vital to EV adoption for the general consumers
○ States have big goals for EV (CA, OR, IL …)
○ Electrification of Transportation is an integral part of nations and cities climate
action plans
● IEA 2017 EV Outlook:
○ “The availability of chargers emerged as one of the key factors for contributing
to the market penetration of EVs. Ensuring the availability of chargers is also
essential for enabling the diversification of the transport fuel mix and catalyzing
its transition towards clean energy.”
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13. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
The Need for EV Charging Infrastructure
● The Rising Adoption of EV
● The Conducive EV Infrastructure:
○ Public Charging Stations
○ Workplace Charging
○ Home Charging
● Public DCFC isn’t priced competitively enough and not prevalent enough
● Workplace charging is picking up but not everyone drives to work (limited availability
as well)
● Home charging can potentially serve the gap with great economics
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14. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Why we care about building codes for EV?
● Access to charging is critical
○ MUD tenants have substantial barriers installing EVSE
○ Full circle: Residential, workplace, and public charging
● Building codes nowadays have energy efficiency requirements, which will free up
electrical capacity for the building to accommodate EV charging
● New buildings:
○ Last for decades
○ EV readiness is a technology-neutral
○ EV charging is a marketable amenity
○ Financially optimal comparing to retrofitting
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Avoided Costs for EV-Ready Parking
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(per space) Enclosed
2 EV-Ready Space
Enclosed
6 EV-Ready Space
Enclosed
12 EV-Ready Space
San Francisco 1 $2,800 n/a $1,511
Oakland 2 $1,660 $890 $470
Source:
1. Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Cost-Effectiveness Report for San Francisco. November 17, 2016
2. Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Cost-Effectiveness Report, City of Oakland. July 20, 2016
3. ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE: MULTIFAMILY BUILDING STANDARDS. Report. April 2018. Accessed January 2019.
https://arb.ca.gov/cc/greenbuildings/pdf/tcac2018.pdf
“An estimated $7,000 per parking space can be avoided with multiple installations of Level 2
charging stations. An estimated $8,000 per parking space can be avoided when an individual
Level 2 charging station is installed.” 3

16. What Building Code Language to adopt/propose?
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17. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Definitions
● EVSE: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment:
○ The conductors, including the ungrounded, grounded, and equipment
grounding conductors, and the Electric Vehicle connectors, attachment plugs,
and all other fittings, devices, power outlets, or apparatus installed specifically
for the purpose of transferring energy between the premises wiring and the
Electric Vehicle.
● EV-Capable Space:
○ Electrical panel capacity and space to support a minimum 40-ampere,
208/240-volt branch circuit for each EV parking space, and the installation of
raceways, both underground and surface mounted, to support the EVSE.
● EV-Ready Space:
○ A designated parking space which is provided with one 40-ampere, 208/240-
volt dedicated branch circuit for EVSE servicing Electric Vehicles. The circuit
shall terminate in a suitable termination point such as a receptacle, junction
box, or an EVSE, and be located in close proximity to the proposed location of
the EV parking spaces.
EV-Readiness Code:
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EV-Capable
EV-
Ready

18. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
What to propose/adopt?
Requirement models:
● Where?
○ Residential
○ Commercial
○ New construction vs. existing construction
● What?
○ Requirement for a certain % or # of the off-street parking spaces provided with
EV charging infrastructure;
○ Requirement for a minimum performance level for EV infrastructure relying on
load-share;
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19. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Key Factors in Building Code Language
● New Construction / Major Renovation vs. Existing Buildings
● Single Family and Small Multi-Unit vs. Multi-Unit-Dwelling/Commercial
● Electrical Capacity and Panel Requirements
○ Load management capability
● Specific EV Parking Space Requirements
○ Level of Readiness:
■ EV-Ready
■ EV-Capable
○ % of parking space
○ Accessibility requirement
○ Identification and signage
○ Distance to the electrical panel
■ Deeded vs. non-deeded 19

20. Any Questions?
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21. Appendix
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24. Adopted language examples
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25. Vancouver,
BC, Canada
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CALGreen
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https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-source/publications/code-
amendments/2016-calgreen_complete.pdf?sfvrsn=6

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San Francisco
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Washington State
https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=51-50-0427 28

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Seattle Ordinance
23.54.030 Parking space and access standards
All parking spaces provided, whether required by Section 23.54.015 or not, and required barrier free parking, shall
meet the standards of this Section 23.54.030.
1. Residential uses:
a. Private parking for individual residential units. When parking for any individual dwelling unit is provided in a
private garage, carport, or parking area, separate from any parking facilities serving other units, at least one
parking space in that garage, carport, or parking area shall be EV-ready.
b. Surface parking for multiple residences. When parking for multifamily residential uses is provided in a surface
parking area serving multiple residences, the number of parking spaces that shall be EV-ready shall be as follows:
1) When between one and six parking spaces are provided, each of those parking spaces shall be EV-
ready;
2) When between 7 and 25 parking spaces are provided, a minimum of six of those parking spaces shall
be EV-ready; and
3) When more than 25 parking spaces are provided, a minimum of 20 percent of those parking spaces
shall be EV-ready.
c. Parking garages for multiple residences. When parking for multifamily residential uses is provided in a parking
garage serving multiple residences, a minimum of 20 percent of those parking spaces shall be EV-ready.
d. Other residential uses. When parking is provided for all other residential uses, a minimum of 20 percent of
those spaces shall be EV-ready.
29https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDCI/Codes/ChangesToCodes/ElectricVehicleReadiness/EVReadinessOrdinanceFeb2019.pdf

30. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Electric Vehicle Ready Parking (Excerpt)
(3) Nothing in this rule requires the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in a parking facility.
(4) The program is mandatory within the jurisdictional boundaries of: The cities of Portland, Eugene, Salem and
Gresham; and municipality that has adopted the program through the local amendment process.
(6) The program applies to the new construction of parking facilities with 50 or more open parking spaces. Five
percent (5%) of the open parking spaces must be available for future installation of electric vehicle charging
stations. Fractional numbers derived from this calculation must be rounded up to the nearest whole number.
(8) Unless otherwise stated in this rule, electrical installations must be according to the Oregon Electrical Specialty
Code.
(a) A parking facility must have a conduit system installed from the building electrical service to the open parking
spaces.
(A) The conduit system must be, at a minimum, capable of supporting the installation of electrical wiring for
the future installation of electric vehicle charging stations rated “Level 2” (40 amp/3.3 – 6.6 kW) or larger, as
specified by the owner.
(B)Any conduit installed for future electric vehicle charging stations must be labeled “For Future EV Charging
Stations.” Both ends of the conduit must be labeled for the environment it is located in.
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Oregon

31. Forth Webinar | EV-Readiness and Building Codes
Recent proposals of EV readiness to IECC
● SWEEP
● EECC+SEAC (RE146)
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SWEEP proposal for IECC
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RE146 to IECC
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