Shown (from left) are speakers: Paul Young of Garage Juice Bar; Joseph Debs of Northeast Utilities; and Frank Kozak of REF Realty Services; with moderator Rona Siegel of Collins Enterprises.
"It's Electric: Car Charging Stations" took place on April 25 at The Water's Edge at Giovanni's, and was attended by members of Southern Connecticut BOMA and their guests. Panelists Joseph Debs, senior project manager at Northeast Utilities, Frank Kozak, general manager at RFR Realty Services, and Paul Young, North American business development manager at Garage Juice Bar, shared their first-hand experiences with the selection, installation, and operation of electric car charging stations at commercial properties. Rona Siegel, vice president of operations at Collins Enterprises, moderated the discussion.
With the increasing popularity of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), many property owners are considering installation of charging stations as a building amenity. The panel discussion, aimed at commercial property owners and managers, considered the benefits and potential drawbacks to installing a charging station, the costs associated with maintenance and operation, types of equipment available, and tax credits and other financial incentives.
Kozak, a property manager responsible for multiple class A office buildings totaling 1.8 million s/f, shared his experiences as a participant in a PEV charging station pilot program, for which Debs's team at Northeast Utilities supplied the necessary equipment. Data from the pilot study, including one year of monitoring, provided real-world numbers to those considering installing charging equipment at their facilities. Young, whose company plays a key role in supplying and installing PEV charging stations across the country, outlined tax credits currently available to offset the cost of equipment and installation.