Shirley, Mass – NorthStar Construction Services, a full service commercial roofing contractor has joined the nation-wide network of charging stations for electric vehicles provided by ChargePoint. This an open-platform network of charging stations which delivers electric fuel to any plug-in electric vehicle owners who are subscribers. Municipalities and businesses are using the network to offer charging services to residents, employees and customers. NorthStar decided to become part of the network to provide the convenience to employees and commuters in the area in an effort to encourage the expanded use of electric fueled cars.
The location of the NorthStar facility in Shirley is just over a mile from the Route 2 entrances at exit 36, which makes it a convenient location for plug in vehicle commuters. Additionally, not only is NorthStar offering free access to Wi-Fi while you charge your car, there also happens to be a diner across the street to grab a bite while you top off your vehicle’s battery.
NorthStar is proud to provide this charge station for the community powered with “green” energy, sourced by 100% solar power from the roof of the facility. Back in February this year NorthStar installed more than 360 solar panels on the roof of its 20,400 square-foot headquarters. This solar roof system has been providing more than 100% of the electricity needed to run the company’s operations and now powers this charge station.
Back in May of this year, NorthStar added an “Active E” coupe, an 100% electric vehicle to their fleet. Employee, Steve Iwanicki, from SouthPoint Solar, which partners with NorthStar to provide customers with complete solar solutions, has been using this electric vehicle to commute to work. Here is what Steve has to tell us about his experience…
“Having the ChargePoint charger at the office has many benefits. Anyone with an account can see the charging station from their computer or Smartphone. You can reserve the station ahead of time to make sure it is available when you get there. It works great for me, commuting 50 miles from my home. I get to the office around 7:30 am with about 50% battery left, and by 10:00 am I get a text message from ChargePoint letting me know I am back up to 100%, and I can then free up the station at NorthStar for the next EV looking to juice up on renewable energy.”
“I use ChargePoint stations all over Massachusetts. There are well over 100 stations in the area, most located at or near restaurants and coffee shops with Wi-Fi. Seeing the stations on a map from my Smartphone, I can plan where I need to stop and charge. I can get lunch or get some work done from my laptop, and at the same time charge my car to extend my daily range. “
Steve drives at least 100 miles a day, usually more. With his gas powered car, which got good gas mileage (25mpg+), Steve was spending about $120 a week on gas. That’s over $500 a month on gas. Steve reports his electric bill has only gone up $70-$100 each month due to the EV.
NorthStar continues to work towards being recognized as a “green roofer!” “For years now we have been using hybrid trucks in our operation to reduce fuel consumption. And now with the advances in electric vehicles we are considering the addition of another electric vehicle to our fleet, an E-truck for local errands and deliveries to job sites. It takes only a small fraction of our 92 kw solar system to provide the energy to charge electric vehicles. We continue to work hard at being environmentally responsible roofers. This is a passion of mine and we continue to look for other ways to reduce our carbon footprint as a contractor” reports John La Stella, President of NorthStar.