Engage Engineering is a civil engineering and design firm located in Peterborough, Ontario. They are proud of their service to the community, including their design for the Peterborough Canoe Museum and the new Net-Zero Firehall.
When they took a close look at their operations, they found a third of their carbon footprint arose from business travel related to onsite construction inspection services.
After reviewing potential strategies, they decided to install an electric car charging station. This charging station would enable employees to charge private vehicles at the office, helping to alleviate the “range anxiety” that is often a barrier to electric vehicle adoption. It would also create the opportunity to switch the company owned inspection vehicle to electric at some point in the future.
Working with a local business to do the installation, the process was a smooth one. The only wrinkle emerged when some lingering electrical problems came to light during the installation process. This issue incurred an additional expense of getting the electrical system re-certified by the Electrical Safety Authority.
Since installing the charging station, Engage is noticing the beginning of a transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles for staff commuting. This has opened the door to reducing their carbon footprint by as much as 6tCO2e by providing the critical infrastructure for electric transportation options. Since installation, use of the charging station has gone from 60Kwh/month to 210Kwh/month.
Green Economy Peterborough helps local businesses to adapt and thrive in the low-carbon transition. We provide training, resources, and 1:1 support to help our members measure and reduce their carbon footprint while saving money, building their brand, and becoming the supplier and employer of choice. Join us in making business better, together. Visit our website at www.greeneconomypeterborough.ca, or contact us to learn more.
