Electrical Engineering Consulting Services
Electrical Planning Reports (EPR)
EVE Design (EVE) are experts in providing Electrical Planning Reports (EPR) required for all residential strata properties per the Strata Property Act of B.C. section 5.2. Since 2024, EVE has completed over 500 EPRs for strata corporations and self-governed stratas in the Lower Mainland, Okanagan Valley, and across all of B.C. EVE has the capacity and experience with new, old, simple and complex BC Building Code Part 3 (low-rise, high-rise and mixed-use buildings) and Part 9 residential sites. With an approximate 2-3 week turnaround, EVE has the ability to deliver your EPR before the Strata Act deadlines below:
• Fraser Valley Region (Required by 2026-12-31)
• Rest of BC (Required by 2028-12-31)
Electrical Planning Reports (EPRs) analyze a site’s existing power distribution in general and estimates its capacity for potentially adding one heat pump and/or one EV charger for every residential suite in the site complex (Note that these heat pumps and EV charger upgrades are not required to be installed). The report will also look at the some potential energy saving strategies.
Where peak kW meter readings are not available from the utility, EVE will gather information on site to produce a load calculation to estimate the existing peak kW loads and power capacity as a baseline. EVE’s electrical planning report will then examine the site’s existing power capacity to add heat pumps and/or EV chargers, will note the remaining spare capacity on the applicable power distributions, and include simple easy-to-understand conclusions and recommendations to the strata based on the calculations.
Our team includes Gord Sauer, P.L.Eng. (President) as the lead electrical engineer, our operations manager and three site auditors working together within a streamlined process including an online strata site questionnaire, unique EPR project management software and automations. EVE also uses technologies like A.I. to streamline the process of extracting power usage data from utility invoices into a useable spreadsheet format for the report. Our quality controls developed over years of experience from providing these reports ensure they align with the B.C. Strata Property Act’s Property Regulations section 5.11 defining the report’s required contents. Feel free to contact EVE Design to request a sample Electrical Planning Report for your review*.
This experience and volume of work has made EVE Design the preferred Electrical Planning Report provider in B.C. EVE Design and its partner firms can also bundle the Electrical Planning Report with an EV Ready Plan if required to save stratas time and costs.
EV Ready Ready Plans (EVRP)
“EV Ready” is defined as a parking space that features an adjacent energized electrical outlet (either an electrical junction box or a receptacle) at which a Level 2 EV Charger can be installed in the future. An example Level 2 EV charging system is typically a 2P-40A or 2P-50A breaker supplying one to four EV chargers. Many municipalities in BC have adopted requirements that 100% of residential and 45% of non-residential parking spaces in new developments be EV Ready for Level 2 charging.
EVE Design can provide an EV Ready Plan which would include the following:
• Property and Company Details
• Information about the existing building including the number stalls
• Information about the electrical engineering firm producing the EV Ready Plan
• Number of stalls to be EV Ready and number of EV chargers to be installed
• Electrical Capacity Assessment
• An analysis of the existing electrical conditions and spare capacity
• Charging Performance Assessment
• An analysis of the required charging power
• An analysis of daily distance travelled by vehicles
• Minimum charging performance required per vehicle
• Recommended Solutions for Parking Spaces to be Made EV Ready
• EV charger breaker sizes (example 2P-40A or 2P-50A)
• EV charger to breaker ratio (example 4:1 is 4 EV chargers on 1 breaker)
• Spare capacity on main service after the proposed upgrades
• Details of any service upgrades required
• Details on integrating any existing EV chargers
• Details on communication requirements for the EV charger system
• Details on the EV system Energy Management System (EMS) if recommended
• Details on the recommended EV chargers and EMS products
• Cost Estimates
• A cost estimate to install the recommended EV infrastructure system
• EV Ready Installation Plans
• Electrical drawings a contractor can use to install the recommended system
For existing buildings, the EV Ready Rebate Program is funded by the Government of BC’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation and is administered by both BC Hydro and FortisBC. The program is detailed on the cleanBC Go Electric website and aims to support existing apartment, condo and townhome complexes in becoming EV Ready. This includes rebates not just for EV chargers, but for electrical upgrades to become EV Ready. The maximum EV Rebates offered per apartment, condo or townhome complex (while funding lasts) is $137,000 and includes:
• Up to $3,000 for an EV Ready plan
• Up to $120,000 for EV Ready infrastructure
• Up to $14,000 for chargers
The EV Ready Plan (EVRP) is a report with specific requirements that is produced by a qualified firm (such as an engineering firm like EVE Design). The report outlines the necessary infrastructure that a building will require to be EV Ready.
EVE Design and its partner firms can provide your strata with an EV Ready Plan including assisting with the rebate application.
EV Ready Installation Plans (EVRI)
EVE Design can provide EV Ready Installation Plans (electrical drawings) showing power load calculations for added EV chargers, a single line diagram showing the power distribution modifications, and parkade (or applicable) plan drawings showing the power distribution layouts throughout your parking area. The drawings also include notes and details so the installation contractor has a complete understanding of the EV Ready installation requirements.
Several Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) including the City of Vancouver and Technical Safety BC (TSBC) require an EV Ready Plan produced and sealed by an electrical engineering firm (like EVE Design) for the contractor’s submission to the AHJ for an electrical installation permit before any work can begin.
Since 2022, Gord Sauer, P.L.Eng. (President of EVE Design) has completed dozens of EV Ready Installation Plans and has the experience and technical ability to deliver an EV Ready Installation Plan tailored for your complex.
* Sample reports provided shall be treated as confidential and limited to strata members for their review only
Copyright © 2022 EVE Design Ltd. All Rights Reserved