200 Brannan – 1 Federal is a loft-style condominium development in San Francisco’s South Beach area, located at 200 Brannan Street. The 10-story 200 Brannan property was built in 2004, and the 3-story 1 Federal building was built in 1907. For decades, this facility functioned as the Gallo salami factory. Combined, the buildings house 241 condominium units ranging in size from one to three bedrooms. There are two levels of below-grade parking, 24-hour security, concierge services, and a community center.
Charging Story
FirstService Residential property management was motivated by homeowner interest for electric vehicle charging. A key consideration was a “hands off” charging solution for both the property managers and the homeowners association (HOA). They also hoped to find a solution that would best accommodate their owner demographic – mostly pure battery electric vehicle drivers – without requiring expensive electrical upgrades.
Decision-making Process
FirstService recommended, and the HOA Board approved, EverCharge as their choice for PEV charging at this property. EverCharge’s full-service solution required little direct involvement on the part of the property manager and the HOA. The company handled the installation, permit and city inspection as well as provided ongoing customer support, management, billing and liability insurance per requirements of SB 880 ($1 million per incident/$2 million total). Additionally, EverCharge’s SmartPower system promises to meet the charging needs of several vehicles without requiring expensive electrical upgrades. The Smart-Power system achieves this by learning and adapting to driver behavior. Over time, when vehicles plug in, the system splits the available power and allocates it to vehicles as needed at power levels of up to 6.2 kW (higher levels of 9-10 kW planned).
Charging Implementation and Management
All 335 parking spaces at 200 Brannan - 1 Federal are deeded to condominium owners. There are no guest parking spaces in the two-level subterranean garage. Chargers are therefore installed in the parking space deeded to each PEV owner. Conduit runs from the electrical panel to each space. Junction boxes are installed along conduit runs so future PEV owners can access existing infrastructure. This reduces clutter and lowers the cost of installation by reducing the conduit run. Using the SmartPower system, multiple chargers can be installed on the same circuit.
Charging Costs
Individual PEV owners pay EverCharge for the installation and operation of the chargers. Installation costs range from $1,000-$2,800, depending on the distance of the conduit run between the parking space and the electrical infrastructure. Residents also purchase EverCharge charging stations for $1,000 and pay for charging services via a fixed monthly charge of $15/month plus a flat electricity rate for usage (in $/kWh).
Multi-Unit Dwelling Charging Challenges
A common challenge for many multi-unit communities is the availability of power and the costs associated with upgrades. The common area panel reached its electrical capacity and could not be easily or affordably upgraded. One remaining 125-amp PG&E meter space was available for use; therefore, a new 125-amp panel and PG&E meter was connected and is managed by EverCharge. This approach maximizes the capacity beyond the usual 2-4 chargers to up to 15 using the SmartPower system. Residents absorbed the cost for the installation of the new dedicated EV electrical panel. The second challenge is the ability to monitor electricity consumption. EverCharge’s stations directly monitor each resident’s usage and provide billing data without separate meters or submeters.
CHARGING SNAPSHOT
Residential units: 241
Parking spaces: 335 deeded resident spaces
Residents currently driving PEVs: 6
Number of charging stations and types: Level 2 - 6 EverCharge Geb2 units
“The choice to install EV charging at 200 Brannan – 1 Federal fit nicely with the development’s other progressive, socially responsible policies. The charging solution that we implemented with EverCharge has worked very well for us, and highlights the importance of innovative design to meet site-specific needs.”
— Brian Stetenich, FirstService Residential
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