With the approval of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, the amendment to the Building Electrified Mobility Infrastructure Act, abbreviated as GEIG, has been passed by parliament. This new regulation raises the requirements regarding charging stations, pre-wiring, and wiring infrastructure in both residential and non-residential buildings significantly. In particular, owners of large commercial properties must now examine their parking areas well in advance. The date of 1 January 2027 is particularly important. For existing non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces, it is required to install a charging point for every ten parking spaces, or to equip at least half of those parking spaces with the infrastructure needed for electric vehicles. As a result, the single charging point that has been used in the past will no longer be sufficient going forward. The requirements also increase for new constructions and major renovations. For new non-residential buildings with more than five parking spaces, 50 percent of those spaces must be equipped with pre-wired connections, while the remaining spaces need to be fitted with the necessary wiring infrastructure. Cabling infrastructure or pre-wiring? Infrastructure for power supply refers to the preparation of, for example, hollow pipes or cable channels, in order to allow for the installation of electrical and data cables at a later stage. For pre-wiring, such structural preparations are not sufficient; it is necessary to have individual cables or connection points available at each parking space, so that charging devices can be installed there without the need for further electrical work. In addition, generally at least one charging point is required for every five parking spaces. New or replacement charging points must also enable smart charging. Operators of publicly accessible parking lots gain more flexibility; in such locations, the total charging capacity available can sometimes replace the need for a fixed number of charging stations. For new constructions or major renovations, 2.2 kW is allocated per publicly accessible parking space, while for existing buildings the figure is 1.1 kW. This allows it to be sufficient to have fewer charging stations, but ones with higher capacity, depending on the usage pattern. However, meeting the requirements mathematically does not substitute for proper planning based on actual needs. In cases of long parking periods, multiple AC charging stations can be useful, while in locations where people stay for short periods, more powerful DC charging solutions are appropriate. In addition, factors such as power supply connections, load management, billing, and future expansion must also be taken into account. “No time to lose” “There is no time to lose for the companies affected. By considering the location, network connection, and actual charging needs early on, it is possible to develop a solution that makes economic sense; this way, there is no need later to act under pressure just to meet legal minimum requirements,” says Markus Häp, CEO of Hymes Energy. The company assists businesses and property owners with their needs, ranging from site assessment and feasibility analysis to the selection, installation, and maintenance of charging infrastructure. The focus should not be on creating a system that is as large or powerful as possible, but rather on finding a solution that effectively combines legal requirements with actual usage needs.
