Leading West Coast Multifamily Apartment Developer Offers EV Charging

SummerHill Apartment Communities is a leading multifamily real estate developer based on the West Coast, recognized for its commitment to building high-quality, sustainable, and mixed-use residential communities. With a focus on innovative design and tenant well-being, SummerHill has developed more than 20,000 homes across California, consistently integrating environmentally responsible practices into its projects. By prioritizing both quality living and environmental stewardship, SummerHill continues to set a benchmark for responsible development in the multifamily housing sector.

The Challenge

Delivering Scalable, Tenant-Focused EV Charging in Multifamily Developments

With electric vehicle adoption accelerating, SummerHill faced the challenge of providing reliable, accessible EV charging for residents across multiple properties. Installing a large number of charging stations in existing parking garages required a solution that could work within the constraints of current electrical infrastructure, avoiding costly upgrades and peak demand charges. At the same time, SummerHill needed to ensure that every tenant could easily access charging, supporting resident satisfaction.

PowerFlex’s Solution

Intelligent, Scalable EV Charging for Multifamily Communities

INSTALLATION TYPE

EV Charging

INSTALLATION SIZE

316 Level 2 Chargers

LOCATIONS

Burlingame, CA
Mountain View, CA
Pasadena, CA
Santa Clara, CA

INCENTIVES

Pasadena Water and Power • BAAQMD

PowerFlex installed a total of 316 Level 2 charging stations across eight of Summerhill's locations, with two of the largest single-site projects including 56 stations at the Prado complex and 59 stations at the Sofia complex in Santa Clara. The installations included PowerFlex X™ — an intelligent energy management platform that allows facility managers to oversee all charging activity from a single portal, helping them track revenue from thousands of sessions as well as significant greenhouse gas reductions.

More Chargers Without Costly Electrical Upgrades

The platform also leverages Adaptive Load Management® (ALM) to solve one of the biggest challenges multifamily communities face: deploying large-scale EV charging without requiring oversized electrical systems. In a typical EV charging model, every station operates at full power, which can lead to high infrastructure costs as well as steep peak demand charges levied by utilities. PowerFlex’s ALM approaches EV charging differently. Our patented algorithms control stations individually based on charging demand, building load, onsite generation, and other variables. This makes for a more balanced energy draw across the network, eliminating demand spikes and avoiding expensive infrastructure upgrades. By optimizing the total power available, ALM can power 6-10 times the number of EV charging ports as a traditional system, ensuring every tenant gets an opportunity to charge.

Benefitting From Incentive Programs

Leveraging available incentives can offset the cost of EV charging installations and further improve project financials. PowerFlex was able to secure lucrative incentives for SummerHill that helped support installations at two key sites. The project at SummerHill’s Theo property in Pasadena qualified for a financial incentive from Pasadena Water and Power while the Prado project benefited from a Bay Area Air Quality Management District incentive.

Benefitting from Incentives

Leveraging federal, state, and municipal incentives can offset the cost of EV charging investments. The project at SummerHill’s Theo property in Pasadena qualified for a financial incentive from Pasadena Water and Power and their Prado project benefited from a Bay Area Air Quality Management District incentive.