Using Electric Heavy Equipment for Property Management

Property management companies who oversee the streets and common grounds of residential developments, condominiums and apartment complexes are challenged with maintaining beautiful and functional grounds while keeping their costs low. And adding to those challenges, more and more people work from home these days — which means daily projects can interfere in their workdays.

One promising solution is using (or subcontracting companies who use) electric heavy equipment like compact electric excavators, wheel loaders and skid steers.

These machines offer property managers multiple benefits over comparable diesel-powered equipment. For example:

• Landscaping: Electric excavators and wheel loaders excel at landscaping tasks. Whether it’s planting trees, moving materials, sculpting terrains or creating new water features, these machines offer precision and power without the noise and emissions of their diesel counterparts.

• Snow Removal: In winter, machines like electric wheel loaders can efficiently clear snow from sidewalks, parking lots and driveways. Their quiet operation is a significant advantage in residential areas, ensuring early morning snow removal doesn’t disturb residents.
• Maintenance and Repairs: Electric heavy equipment is also a good fit for indoor tasks like parking garage repairs or renovations. With zero exhaust, these machines can operate in enclosed spaces without compromising air quality to ensure the safety and comfort of both workers and residents.
• Waste Management: Electric wheel loaders can also handle waste and debris removal during renovations or after storms, providing a cleaner and quieter alternative to traditional machines.

Advantages of Electric Heavy Equipment for Property Managers

Diesel-powered machines can get a variety of jobs done — but so can electric equipment, with similar or even better power and performance. Adding electric machines to your existing fleet — or replacing older, inefficient diesel equipment — can benefit your company, and in turn, homeowners and residents with:

• Zero Fuel Costs: One of the most significant advantages of electric equipment is that there are no fuel expenses. With increasing fuel prices, the cost savings can be substantial over the lifetime of a
• Minimal Maintenance: Electric engines have fewer moving parts compared to internal combustion engines, which means easier maintenance. This translates to reduced maintenance costs and less downtime to keep projects on schedule and within your budget.
• Low Noise Levels: Electric equipment operates much quieter than diesel machines. This allows operators to easily communicate with nearby crew members. It’s also particularly beneficial in residential areas where noise can be a significant disturbance. With more residents working from home offices, quieter operation isn’t just a convenience but a necessity.

• Zero Emissions: There’s zero exhaust with electric heavy equipment, which means you can also use them for indoor projects like demolition, material handling and more. For outdoor tasks, residents and other neighbors will appreciate the lack of harmful fumes.
• Lower Total Cost of Ownership: While the initial investment in electric equipment may be higher, the combined savings from fuel, maintenance and potential electric subsidies or tax incentives can lead to a lower total cost of ownership over time. This helps property management companies control expenses and can help prevent homeowner association (HOA) dues from escalating.
• Environmental Responsibility: As communities become more environmentally aware, the use of electric equipment can enhance your company’s reputation. Promoting green initiatives can attract eco-conscious residents and can be a selling point for prospective homeowners or renters.

What About Electric Equipment Charging?

Charging has been a hot topic for electric heavy equipment for years. But don’t worry — there are plenty of charging solutions out there, and they’re expanding practically every day.

So, what do we recommend? For optimal charging times, we recommend a 240-volt NEMA 14-50 outlet utilizing an SAE J1772 charging adapter or J plug — the same as for electric cars. The setup is fairly simple. You can also charge these machines on a common 120-volt outlet, but it takes longer.

Once charged, you can expect a runtime of around four to six hours using compact electric machines. What’s important to remember is that heavy equipment rarely operates nonstop on a job. Also, diesel-powered machines often idle for multiple hours a day, whereas electric construction equipment does not — they shut off when not in use.

If you’ve been using a machine aggressively, plugging into a DC fast charger over lunch for a midday charge can help you get through the rest of the day.

Influencing Change

For property management companies, the shift to electric heavy equipment represents a forward-thinking approach that aligns with calls for sustainability, efficiency and better cost management. However, to initiate this change, it’s important for HOA boards to advocate for these benefits.

By highlighting the long-term financial benefits and improved living conditions, HOAs can influence their property management companies to explore the viability of electric heavy equipment. Presenting case studies or pilot projects can demonstrate tangible benefits and alleviate concerns about initial costs or operational effectiveness.

Using electric heavy equipment, property management companies can enhance efficiency, reduce costs and contribute to a quieter and cleaner living environment. It’s a great time for HOA boards and companies like these to explore the value of electric equipment and help lead their communities into a more sustainable future.