Digital technology for convergence between buildings and mobility

The SBA has been planning for this convergence for over a year, with the objective of enabling the integration of digital and energy services in the building industry to assist mobility. “To this end, we have worked on developing a methodological framework, in order to give the real estate players the resources they need to approach this in a structured way,” explains Claude Ricaud. “Today, low-carbon mobility is taking off and all car manufacturers are announcing electric vehicle ranges. As a result, over the next 2 years, there will be enormous and increasing pressure on building managers and operators to install suitable infrastructures which go above and beyond the simple provision of charging points.”     Today, 90% of electric vehicles are charged at home or at work. It is therefore logical for mobility to be integrated into the infrastructure of buildings. Consequently, it will be advisable to manage the recharging of electric vehicles intelligently, to avoid the risk of overloading the building’s electrical network. “In the interests of managing this approach and enabling digital systems to communicate with one other, we understand the urgency of implementing an R2S approach to connecting buildings and managing energy in real time. Or even better: providing a reference framework dedicated to mobility – R2S 4 Mobility – to allow buildings to offer all the services necessary for electric mobility,” says Emmanuel François, President of the SBA.   THE R2S 4 MOBILITY REFERENCE FRAMEWORK FOR FORECASTING AND SUPPORTING CONVERGENCE BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND MOBILITY   The R2S 4 Mobility reference framework, launched in June 2021, is a service extension of the R2S label relating to Charging Infrastructures for Electric or Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (IRVE) installed in residential and non-residential buildings. R2S 4 Mobility provides a framework for the charging infrastructure deployed in buildings to support the development of electric mobility. It establishes the EV charging infrastructure provisions to be implemented in the building, basing them on a Smart EV-Scoring indicator, with 4 levels (D, C, B, A) marking increasing requirements for equipment and services delivered. Level D guarantees compliance with the regulatory requirements for new buildings or major renovations, and establishes an initial setup level. Level C adds EV charging infrastructure deployment requirements, both for power supply and for communication. Level B adds intelligent charging management requirements. Level A certifies the services provide to the building by the EV charging infrastructure, up to “Vehicle To Grid” (V2G) or “Vehicle To Building” (V2X) standards.   The R2S 4 Mobility reference framework classifies the qualities associated with EV charging infrastructure into 5 sub-themes, according to the targeted Smart EV-Scoring level:

1. Setup and sizing;
2. Initial equipment;
3. EV charging infrastructure features;
4. Interoperability and Evolution;
5. General requirements: Quality and conformity.

  The higher the scoring level, the richer the services offered. For example, at level B, intelligent management is operational; at level A, recharging enables the storage capacity of vehicles’ batteries to be exploited and sold. Compliance with the R2S4Mobility standard will be a major step in guaranteeing the performance and quality of the services provided. All mobility is taken into account, including 2 wheels. In addition, the reference framework is technology-agnostic: the load can be normal at 3 KVA or at 22 kVA, it can be fast DC, and communication can be either wired or wireless, etc. “With this reference framework, our ambition is to give building stakeholders the means to start rolling out the infrastructures necessary for e-mobility, as part of a structured approach, with a technical architecture that meets short and medium-term requirements and progressive implementation,” concludes Claude Ricaud. We are currently working with Certivéa to develop a certification standard based on the reference framework we have defined, and to test it in the field on pilot projects during 2021.” This building-mobility convergence is now a necessary part of making energy transition a success and reducing overall carbon footprint.