Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been installed and are now available for use at Conestoga’s Doon, Guelph and Waterloo campuses.
Electric vehicle charging stations are now available at Conestoga's Doon, Guelph and Waterloo campuses.
Tony Sasso, manager of Utilities, Sustainability & Facilities Information Systems, said the stations have been registered on the FLO app and are available to the Conestoga community, as well as the general public.
“The charging fee is $1.50 per hour and the stations have a maximum three-hour charge time to ensure availability for all users,” explained Sasso. “A three-hour charge time is generally enough to provide, at minimum, 100km of battery life — enough to ensure a comfortable commute.”
The installation was supported by funding received through a Community Environmental Fund Sustainability Grant from Waterloo Region with the goal to help reduce Conestoga’s emissions and promote cleaner air and energy independence.
The installation also responds to the growing presence of electric vehicles in Waterloo Region. In its 2018 annual report, Sustainable Waterloo Region, a non-profit organization with a focus on sustainability, indicated nearly 1,500 electric vehicles are in use in Waterloo Region — up from only 550 in 2017.
EV drivers are invited to use the charging stations at these campus locations:
- Doon - Welcome Centre parking lot, across from the parking booth
- Guelph - main entrance, right side
- Waterloo - east parking lot, near the front doors
Sasso said the stations will be monitored for demand; if it’s determined that utilization is positive the installation of chargers at other campuses will be explored.
The three-hour time limit will be enforced by the college’s Parking & Security Services team.
Conestoga’s commitment to the principles of environmental sustainability and energy efficiency is demonstrated across all new campus construction and renovation projects. Recent projects include the installation of a solar field at the Cambridge campus, a multi-million dollar renovation to the exterior façade of the Guelph campus, and a major expansion at the Waterloo campus that included features such as solar photovoltaic cells, chilled water storage, LED lighting and low-flow water fixtures.
Contact Facilities Management for more information.