b'36 BDLPASSENGER TRANSPORT Charging Forward The new consolidated rental car facility at PHOTO: PAUL BURK PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CONRAC SOLUTIONS,AUSTIN COMMERCIAL, PGAL AND KBE BUILDING CORPORATIONBradley International Airport (BDL) straddled a pivotal line in the advancement and use of electric vehicles. When design criteria were developed for the project in 2017, electric vehicles had not achieved critical mass. But that changed as the project progressed, and BDL reacted accordingly. Hertz aims to have electric vehicles comprise 30% of its global fleet by 2024. We want to be a leader in EV adoption and the overall reduction in reliance on internal combustion vehicles, says Joshua Blum, the companys vice president of Real Estate and Concessions. The facility at BDL, completed this summer, included 29 electric vehicle chargers upon opening, with additional charger installation in design and construction for the rental car operators new electric vehicles. The airport plans to have a total of 60 chargers installed by the end of the year. Charging equipment is spread throughout the three rental/returnThe new facility is slated to have 60 charging stations by the end of this year.levels of the new building. Accommodating the evolving autolevel, everyone was progressing with a degreeoptimize charger output to electric vehicles technology was not simply a matter ofof design assumption until the equipmentwith the greatest need, or to throttle adding chargers. Contractors had towas actually procured, Dennie explains.consumption during peak periods.distribute power through the new facilityThis style of project delivery requires aDennie says that 53 chargers will satisfy for such equipment. The biggest issue,flexible design that avoids overly specializedthe near-term needs of BDLs rental car however, was ensuring sufficient electricalequipment whenever possible. As the projectcompanies, but Burns continues to study capacity. Mike Minerva, chief executiveunfolded, spare natural gas and electricaloptions for increased electric service to officer of Conrac Solutions, notes that BDLcapacity eroded as mechanical equipment,support he eventual need for more chargers. and the project team worked with local utilityaccent lighting and tenant space loadsAs battery designs become more advanced, providers to increase the incoming electricalincreased. However, with a growing nationalcharger technology will continue to improve in service that serves the new facility. focus on electrification, the project team hadan effort to shorten charging times, he adds. Chuck Dennie, project manager with Burnsthe forethought to build in additional electricalIt is important to consider both increases in Engineering, notes thatcapacity for future use. quantity and increases in consumption when the iterative design-buildLast year, rental car companies began toplanning for the next wave of chargers. process required designfit out the base building with their specificBurns emphasizes the need for rental to progress aggressivelylayouts, branding and operations. At thiscar companies to match local demand for to achieve constructionpoint, the emergence of electric vehicles aselectric vehicles, and for airports to provide milestones. Constraintsan eventual successor to internal combustionthe needed power on demand. Unlike airport such as the guaranteedwas evident, recalls Dennie.passenger parking, this means that rental maximum price and longCHUCK DENNIE Thats when the challenge of incorporatingvehicles are out on the road the majority of lead times to procure keyEV chargers into the project really began.the day and that returned vehicles must be components prevented the design team fromcharged and ready as soon as feasible, reevaluating the original approach regardingBeyond ensuring overall electrical capacity, engineers worked to minimize theDennie relates. The strategy employed at electric vehicle chargers before constructionBradley includes utilizing a low diversity factor began in 2019.reduction of parking spaces to accommodate distribution equipment and to install conduitto ensure there is no bottleneck of energy Because the subcontractors were biddinginconspicuously. Power management wastransfer even during peak charging periods.on design documents that were at the 60%employed within the charger controls to November | December 2022AirportImprovement.com'