For Strata Councils & Property Managers

EV charger and heat-pump requests are coming. Council needs a building-wide plan that is fair to everyone.

Mesh separates the shared electrical layer from individual owner-added loads, giving B.C. strata councils a repeatable way to respond to EV charger, heat-pump, and future electrical-load requests. Council approves the service entrance controller once; owners add approved equipment when they are ready.

Review our building Download AGM Kit

Electrical panelboards in a building service room

Real electrical-room context: service access and CT placement drive the final scope.

How it works for your building

We assess your building

A VTeng technician visits your electrical room and parking structure. Within a week you have a written report: what's possible, what it costs, and what the council needs to vote on.

One Mesh Core installs in your electrical room

The Core monitors your building's electrical service and manages approved downstream loads. One licensed electrician, typically one day, no trenching, no service upgrade.

Owners add a Mesh Leaf when they're ready

Each owner who wants an EV charger, heat pump, or other approved managed load contracts their own electrician to install a Mesh Leaf. The system automatically manages each added load within the commissioned limits. No further council action required.

Council decision model

Approve the building layer once. Owners opt in later.

The strata owns the Core as common infrastructure. Individual owners install Leaf units for approved EV chargers, heat pumps, or other managed loads only when they need them, with demand coordinated inside the building limit.

Fail-safe behaviour

If radio communication is lost, each Leaf falls back to a conservative configured charging current instead of allowing unmanaged load.

Measured

Building service

CTs measure aggregate demand at the service entrance

Controls

Mesh Core

Calculates available managed-load capacity from the approved load envelope

Enforces

Mesh Leaf

Receives local radio commands at each participating load

Charges

Managed load

Local output is adjusted; owner equipment operates within commissioned limits

Internet

Not required

Civil work

No trenching

Utility upgrade

Avoided

Working with a property manager? We provide the technical and cost package council needs to evaluate owner requests, while your PM or strata lawyer confirms the approval threshold and resolution wording.

What this costs the strata

The strata pays for the Core — a one-time capital expense that goes to a vote like any other. Individual Leaf units are paid by each owner, not the strata.

Mesh Core (strata pays)

Quoted after assessment

installed, one-time. Covers assessment, hardware, and installation by a licensed BC electrician.

Mesh Leaf (each owner pays)

Owner-quoted

installed, per stall. Owner-arranged. The strata collects nothing and is not liable for individual charger costs.

No monthly subscription. No per-charge fees charged to the strata. Optional monitoring plan available — see Pricing.

What council receives after assessment

✓ Recommended Core location and service-monitoring approach

✓ Confirmed CT access, service constraints, and install assumptions

✓ One-time strata scope and quote for the Core installation

✓ Owner-paid Leaf installation path for future managed-load requests

✓ AGM-ready summary for owners and property managers

✓ Commissioning and support expectations after approval

Rebates may reduce eligible project costs

Electrification incentives change over time and depend on the building, province, and project scope. We help council identify current provincial and utility program requirements before final numbers go to owners. Ask us what to check first →

Why Mesh — not a service upgrade

Traditional service upgrade

The path most stratas try first

$500,000+

Common for larger service upgrades; often higher once switchgear, utility, and civil work are included

Utility timeline risk

A service upgrade can depend on utility scheduling and available capacity

Multi-year timeline risk

Utility scheduling, switchgear lead times, civil work, and resident access restrictions

Special levy likely

Reserve funds rarely sufficient; owners pay a lump sum

BC Hydro does not guarantee timeline

Capacity upgrades are subject to utility scheduling

Mesh Core

Manages the capacity you already have

Smaller first decision

Council votes on the shared controller layer instead of every future owner load

Works inside approved limits

Uses the existing service envelope where site assessment confirms a fit

One day to install

Licensed electrician, electrical room only — no trenching

Owners add chargers on their schedule

Each Leaf is owner-arranged and owner-paid

Incentives may apply

We help your strata identify current program requirements

Mesh vs. the alternatives

	Mesh	Service upgrade	Do nothing
Council vote required	Yes — one-time	Yes — major capital project	No
Disruption to building	One day in electrical room	Weeks of trenching and construction	None
Typical cost	Site-specific Core quote	$500,000+ for larger service upgrades	$0 now
Owners can add chargers	Yes, on their own schedule	Yes, after upgrade completes	No
Utility service upgrade path	Usually avoided for suitable buildings	Usually required	Deferred
Risk to strata	Low — fixed cost, proven system	High — cost overruns common	Growing — owner requests still need a response

Where Mesh tends to fit

See case studies →

Townhouse and low-rise strata

Private stalls, shared upstream capacity

A service entrance controller can supervise the shared electrical bottleneck while each owner installs a townhouse or stall controller only when they need charging.

Review application fit →

Existing electrical rooms

When trenching or new communications wiring is the blocker

Long-range mesh radio can reduce communications wiring and parkade disruption compared with hardwired load-management networks.

See how the architecture works →

Common questions

What councils ask us most

Can council just refuse EV charger requests?

B.C. strata rules require councils to handle EV charging requests carefully. Electrical capacity, cost, compatibility with existing and future charging, and building constraints still matter. Mesh is not legal advice — we provide the technical scope and cost package so your property manager or strata lawyer can confirm the proper response and approval path.

What vote threshold do we need?

The vote threshold depends on your bylaws, funding method, and how the work is characterized for your strata. Your property manager or strata lawyer can confirm what threshold applies before notices go out. We can provide a written summary of the Mesh scope for the AGM package.

What happens if the Core loses power or fails?

If the Core unit fails or power to it is turned off, building power continues as normal. Managed loads connected through Mesh are turned off until system power is restored. When power returns, the Core automatically restores communication and resumes safe operation based on the commissioned settings.

Who maintains the system after installation?

The Mesh Core becomes strata common property. VT Engineering handles all warranty service and offers an optional monitoring plan. Individual Leaf units are owned by each unit owner — the strata has no maintenance obligation for those units. There are no moving parts in either device, designed for multi-year operation without intervention.

What if an owner never installs a Leaf — do they pay for others' charging?

No. The Core is a building infrastructure improvement, like a new boiler or roof. Each owner who charges pays for their electricity through their own meter or sub-meter — the strata does not collect or distribute charging revenue. Owners who never install a Leaf benefit from the building's improved infrastructure value without paying for charging.

Can we expand later if more owners want chargers?

Yes — expansion is built into the system. The Core is installed once and supports owners adding Leaf units over time, one at a time and on their own schedule. Each new Leaf requires only the owner's own electrician; no further council vote is needed.

More questions? See the full AGM toolkit →

Review your building for managed loads

Tell us about your complex and we'll come back with a straight answer — what's possible, what it costs, what you'd vote on.

Sends the building details to VT Engineering. We'll respond within one business day.