ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Explore how military bases are championing green innovation – GWC Mag gwcmagMarch 20, 2024049 views This article is included in these additional categories: The move towards electric power isn’t solely driven by consumer demand. It’s a transformation extending its reach to even the most security-focused communities in America, including military bases. Thousands of military families residing in privatized housing on military installations now have access to home charging stations for electric cars. An Unlikely Landscape for Green Innovation Military bases, known for their stringent security measures and adherence to established protocols, are pivoting subtly but firmly towards using electric vehicles. At least four privatized housing landlords have initiated programs to provide in-home charging stations for electric vehicles to thousands of military families. These Level 2 charging stations are installed in garages and carports where the programs are available. While residents are not charged for installing these stations, they are responsible for the cost associated with charging their vehicles based on usage. Unlike other utilities in privatized housing, such as electricity, which residents typically don’t pay for, military families may have previously relied on wall outlets for charging their vehicles. “Residents have requested Level 2 EV charging because it’s safer and faster than other charging alternatives,” said Justin Kern, executive general manager of Lendlease Communities. “Level 2 charging can take as little as five to six hours to reach a full vehicle charge. In contrast, Level 1 charging (plugging an EV directly into a regular home electrical outlet) is potentially unsafe and can take 24 hours or longer to complete.” Kern reports that approximately 7,800 homes meet the criteria for chargers at the bases where Lendlease has initiated its program. In late 2023, the pilot program commenced at two locations: Soaring Heights Communities at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, and Cavalry Family Housing at Fort Cavazos near Killeen, Texas. This year, Lendlease extended the program to Atlantic Marine Corps Communities at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, located in Havelock, North Carolina. Upcoming deployments of charging stations are scheduled for later this year, with plans to introduce them at Hickam Communities in Honolulu, catering to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and at the Island Palm Communities, which serve seven installations on Oahu. Partnerships with National Providers Part of the success lies in partnering with national EV charging providers that handle the installation and maintenance logistics, lifting the burden off the residents. TRO Energy Solutions covers the cost of installation, setup and maintenance of the individual Level 2 charging stations. The pricing model, determined by the user’s energy usage. Residents can opt for various tiers of energy packages that match their anticipated electric vehicle usage per month. Unused kilowatt-hours are rolled over to the next month, offering flexibility way of consuming energy. “We are proud to partner with Lendlease to support military families with our convenient and affordable in-home EV charging solutions,” said Edward DeVries, president of TRO Energy Solutions, Inc. “We will keep their vehicles powered up with reliable equipment and our simple-to use ChargeTime app that provides interactive data through the resident’s mobile device. Our respect for military service members runs deeply through our company; we are honored to support those who bravely serve our country and their families.” The initiative’s scalability is a topic under consideration. Such an expansion doesn’t just reflect a growing demand for sustainable living—it marks a shift in how large organizations is responding to this demand. Continued Expansion Several military housing providers have initiated the deployment of electric charging stations for residents. The Michaels Organization recently introduced its first set of electric charging stations at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Plans are underway to extend this initiative to all privatized family housing managed by the company across 11 military installations nationwide. Similarly, Balfour Beatty Communities initiated a pilot program last summer, offering Level 2 in-home charging stations at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, and Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Hunt Military Communities launched pilot programs at four locations, incorporating in-home charging stations late last year. These locations include Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, Fort Sam Houston in Texas, Joint Base Pearl-Harbor Hickam in Hawaii, and Marine Corps Base Hawaii. These efforts collectively underscore a growing trend among military housing providers to equip homes with electric charging infrastructure.