Connecting the dots: Unlocking the door to EV charging and Part S compliance

The shift to electric vehicles is arguably one of the biggest transformations in modern history and one that, as a result of the Part S building regulation, has a direct impact on housebuilders as well as residents. Dawn Welsh, Account Director at EV charging specialists Connected Kerb, discusses the biggest barriers that stand in the way of developers and how to overcome them in order to achieve Part S compliance.
Year on year, electric vehicles are growing in popularity and soon, trips to the petrol station will be a thing of the past, with residents powering up their cars right on their doorsteps. That puts the residential sector right at the heart of unlocking a low-carbon transport future – a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by lawmakers.
In an effort to ramp up access to EV charging and future-proofing homes, the UK government introduced new laws, Part S, requiring all new homes and buildings with associated parking space in England to be fitted with charge points as standard. But we know it’s easier said than done.
Whether it’s long and complex planning processes, costs, or insufficient power supply, there are plenty of obstacles to overcome when building homes and developments of the future.
Choosing the right EV charging partner can make all the difference – from navigating the maze of different grants in order to cut costs to getting to grips with the grid, companies like Connected Kerb – one of the UK’s leading charge point operators – can put you back in control.
Charging doesn’t come for free
We know that installing EV charge points doesn’t come for free, and securing the best possible price is a top priority for the residential sector.
The cost of installing charging infrastructure across residential developments can be significant, even before the likes of operational and maintenance costs come into play.
That’s why offering flexibility on cost is a core focus for us at Connected Kerb, to put residential developers back in the driver’s seat. We provide developers with operational and maintenance support, helping to offset installation costs and enable residential developers to earn income from EV charging services.
Our ownership model is also flexible – developers can take over when the contract ends or simply leave it to us.
The number one barrier: grid constraints
Integrating EV charging with existing electrical infrastructure is no mean feat. It can be an exceptionally time intensive and costly process.
We know, through a recent survey of UK developers, that grid capacity is one of the greatest challenges facing developers when installing EV chargers. Accessing grid connection altogether can be an obstacle, requiring developers to navigate complex regulatory and permitting processes to connect developments to the grid, all of which slows down the development process.
Equally, electrical grid infrastructure may simply not have the capacity to handle the increased demand from new sites, leading to grid overloads, voltage fluctuations and even power outages. If local grid infrastructure upgrades are required, this too requires huge levels of investment, particularly if the necessary upgrades are significant. This could mean new substations, transformers, and even powerlines.
And we know developing homes of the future doesn’t stop at electric vehicle chargers. Increasingly, developers aim to incorporate renewable energy sources, such as solar panels. Whilst this can reduce the strain on the grid during the day, it could also require additional considerations for grid management, energy storage, and grid balancing.
Managing this grid capacity and demand is key, and we are consistently working on ways to protect electrical supply against damage or overuse, helping to minimise upgrading costs and ultimately, enhance the size of supporting electrical infrastructure.
We also deploy smart charging solutions which plays a huge role in helping to balance grid demand, automatically adjusting vehicles charging to times for when demand is low and renewables are at its highest.
Have your say
From reducing costs through to integrating grid infrastructure, charge point operators are here to make installing EV charging a smooth, pain-free process.
There are plenty of success stories, but we know the industry is facing plenty of other challenges. With legislation now in full force, it’s crucial that residential developers and charge point operators work hand-in-hand to ensure we get EV charging right.
Join us for our Roundtable event The Future of EV Charging for residential developers: Ways to Tackle Infrastructure Deployment Challenges at the Emirates Stadium in London on Monday 30 October.
Let’s work together to get EV charging right. The in-person event is free to attend and will unite experts across the industry to work together in addressing the challenges faced by residential developers installing charging infrastructure.
Secure your spot today, register here: The future of residential EV charging
Can’t make it? We’d still love to hear from you, get in touch here.
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