Watt Plaza Plugs into Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

CENTURY CITY, CA--April 18, 2011: Watt Plaza, a twin 23-story office tower complex in the heart of Century City, has installed two electric vehicle charging stations on the first floor of its parking garage, making it the first office building in Century City to adopt the technology.

“We see electric car charging stations as a great opportunity to encourage our tenants to lower greenhouse gases and reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuels.”

The charging stations are equipped with dual outputs that deliver energy simultaneously: a 7.2 kW 'Level II' hookup charging at 240 volts and a second outlet providing slower 'Level I' charging at 120 volts. Each station is embedded with an on-board computer, a fluorescent display and a utility-grade meter providing precise energy measurement. The stations are also able to send SMS or email notifications to the driver about charging status or interruptions in charging.

Watt Plaza rolled out the charging station program in anticipation of the expanding market for electric cars, which will be available to consumers by early next year. Projections estimate that by 2012, 20 new models will be available for sale to the public, and by 2015, there will be over three million plug-in electric vehicles in use worldwide.

Due to the mileage and limited range of early electric vehicle models, owners traveling long distances will need to charge their cars both overnight at home and during the workday. The charging station installation at Watt Plaza may give employees the confidence to purchase electric vehicles, which generate approximately 25% fewer carbon emissions than conventional models.

"There is a clear role for electric vehicles in the future, especially in a city as car-centric as Los Angeles," said Cameron Benson, General Manager of Watt Plaza. "We see electric car charging stations as a great opportunity to encourage our tenants to lower greenhouse gases and reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuels."

The installation represents the latest milestone for Watt Plaza, which has implemented several environmental programs over the years. In 2008, Watt Plaza became the first Class-A office space in Los Angeles to replace all urinals with water free technology, and in 2009, the property received the prestigious Gold LEED certification in the "Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance" category.