NEW TO BRITISH COLUMBIA STRATA ACT - ELECTRICAL PLANNING REPORTS
As of December 2023. The British Columbia Strata Act has included the requirement of all Strata Complexes of 5 or more units to have an Electrical Planning Report.
What is an Electrical Planning Report? Why do you need one? Who can complete them? How will they be completed?
What is an Electrical Planning Report
An Electrical Planning Report (EPR) is a report that provides a Complex with information about the complex's current electrical capacity and use, and potential electrical use if all systems in the complex were converted to electrical systems.
See below for more details.
Why do you need one?
Strata Corporations of 5 units or more located in the Capital, Fraser, or Metro Vancouver Regional Districts require an Electrical Planning Report by December 31st, 2026 and the remaining areas of British Columbia by December 31st, 2028.
Who can complete them?
An electrical engineer, a registered technologist AscT, or for smaller buildings an Electrician. Our process will involve on-site data collection from one of our existing planners or technicians. Compilation and calculations by our on staff electricians and review and sign off by an electrical engineer or technologist.
How will they be completed?
Our process involves an on-site inspection to collect capacities and inventory equipment, a review of electric billing history for demands. Calculating existing demands and future converted non-electric demands. Compiling in to a report that presents the collected data along with potential capacity increasing options.
SOME OF THE DETAILS
Current Capacities and Peak Demands
In an electrical planning report the total current capacity of the building(s) is to be provided. In order to ascertain the upper limit of planning capacity for the complex or building. Additionally peak demands are to be determined in order to help the Corporation evaluate available capacity.
Existing Demands
The existing demands of the complex or building(s) are determined which include all existing EV charging infrastructure, appliance loads, heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems.
Future Demands of Existing Non-Electric Systems
Future demands of systems that currently exist that use non-electric power sources also are evaluated and estimated values of electrical consumption provided. This along with the existing demands will help determine potential future capacities to help complexes plan for additional infrastructure.
The Legislation:
As of December 2023, the Strata Property Act was amended to include the following:
Electrical planning report
94.1
(1)In this section, "qualified person" has the meaning set out in the regulations.
(2)Subject to the regulations, a strata corporation must obtain from a qualified person, on or before the dates determined in accordance with the regulations, an electrical planning report.
(3)An electrical planning report referred to in subsection (2) must contain the information set out in the regulations.
Click below to open a new window to a link to the Regulations for the Electrical Planning Report