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Environmental Sustainability & Tech

Sophia Rojenko, P.Eng,
Synergy Partners

Shahe Sagharian, P.Eng,
LEA Consulting Ltd.

Electric Vehicles

& Garage Structures

The federal government of Canada This begs an important question: as our been designed for at least 2.4 kPa/4,000 kg
has committed to having 100% elec- condominium parking garages start to live load allowance.
tric vehicle sales for new vehicles by house more electric vehicles in concen- While electric vehicles are heavy, they
the year 2035. Over the last few years, trated bays near charging stations, do we are not much heavier than the heavi-
electric vehicles have gained popularity. need to be concerned about the bearing est gas vehicles, apart from the electric
According to Canada Energy Regulator, capacity of the suspended slabs? Hummer, which is too big to fit in most
5.3% of vehicle registrations in 2021 were What we know is that since 1975, the parking garages. As such, the current
electric vehicles, in comparison to about design codes in the Ontario Building generation of electric vehicles likely to
1% in 2017. As condo residents start to Code have not changed. The live load for be found in a parking garage fall within
make the transition to electric vehicles, parking garage structures has remained the 2.4 kPa/4,000 kg allowance.
is there anything that the industry needs at a force of 2.4 kPa, which is the capacity However, an important question
to consider when it comes to existing needed for vehicles weighing up to 4,000 remains: what caused the garage collapse
infrastructure? kg. However, some of the oldest condos in Manhattan? There has not yet been
In April 2023, there was a parking in the province date back to 1967. Before an official conclusion. However, when
garage collapse in Manhattan. The garage, the Ontario Building Code, each munici- looking at the images of the collapse, it
located at 57 Ann St., was a three-level pality had its own municipal code. For is evident that there is a layer of asphalt
Photo: © iStock.com/ 400tmax could have had something to do with kPa/6,000 kg for garages. The reduction understood the negative effects that deic-
installed over the suspended slab. It
parking garage constructed in the 1920s. reference, the 1968 municipal code for
wasn’t until the 1980’s that the industry
There was speculation that the collapse North York included a live load of 3.6
ing salts have on reinforced concrete. As
the number of electric vehicles parked in between the 1960’s and 1970’s may have
the garage. It is said that electric vehicles been related to vehicles getting smaller
the garage was constructed in the 1920’s,
and lighter. This means that all condos in
it is unlikely the asphalt layer is original
weigh around 30% more than gas vehi-
cles due to their heavy battery packs. the province, excluding conversions, have
to construction. Assuming this garage
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