Electric Vehicles Race to Market – Will Building Codes Catch Up

As electric vehicles (EV) are racing to the market there is a parallel race to build the necessary battery charging infrastructure.  Through this paradigm shift away from the internal combustion engine there is one aspect of EV infrastructure that still needs to be addressed – parking structures, specifically fire protection measures that are specific to EVs and their lithium-ion (Li) batteries. This presentation will lay out the properties and potential hazards of lithium-ion batteries and why current building codes are inadequate and how to develop a performance-based, water suppression design based. We will review design criteria based on the design of EV cars and our current scientific knowledge as a basis for new design criteria.

Presented by:
Jake Littman, Associate, Plumbing and Fire Protection Systems Department, Buildings and Property Group

Jake Littman is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Certified in Plumbing Design and NICET Certified in Water Based Fire Suppression Systems and adjunct professor at Boston University in the Real Estate Studies Program. Jake has earned a Master of Architecture, a B.A. in Architecture, both from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.  At WSP, Jake has been researching current and upcoming trends in technologies and the challenges and hazards posed to buildings by rapid proliferation and adoption. As of late, his focus has specifically been on the best practices for the fire protection of lithium-ion battery-based technologies such as electric vehicle parking and bulk solar energy storage.  His expertise is in the design and engineering of plumbing and fire protection systems in large, tall, and super tall buildings. Projects of note are One Congress Tower, Winthrop Tower, St. Regis Residences @ 150 Seaport Boulevard, New Balance Headquarters, Track @ New Balance, and the Boston Bruins Warrior Ice Arena, to mention a few.