Condo Smarts: Townhouse owners install heat pumps without approval

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Dear Tony:

Our strata council has had to contend with several owners that have installed heat pumps into their townhouses without the approval of council. For the most part we worked with the owners and sorted out the details and approval agreements, but two owners have ignored us, and in both situations their installations are disastrous.

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We are also finding our community has a problem electric capacity when heat pumps, vehicle charging and dinner time occur at the same time. We have experienced brown outs. Now we have more requests for heat pumps, eliminating their furnaces and we are yet to do an inventory of how many electric vehicles are in garages.

How do we make this fair? Knowing we have limits, can we approve more heat pumps and EV charging?

— Michael K., North Vancouver

Dear Michael:

The coming deadline for Electric Planning Reports is a good indication we have power capacity and distribution limits province wide. Best practice: commission your electric planning report before approvals for heat pumps and EV charging are granted.

While there may be potential capacity issues in communities, there are also management systems that distribute loads and manage charging times to reduce the risk of power brown outs or shut downs.

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Townhouses and bareland strata corporations have a higher risk of power limitations where gas furnaces were installed for heating, and there was no cooling.

The capacity of power required to operate a heat pump for all seasons is significantly greater, without the ability to offset the demand with the removal of electric heating.

With the introduction of rebates and grants for heat pump installation, strata councils will be exposed to more requests. Apply your bylaws to all applications and violations. In townhouses, low-rise, duplex to four plex, mid-rise and highrise strata buildings, the Standard Bylaws of the Act or your strata bylaws apply. Alteration of common property requires written approval of the corporation, and will likely come with conditions for approval.

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There may also be conditions where the alteration is a significant change in use or appearance of the common property, which may require approval of the owners at a general meeting, and even bylaws that prohibit alterations to the exterior of buildings.

Rebates are a great start; however, family residents, tenants, occupants and lease hold tenants must obtain the approval and agreement of the owner of the strata lot or landlord before any installation can be considered. If someone has installed a heat pump contrary to your bylaws, it is possible to grant them permission provided they meet the conditions set out by the council within the bylaws. If they do not respond, enforce your bylaws which can include fines, removal of alterations and applications to the Tribunal for enforcement.

Looking for rebates? Go to: betterhomesbc.ca or bchydro.com

Tony Gioventu is executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association. Email tony@choa.bc.ca.

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