ELECTRIC SPINACH STANDARD™ SUCCESS STORY
Pegasus House, Solihull
Planning & Installation
Planning today. Ready for tomorrow.
Commercial Office
Solihull
Active Chargers
6 installed
Future Capacity
4 additional
Grant Funding
£7,100 secured
Delivery
Certified handover
Executive summary
Success Story at a Glance
Pegasus House is a commercial office building at Solihull Business Park. The client wanted workplace EV charging for occupiers, employees, contractors and visitors, while strengthening the appeal and future-readiness of the asset. The immediate requirement was six active charge points. The more important planning challenge was to avoid creating an installation that would become expensive or disruptive to expand as EV adoption increased.
Electric Spinach began with the site, the users and the long-term operating objective rather than with a predetermined product. The project combined site assessment, electrical and civil-engineering planning, insurer-led risk considerations, charger and software selection, grant support, installation, commissioning and handover. Six 22 kW-capable Easee charge points were installed on three dual mounting posts, supported by the Fuuse management platform. Additional ducting and mounting provision were incorporated for four future charge points. Electric Spinach also managed the grant process and secured £7,100 in funding. The result was a working installation for today, underpinned by infrastructure planned for tomorrow.The Central Planning Principle
Future-proof the disruptive and expensive parts of the infrastructure before excavation begins. Charger numbers can increase later; reopening completed surfaces is usually harder and more costly.
What this Success Story demonstrates
- What should be considered before installing commercial EV chargers.
- How charger selection should reflect users, dwell time, available power, software and lifecycle needs.
- How a commercial installation can be future-proofed safely and economically.
- How insurer, electrical, civil, operational and funding requirements can be coordinated within one project plan.
- Why commissioning, documentation and operational responsibilities form part of installation quality.
1.
Define the Objective
The client's objective
The client’s immediate objective was to install six workplace charge points. The wider commercial objective was to help attract and retain tenants, support employees adopting electric vehicles through workplace benefit schemes and improve the marketability of the office asset. Charging would be available to occupiers, staff, contractors and visitors, using controlled pay-as-you-go access rather than unrestricted public use.
There were no existing charge points at the property. Electrical capacity had not yet been confirmed, the final location needed to be tested against site constraints and the works had to be delivered within a live office and car-park environment. The client also wanted a logical, scalable approach capable of informing charging decisions across a wider property portfolio.
The Project Brief
Deliver six active workplace charge points, support controlled user billing, minimise disruption to the live site, secure available grant funding and preserve an economical route to future expansion.
Pegasus House and the existing car-park environment assessed before design development.
Why the planning decisions mattered
Project Consideration | Why it mattered |
|---|---|
Business continuity | Groundworks and electrical work had to be planned around an operational office and active car park. |
Future expansion | A six-charger design that ignored future demand could require repeated excavation and duplicated capital expenditure. |
Electrical capacity | The design needed to use the available three-phase supply responsibly and distribute power across multiple vehicles. |
User experience | Occupiers and visitors needed clear, dependable access supported by suitable payment and management arrangements. |
Asset value | The client wanted the infrastructure to support tenant attraction, retention and long-term marketability. |
Operational readiness | Access, billing, reporting, inspection, maintenance and handover needed to be planned before launch. |
2.
Survey the whole site
The planning challenge
Delivering six chargers was only one part of the brief. The project team needed to answer the three practical questions at the heart of the Planning & Installation section of the Electric Spinach Knowledge Hub:
- What should you consider before installing commercial EV chargers?
- How do you choose the right EV chargers for a commercial property?
- How can you future-proof a commercial EV charging installation?
Knowledge Hub Connection
At Pegasus House, those questions became decisions about users, demand, electrical supply, charging speed, cable routes, pedestrian and vehicle movement, ground conditions, connectivity, software, protection equipment, insurer requirements, future maintenance and expansion.
Planning inputs assessed together
Users & access
Occupiers, staff, contractors and visitors; controlled payment and permissions.
Power & load
Three-phase supply, circuit arrangement, power sharing and maximum demand.
Location & routing
Distance from supply, surfaces crossed, traffic flow and pedestrian interaction.
Hardware & software
Charging capability, connectivity, access control, billing and reporting.
Safety & resilience
Electrical protection, physical protection, isolation, signage and inspection.
Future demand
Additional ducting, mounting positions and an expandable operating model.
From survey to buildable design
The survey identified an accessible distribution-board location approximately 30 metres from the proposed charging area. The preferred design used two 63 A three-phase radial circuits, each serving three charge points. The Easee system could dynamically share available power between connected vehicles: each unit was capable of up to 22 kW, while output could be balanced as more vehicles connected.
3.
Design a coordinated solution
Applying the Electric Spinach Standard™
The Electric Spinach Standard™ shaped the project from initial definition through to operational handover. It required installation decisions to be tested against how the infrastructure would be used, protected, managed and expanded throughout its life.
1. Define
Commercial objective, users, access model and likely demand.
2. Survey
Parking environment, supply, cable route, connectivity and constraints.
3. Design
Electrical design, civil works, safety, software and future capacity.
4. Deliver
Sequence works to minimise disruption and maintain safe operations.
5. Verify
Test, commission, certify and confirm charger/software functionality.
6. Hand over
Provide records, responsibilities and operational information.
Key planning decisions
Design around real use, not headline output
Pegasus House is a workplace environment where vehicles are likely to remain parked for meaningful periods. The design balanced charging capability with available power, user demand and scalability rather than treating maximum charger output as the only measure of suitability.
Protect future options during the first civil works
Additional ducting and two further dual-post positions were incorporated during the initial works so that four extra charge points can be added later without repeating the principal excavation route.
Coordinate hardware and software from the outset
The chargers were paired with Fuuse back-office software using Wi-Fi or mobile connectivity, supporting RFID, app and QR-code access, payment processing, reporting and future operational oversight.
Treat documentation as part of the asset
Electrical certification, commissioning records and handover information were core outputs rather than administrative afterthoughts.
4.
Integrate insurer-led risk considerations
Insurance-informed planning
The planning process also considered the building insurer’s EV charging risk guidance. The Zurich Resilience Solutions document was used as a practical checklist to test location, access, signage, environmental conditions, electrical protection, emergency arrangements, physical protection and ongoing inspection requirements.
How the relevant Zurich considerations were addressed
Important Distinction
This should not be described as “Zurich approval”. The evidence supports that the relevant insurer guidance was reviewed and the project design and operating requirements were considered against it.
Risk Consideration | Project Response | Evidence Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
Location and fire-risk context | The charging area was positioned externally and approximately 19 metres from the building, according to the project annotation. | Location reviewed during design; fire-risk assessment remains a building-management responsibility. |
Accessibility and movement | Parking layout, pedestrian interaction and traffic flow were considered within the site plan. | Maintain accessible routes and avoid creating obstructions during use or maintenance. |
Signage and user information | Suitable safety, operating and emergency information formed part of the project requirements. | Facilities Management to retain, display and update site-specific instructions. |
Lighting and environment | The external charging location and surrounding environment were reviewed for safe use. | Site team to maintain lighting, housekeeping and unobstructed access. |
Electrical protection and isolation | Dedicated EV distribution, RCD arrangements, surge protection, PEN-fault protection and isolation were included in the design approach. | Installation, testing and certification by appropriately accredited electrical contractors. |
Responsibilities after installation
Insurer-led risk controls:
operational continuity
The remaining considerations reinforce an important Electric Spinach Standard™ principle: a safe installation depends on both the installed equipment and the operating controls maintained after handover.
Risk Consideration | Project Response | Evidence Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
Impact and cable protection | Post mounting, wheel stops/barriers and cable-management measures were considered. | Physical condition to be checked through routine visual inspections. |
Inspection and maintenance | Periodic RCD testing, planned servicing and reactive fault response were identified. | Damaged or electrically deficient equipment should be isolated until repaired. |
Staff awareness | Daily visual checks, fault escalation and emergency shutdown responsibilities were recognised. | Local staff procedures and training to be maintained by Facilities Management. |
Design + Operations
The project design addressed the physical and electrical controls within scope. Facilities Management retains responsibility for routine visual checks, maintaining signage and access, escalating faults, isolating damaged equipment and keeping local procedures current.
5.
Deliver the infrastructure
Electrical supply and cable route
The route from the electrical supply to the charging area crossed paved walkways, soft landscaping, tarmac and block paving. The shortest route was not considered in isolation: the design also accounted for the building perimeter, traffic flow, pedestrian movement, reinstatement and future access.
Civil engineering and future provision
Flagstones were carefully removed, trenching was undertaken through soft landscaping and across the vehicle route, and ducting was installed before surfaces were reinstated. The project required coordinated access for excavation equipment, breakers and waste handling while preserving safe movement around the works. Additional underground ducting and mounting provision were installed for four future chargers, protecting the client from repeating the principal civil-engineering route when demand grows.
6.
Install, connect and commission
Electrical installation and protection
Two 63 A three-phase supplies were routed through a dedicated EV distribution arrangement. Approximately 60 metres of 16 mm² five-core steel-wire-armoured cable was allowed for the underground and post-to-post routes. The design incorporated surge protection and PEN-fault protection appropriate to the proposed installation, together with the necessary protective and isolation arrangements.
Charging hardware, access and management
Six Easee charge points were installed across three dual posts. Connectivity was supported by building Wi-Fi and charger SIM capability, with Fuuse providing the back-office platform. The operating model allowed access through RFID cards, app or QR code and enabled user billing, reporting and charger-performance oversight.
Why this charger selection fit the site
The solution matched workplace dwell times, available electrical capacity, managed power sharing, connectivity, controlled access, billing and future expansion. The choice was based on the whole operating model, not the charger’s headline power alone.
Grant funding support
Electric Spinach managed the relevant government grant process on the client’s behalf and secured £7,100 towards the project: £5,000 attributed to enabling infrastructure for ten bays and £2,100 attributed to six active charge points. Aligning the project scope with the grant requirements reduced the client’s upfront cost while retaining future capacity.
Testing, commissioning and handover
The installation was designed, inspected, tested and certified in accordance with the edition of BS 7671 applicable to the project at the time: BS 7671:2018+A2:2022. Operational readiness included confirmation of charger functionality, connectivity, software access and the information required for ongoing management and maintenance.
The result
Why this project was different
The project did not simply install six chargers. It created the principal route and mounting provision for ten, while electrical design, insurer considerations, software, funding, commissioning and future management were treated as one coordinated infrastructure decision.
Delivering the Electric Spinach Standard™
Compliance
Uptime
Interoperability
Operational visibility
Facilities Management received certification and handover information, while the management platform enabled usage, billing and charger-performance oversight.
Lifecycle management
Stewardship
Lessons for property owners and facilities teams
Start with objectives and users
Define who will charge, how long vehicles will remain, how access will be controlled and what the property is trying to achieve before selecting hardware.
Assess the whole site
Electrical capacity, cable routes, connectivity, insurer expectations, pedestrian safety, vehicle movements, ground conditions and future maintenance all influence a successful design.
Future-proof the expensive parts
Installing spare ducting or mounting provision during the first excavation can be substantially less disruptive than reopening completed surfaces later.
Do not choose chargers on power alone
Reliability, software compatibility, access, backend flexibility, maintenance and whole-life cost are equally important.
Plan the operating model before commissioning
Billing, permissions, reporting, inspection, support and emergency responsibilities should not be left until chargers are already in use.
Treat handover records as operational tools
Certificates, designs, asset information, software credentials and site procedures enable Facilities Management to manage the installation confidently.
Success at a glance
Site
Commercial office, Solihull
Power
22 kW-capable hardware
Active
6 workplace charge points
Future
Provision for 4 more
Software
Fuuse back office
Access
RFID, app and QR code
Funding
£7,100 secured
Handover
Tested, certified and documented
Evidence base
The project was planned and delivered with consideration to the recognised requirements and guidance relevant to its scope, including:
- BS 7671:2018+A2:2022, including requirements applicable to EV charging installations
- The IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation
- Zurich Resilience Solutions: Electric Vehicle Chargers - Key Considerations (used as insurer risk guidance, not represented as formal project approval)
- Manufacturer installation and commissioning requirements
- Distribution Network Operator notification and maximum-demand considerations
- Government grant eligibility and evidence requirements applicable to the project
- Site-specific operational, access, traffic-management, inspection and handover requirements
Related Planning & Installation guidance
What should you consider before installing commercial EV chargers?
Pegasus House demonstrates the importance of defining objectives, understanding users, assessing power, selecting locations, incorporating insurer and site risks, coordinating hardware and software, and planning operation and expansion.
How do you choose the right EV chargers for a commercial property?
The selected solution reflected workplace dwell times, available capacity, managed power sharing, connectivity, access control, billing and long-term support.
How can you future-proof a commercial EV charging installation?
Additional ducting and mounting positions were installed for four future chargers so expansion can take place with less civil-engineering cost and disruption.
Planning commercial EV infrastructure?
Electric Spinach helps property owners, managing agents and facilities teams plan, install and operate future-ready EV charging infrastructure through the Electric Spinach Standard™.
Book an EV infrastructure review