The Appropriate Location for Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Buildings to Prevent and Reduce Fire Risks
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Abstract
This study examines the selection of suitable locations for electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations in buildings. Ten Thai and international standards were reviewed and synthesized into safety requirements for building administrators, facility managers, and building users. The study was conducted in the form of a safety checklist and evaluation criteria developed using the Weighted Average Method, which considers weighting factors (w) and scores (s) from the actual site inspection. The level of suitability (α) is calculated to support decision-making for selecting appropriate and safe locations for EV charging station installation, covering six aspects: structure, ventilation, fire protection, electrical safety, signage, and risk control. The checklist is designed to evaluate suitability of sites before installation and to verify safety compliance after installation. The approach was applied to a nine-story office building with an open parking area that has not yet installed EV charging stations.
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