How to Solve Parking Challenges and EV Adoption in Strata Buildings?

In the realm of strata buildings, where shared living presents a myriad of unique hurdles, parking challenges often emerges as a primary concern. During a recent podcast interview with Amanda Farmer on Your Strata Property, the spotlight was cast on the evolving landscape of parking issues intersecting with the proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) within these communities. This blog delves into the critical points addressed during the conversation, particularly emphasizing the discourse surrounding EV safety.

Personal Parking Challenges

Angelique personally experienced the frustration of unauthorised drivers parking in my designated spot within my own apartment buildings. This pain point was what drove me to start thatsMySpot, where we are dedicated to solving parking problems in residential apartment buildings and other commercial buildlings, through innovative parking bollard solutions.

Parking Challenges in Strata Buildings

Angelique interviewed over 80 Building, Strata and facilities managers in residential apartment buildings, and on average they spend 12- 15% of their time dealing with painful parking issues. From chasing unauthorised parkers to managing visitor parking, the burden on building managers with these pesky drivers is substantial.This not only leads to wasted time and resources but also increases stress within the community.

Solving Parking Challenges

thatsMySpot  parking solutions are tailored to the needs of strata buildings. From fold down parking bollards to automatic parking bollards connected to building management systems. Our range of parking bollards options significantly improve liveability in strata buildings by improving the resident and visitor parking experience. These solutions not only prevent unauthorised parking but also optimise turnover, improve efficiency, and potentially generate revenue for strata communities.

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Strata Buildings Challenges and Considerations on EVs

With the rise of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, owners’ corporations of existing strata buildings are facing a novel challenge. The necessity to retrofit parking areas within these buildings to accommodate EV infrastructure has emerged as a pressing issue. Through extensive surveys of our strata and building manager clients, we’ve identified their primary concerns and cons of EV Charging in Strata Building such as:

• High upfront costs
• Limited Space and Parking Allocations
• Load Management concerns
• Cost Allocation and Billing
• Fire Safety

These five main challenges of a strata building can complicate decision-making processes and stall progress on EV initiatives. Balancing the needs and preferences of diverse stakeholders is crucial for achieving consensus and overcoming resistance to change.

Strata By-laws

While some strata committees or owners corporations may have existing by-laws that address parking and common property alterations, they may need to revise or supplement these rules to incorporate provisions specific to EV charging. Legal expertise is essential for drafting amendments that align with strata regulations and protect the rights of all stakeholders.

Legal Compliance and Risk Management

Amanda underscored the significance of legal compliance and risk management in implementing EV charging solutions in strata buildings. Ensuring adherence to strata by-laws, building codes, safety standards, and insurance requirements is essential for minimising liability and mitigating potential disputes or legal challenges. Collaborating with legal professionals and industry experts can help strata councils navigate regulatory complexities and make informed decisions.

So,It is very important that each strata community are well aware about the NSW Government Strata Laws.

EV Charging Challenges

The growing adoption of electric vehicles in Australia adds a new layer of complexity to parking management: EV charging.

The problems of “ICEing” (Internal Combustion Engine vehicles parking in EV spots) and the enforcement challenges associated with it. Strata buildings face the dilemma of accommodating EV charging infrastructure while ensuring fair access and preventing unauthorised use.

EV Charging Integration

Our discussion with Amanda also highlighted the importance of integrating EV charging infrastructure seamlessly into strata buildings. Retrofitting existing buildings poses challenges despite the mandate for new developments to include provision for EV charging. Careful consideration of factors such as power capacity, load management, and cost-effectiveness is necessary to ensure successful integration.

How to be EV Ready in your Strata Building?

Stress around unfair parking practices and EV charging results in strata owners conflicts could divide your community. As strata manager or owners corporation, you should check our Guide on how to be EV ready in 6 steps to follow in your strata building to be EV ready.

How Safe are EVs?

Last year, at Parking Australia, we held our Outlook Conference. At that, Emma Sutcliffe from EV Firesafe, who also happens to be an operational firefighter, was able to address EV common misinformation. There’s a whole lot of “FUD” as they say in the cryptocurrency space – Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. 

Contrary to popular belief, EV fires are rare occurrences, with stringent safety measures in place to mitigate risks. Proper education and dissemination of accurate information are essential to alleviate concerns and promote EV adoption within strata communities.

As the EV revolution continues to gain momentum, strata communities must adapt to meet the evolving parking needs. Building Managers should conduct resident surveys and strategic planning to determine optimal EV charging solutions for each building. Collaborative efforts between residents, strata managers, and parking experts are essential for successful implementation.

By addressing common pain points and offering innovative solutions, thatsMySpot aims to help parking management in strata communities. With careful planning and proactive measures, strata buildings can embrace the future of electric mobility while ensuring efficient and fair parking for all residents.