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4.07.2024

Mandatory installation of charging points from 2025 also for existing buildings: what do you need to know?

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Anyone who has applied for an environmental permit for a new construction project or major renovation of an existing building since March 11, 2021, is in most cases required to provide charging infrastructure on their parking lot. As a result of the implementation of a European Directive, this obligation will be further extended to existing commercial buildings starting Jan. 1, 2025.

 

What did you already have to consider in new construction or a major renovation?

The obligation to provide charging infrastructure already rests on owners who have applied for an environmental permit for new construction or major renovation since March 11, 2021.

Non-residential buildings

If the building subject to the application has more than 10 parking spaces, the owner is required to include in the major renovation at least two charging points install.

In addition, conduits (or at least cable ducts) should be provided that allow for the future installation of charging stations for 1 in 4 parking spaces.

Residential buildings

For residential buildings, the obligations go a step further.

When erecting a new residential building, where more than two parking spaces are provided, the following are required for each parking lot waiting lines to be provided, the charge point itself should not yet be installed at this time.

Specifically, when constructing a house or apartment with more than two parking spaces, guard lines must be provided for the installation of one charge point per parking space.

Garages also qualify as parking spaces here, however, a driveway is considered an access road, and therefore should not be counted as a parking space.

When it comes to a major renovation of an existing building, the minimum limit for mandatory installation has been raised to 10 parking spaces.

 

What will change for existing buildings?

From Jan. 1, 2025, the mandatory installation of at least 2 charging stations will also apply to existing non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces. This thus concerns all cases, regardless of whether an environmental permit was submitted or not. For existing residential buildings, nothing changes and the mandatory installation only applies when the old (pre-existing) rules of major renovation are met.

In practice, this means that every commercial building with a medium to large parking lot will have to have at least 2 charging stations as of Jan. 1, 2025, even if no renovation has recently taken place on the site.

 

Which parking lots are we talking about exactly?

Parking lots are subject to the requirement when:

  • The parking area is within the building or parking building;
  • It involves an adjacent parking lot;
  • In the case of major renovations, the renovation measures include the parking lot or electrical infrastructure of the building, parking building or parking lot.

For residential buildings, the obligations do not apply when it comes to a home's driveway. This is not considered a parking lot, but an access road.

The various commitments can be found summarized in the table below.

  New construction

(environmental permit
since March 11, 2021)

Major renovation

(environmental permit
since March 11, 2021)

Existing buildings

(as of 2025)

Residential buildings Parking lot with 2 or more
parking lots:

  •  charging infrastructure required for every parking space
Parking lot with more
than 10 
parking lots:

  • charging infrastructure required for every parking space
No obligations
Non-residential buildings Parking lot with more than 10 parking lots:

  • at least 2 charging points,
  • AND charging infrastructure for 1 in 4 parking spaces.
Parking lot with more 
than 20 parking lots:

  • at least 2 charging points

(Source: https://www.vlaanderen.be/milieuvriendelijke-voertuigen/een-elektrische-wagen-laden/verplichtingen-voor-laadpunten-bij-parkings)

 

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