12

LEADING THE CHARGE Health care facilities make space for zero-emission/electric vehicles

More than 75 of the 101 hospitals that responded to the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care’s (CCGC) 2018 Green Hospital Scorecard Survey reported that they provide charging stations for electric vehicles, while 26% of respondents offer preferred parking for low-emission vehicles. This exemplifies the Canadian health sector’s support for transition to a modern and efficient electrified transportation grid.

As the network of zero-emission/electric vehicle (ZEV/EV) charging stations steadily grows on health care campuses, many facilities managers are grappling with the benefits and the challenges inherent in electrification. On the plus side, a sound electrification plan can reduce health care’s ecological footprint and align with commitments to address climate change, as well as bolster corporate

BY KENT WADDINGTON

“FUNDS SAVED FROM OTHER ENERGY CONSERVATION PROJECTS WERE COMMITTED TO THE EV PROJECT BECAUSE WE FELT THIS WAS A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO BRING DOWN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.”

sustainability plans, burnish the hospital’s image in the community and gain staff buy-in. “Electric vehicle charging stations are a visible demonstration of an employer’s commitment to sustainable business practices,” asserts Cara Clairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Plug’n Drive, a non-profit organization committed to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in Canada. “The biggest barrier to more widespread adoption of EV technology and the associated charging grid is the lack of understanding about the significant environmental and economic benefits of using electricity instead of fossil fuels.”

“Many hospitals in this country are in the dark ages when it comes to the adoption of ZEV technology,” concurs Dr. Pascal Gellrich, a

family and emergency care physician based in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, who is an enthusiastic ZEV champion. “Changing the mindset in the health care community will take time, but, at the end of the day, it just makes sense. All of us in health care have a responsibility to engage senior leaders, together with our friends and colleagues, in the conversation and urge the opening of minds.”

RETROFIT EXPERIENCES

Saleh Daei, Manager or Energy and Sustainability at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, is among those leading the charge. Since 2017, he has overseen a charger network that now numbers 24, with plans to add another 20 when funding is available. He stresses that organizations should first verify consumer demand and that there is adequate infrastructure to enable chargers to pull power from the grid before the installation stage.

“You might find yourself digging up pavement, and needing to install electrical infrastructure such as transformers, power panels and heavy-duty wiring,” he advises. “The chargers themselves are only part of the total cost. And don’t forget to plan for the human behavioural element as well as an ongoing awareness campaign.”

Ten level-two dual charger units, recently installed at Sunnybrook for staff use, cost $67,000. However, that was approximately 30% of total project budget. Additionally, the hospital shelled out $24,000 in design fees and $110,000 for installation and infrastructure upgrade charges.

In downtown Toronto, University Health Network (UHN) has completed two EV charger installation projects. To begin, Tesla donated the 36 charging stations, now installed at two UHN sites, the Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals.

The charging stations can accommodate all types of electric vehicles, and are available in both staff and visitor parking areas at no extra cost other than regular parking fees. Requests from physicians then sparked the installation of six more chargers at the Toronto Western Hospital Fell Parkade.

“We in Energy & Environment [department] covered the extras, such as painting the zones green and installing electricity sub-meters to track the energy impacts and operational costs,” recounts Lisa Vanlint, UHN’s Energy Steward, who worked closely with the parking management, business operations, security, facilities management, IT and infection prevention and control departments, and the Tesla Destination Charging Program to make the project a reality. “Funds saved from other energy conservation projects were committed to the EV project because we felt this was a very effective way to bring down greenhouse gas emissions.”

Vanlint recommends adopting a written policy that sets the ground rules for electric vehicle charging stations. That should establish: a clear articulation of fees (if any); consequences of inappropriate use by non-EVs (internal combustion vehicles, motorcycles, hybrids, and off-road/commercial vehicles); length of permitted charging time; and common charging courtesies.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Challenges may be different in new facilities, where there is no need to retrofit chargers into spaces that weren’t designed to accommodate them, but they can still be daunting. Frank Deluca, Chief Imagineer at DCL Healthcare Properties experienced some of them while working on the development of a new green medical arts centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Electric car chargers were part of the project vision for a low-carbon outcome, but the developers encountered a somewhat confusing panoply of choices.

“Revelation number one was that not all public charging stations are the same,” Deluca says. “Some are free, some are not. Some charge much faster than others. And of course, most importantly, different electric cars need different types of charging ports — particularly Tesla, which uses a unique proprietary charger system.”

To encourage EV uptake, Deluca favoured offering free charging, but had to be fiscally responsible at the same time. He considered contracting with one of the many third-party North American EV charger firms that would install/manage/ operate his network. He and his team spent weeks pondering whether to buy or lease equipment, and considering the types of chargers and the brand names to install.

“I knew there was a growing list of locations in the area featuring level-two charger installations but I wasn’t aware of any levelthree fast-charger sites,” he notes.

Ultimately, the design team opted to roughin 15 charging station locations with five for the general public and ten for tenants of the building. Service fees will not be levied for using the chargers, and tenants will have flexibility to choose the type and brand of charger they require.

Deluca suggests health care organizations determine answers to some basic questions before venturing too far down the path to EV charger installation: • How many charging stations are required? • Who will own the charging stations and the chargers: the host organization, developer or third-party operator? • How many will be Tesla and how many will be generic? • Will they be level-one, two, three or four chargers, keeping in mind that costs increase in step with charging-speed capability? • Will there be a charger fee or will it be a free service? • Who will be responsible for repair and replacement, and how will these costs be factored into the plan? • What controls are required for the length of time an EV occupies the charging station? ■

___________________________________________ KENT WADDINGTON IS THE CO-FOUNDER AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF THE CANADIAN COALITION FOR GREEN HEALTH CARE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE INITIATIVE, SEE THE WEBSITE AT WWW.GREENHEALTHCARE.CA/ZEV.