JHU  OPIN  Case  Study

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Case  Study:    Operation  Plug-­‐in  (OPIN)-­‐Johns  Hopkins  University    Interns:  Megan  Morrow,  Eudora  Zhang  Mentors:  Davis  Bookhart,  Ashley  Pennington      Objective    

         The  purpose  of  the  summer  2013  Operation  Plug-­‐In  campaign  is  to  improve  

electric  vehicle  education  and  outreach  starting  with  improving  signage  and  way  

finding  for  existing  electric  vehicle  infrastructure,  including  charging  stations,  signs,  

policies  and  information  (EVI)  on  campus.  

 

Findings  

 

         In  2011,  The  Johns  Hopkins  University  installed  5  Level  2  ChargePro  

Semaconnect  EV  Chargers  through  the  Baltimore-­‐Washington  Electric  Vehicle  

Initiative  (BEVI)  in  the  JHU  South  Garage  at  the  Homewood  Campus.      Both  visitors  

and  university  employees  use  this  garage.    Its  close  proximity  to  the  Homewood  

Parking  Office  and  Mason  Hall,  the  undergraduate  admissions  building,  make  it  an  

ideal  location  for  showcasing  Hopkins’  commitment  to  clean  energy  initiatives.      

         Awareness  of  the  presence  of  EV  chargers  on  the  Hopkins  Campuses  is  greatly  

lacking.    Besides  a  few  press  releases  from  the  time  when  the  chargers  were  

installed,  no  literature  exists  on  Hopkins’  websites  concerning  the  location  of  these  

chargers.    The  typical  student  is  probably  unaware  that  these  5  chargers  even  exist.    

In  addition,  signage  directing  people  to  the  chargers  and  outlining  their  parking  

regulations  is  insufficient.    Metal  signs  indicating  “Electric  Vehicle  Charging”  and  

laminated  signs  reading  “Electric  Vehicle  Parking  Only”  hang  above  the  EVSEs,  

however  no  other  signs  exist  directing  drivers  to  their  location.    Finally,  the  EV  spots  

are  commonly  occupied  by  non-­‐EVs  and  lack  the  monitoring  to  uphold  the  parking  

restrictions.      

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     Existing  signage  in  South  Garage                            Existing  Five  Chargers  in  South  Garage  

 

 Existing  Homewood  Campus  Map  

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 The  proposal  on  increasing  EV  signage  on  Homewood  campus  

 

   

 

 

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Methodology              

         To  change  the  current  status  of  EV  charging  signage  and  promotion  on  the  Johns  

Hopkins  Campus,  we,  the  BEVI  interns  at  Hopkins,  set  about  contacting  employees  

in  the  Office  of  Facilities  and  Real  Estate  to  discuss  boosting  the  EV  web  and  signage  

presence.  We  contacted  the  Sustainability  Coordinator,  Ashley  Pennington,  and  the  

Transportation  Manager,  Roman  Steichen,  and  gave  them  these  suggestions:  

• The  addition  of  an  “Electric  Vehicle  Charging  Stations”  section  on  the  JHU  

Sustainability  Network’s  “Transportation”  webpage  

• The  addition  of  EV  charging  information  on  the  JHU  Parking  and  

Transportation  website  

         In  regards  to  signage,  we  set  up  a  meeting  with  the  University  Architect  and  

Director,  Jim  Miller,  and  the  Director  of  Parking  and  Transportation,  Greg  Smith.    To  

them  we  presented  these  ideas:  

• The  installation  of  signs  on  Wyman  Park  Drive,  the  road  leading  to  the  South  

Garage,  indicating  the  presence  of  EV  charging  stations  

• More  signage  within  the  South  Garage  pointing  EV  drivers  immediately  to  

the  left  when  they  enter  (towards  the  charging  stations)  

• Sturdier  signage  indicating  “Electric  Vehicle  Parking  Only”  to  better  deter  

non-­‐EV  drivers  

• Additional  signage  in  other  Hopkins  parking  garages  telling  drivers  that  if  

needed,  EV  charging  stations  are  located  in  the  South  Garage.  

• Increased  EV  information  available  through  the  Parking  Office  located  in  the  

South  Garage  

         Finally,  we  contacted  the  Director  of  Admissions,  Ellen  Kim,  requesting  that  the  

admissions  desk  add  a  small  sign  indicating  to  visitors  the  presence  of  EV  chargers  

in  the  garage  below.  

 

 

 

 

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SWOT  Analysis    

 

Table  –  Strengths,  Weaknesses,  Opportunities,  Threats  Analysis  

 

Recommendations    

 

         Based  on  what  we  have  done  and  the  barriers  we  have  faced,  we  have  several  

recommendations  for  further  work  on  the  Operation  Plug-­‐in  initiative.  

• Push  for  the  installation  of  more  EV  chargers  on  the  Homewood  campus  and  

even  at  other  Hopkins  campuses  or  buildings  that  would  be  free  of  charge  to  

faculty  or  visitors.    

• Encourage   student   organizations   to   create   events   related   to   EVs,   helping   to  

provide  EV  education  and  to  raise  EV  awareness  on  campus.  This  knowledge  

could  spread  from  peers  to  friends  and  family.  

• Coordinate   with   an   EV   manufacturer   or   EV   initiative   to   offer   a   test   drive  

around  campus.  This  could  give  students  a  chance  to  see  an  EV  up  close  and  to  

S  • Focus  is  on  a  central  location  • Level  2  chargers  already  exist  • A  signage  format  is  already  in  use  • Hopkins  has  an  established  

commitment  to  sustainability  

W  • Lack  of  time  • General  lack  of  awareness  of  EVs  

on  Hopkins  Campuses  • Charging  infrastructure  requires  

substantial  funding  • Monitoring  system  is  not  

developed  to  prevent  non-­‐EV  drivers  from  parking  in  EV  spots  

O  • Student-­‐run  event  • Creating  “swag”  to  promote  EVs  

and  charging  infrastructure    • Test-­‐drive  event  • Promoting  awareness  of  existing  

chargers  boosts  Hopkins’  reputation  as  a  sustainable  institution    

• OPIN  could  help  the  city  of  Baltimore  reach  its  EV  goals  

T  • Signage  restrictions  exist  on  

campus  and  on  city  streets    • There  is  a  lack  of  understanding  

about  the  need  for  charging  infrastructure  

• The  EV  initiative  gets  lost  in  a  sea  of  other  initiatives;  not  everyone  can  get  their  own  signs  

• Chargers  aren’t  in  use  very  often,  causing  people  to  think  they  aren’t  needed  

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learn  about  the  difference  EVs  could  make.  

• Make  a   short   and   inspiring  EV   introduction   video   for   the   JHU  Sustainability  

Network  website  to  promote  the  awareness  of  EVs.  

• Look  into  Level  1  charging  options  on  campus.  

• Continue  to  increase  way  finding  and  signage  for  the  existing  Level  2  chargers.  

 

Action  Taken  

 

         Operation  Plug-­‐in  succeeded  in  the  following  ways  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  

Homewood  Campus:  

 

• An   “Electric   Vehicle   Charging   Stations”   section   was   added   to   the  

“Transportation”   page   of   the   JHU   Sustainability   Network’s   website.     This  

section  described  the  number  and  location  of  the  chargers  and  linked  readers  

to  the  Maryland  EV  webpage  for  more  information.  

• Information   regarding   the   chargers   will   be   added   to   the   JHU   Parking   and  

Transportation  website  when  it  is  updated.    We  hope  the  EV  parking  spot  and  

charging   station   information   can   be   mentioned   either   under   the   “Parking”  

section  for  the  South  Garage,  or  under  “General  Information.”  

• We   encouraged   the   Vice   President   of   Facilities,   Alan   Fish,   in   his  mission   to  

convert  the  campus  fleet  to  electric  vehicles.  

• Jim  Miller   agreed   to   pursue   the   addition   of   signage   and  way   finding   for   the  

chargers  within  the  South  Garage,  staying  consistent  with  the  existing  signage.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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