Smappee’s complete charging solution helps Damman focus on electrification
“Energy consumption insights are a major plus”
A century-old company with the dynamism of a young adult—that’s how you could describe Damman. This construction firm from Deerlijk, Belgium, enthusiastically embraces modern trends, including the shift toward electrification. The result was a complete solution, delivered by ExtraVolt with Smappee products. “This project is a textbook example of highly constructive collaboration,” says CEO Dimitri Damman and procurement manager Stijn Devos.
Damman Construction is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Over the past ten decades, the company has grown into one of Belgium’s largest construction firms. “We operate nationally in social housing and public tenders, handling projects from A to Z. In addition to our headquarters in Deerlijk, we have offices in Aartselaar, Namur, and Ath (sister company CBD),” explains CEO Dimitri Damman. “Our team consists of 240 employees.”
Trusted partners
At the main location, Damman had already installed 230 solar panels (65 kWp) through Elektro Himpe, their trusted partner for electrical needs. “To further green our fleet, we decided to add more solar panels and charging infrastructure, managed by a smart energy management system. After a brief market analysis, we decided to work with our trusted partners again. Through Elektro Himpe, we connected with their sister company, ExtraVolt. Both are part of ExtraPower. We had already had great experiences with the Smappee platform for energy management on several construction projects.”
Maximized support
Stijn Devos saw the added value of ExtraPower not only during project execution but also in the preparation phase. “The synergy between ExtraPower, ExtraVolt, and Elektro Himpe was evident early on. They conducted a lighting study for the entire parking area and handled communication with Fluvius, which was crucial for the transition to and connection of the new high-voltage cabin. This took a significant administrative burden off our plate.”
On the rooftops of the Deerlijk site, an additional 540 solar panels were installed, bringing the total capacity to 300 kWp, resulting in an expected yield of 270,000 kWh. Since January 2024, 14 Smappee EV Base charging stations, each with two charging cables, have been fully operational.
Charging at home or work
Since 2023, Damman has been steadily replacing every “retired” vehicle with a fully electric one. “Currently, about ten people drive electric vehicles, and that number will eventually rise to around 80,” says Stijn Devos.
According to our car policy, employees primarily charge their cars here at the office. However, in collaboration with ExtraPower and Smappee, we’re also installing compact wall chargers at their homes. Only when absolutely necessary will they charge at public stations, for which they’ll use Smappee charge cards.
Stijn Devos, Procurement Manager, Damman
Optimal use of solar energy
Damman is already benefiting from the numerous features offered by the Smappee Dashboard. “This energy management system was introduced along with the new solar panels and charging stations. Now, for example, we have a clear view of the solar panel output at any time. With this output, we can not only cover our own electricity needs entirely but also generate a nice surplus. Starting at 8 a.m., we use that surplus to power the charging stations and meet energy needs at our work sites. Additionally, thanks to the dashboard, we discovered a fairly high standby consumption during weekends. We can address this by conducting further measurements on potential high consumers and optimizing our energy use accordingly.”
Clear total cost of ownership
The dashboard also proves valuable for tracking charging behavior. “At a glance, we can see who is charging, where, and when, as well as the cost. This allows us to allocate electricity costs per vehicle in detail, providing the perfect tool for knowing the total cost of ownership of each electric vehicle. When employees charge at home, split billing ensures we can separate the EV charging costs from their household energy consumption, so they can be reimbursed accurately. Additionally, when clients or suppliers charge here, billing is handled seamlessly, even for non-Smappee charge cards. We intentionally keep our chargers closed to the public.”
30 Additional charging points
Dimitri Damman and Stijn Devos are very satisfied with the services provided. “We feel perfectly prepared to complete the transition to full electrification. The cables are already in place to install 30 additional EV Base charging points in the future. We specifically chose the black version of the chargers, which aligns perfectly with our brand identity, allowing us to elegantly combine design, functionality, and marketing in our parking area.”
Customer Damman Construction
Country Belgium
Industry Construction and Real Estate
Profile
Since 1923, Damman Construction has grown into one of Belgium’s largest construction companies. It manages total projects in social housing and public tenders across the entire Belgian market. In addition to its headquarters in Deerlijk, it has offices in Aartselaar, Namur, and Ath.
The challenge
The management used a master plan for the redevelopment of the Deerlijk site to implement all the provisions for electrifying its vehicle fleet. To support this, they also planned a phased development of a charging square, entirely powered by self-generated green energy. As part of this plan, they sought the right partner for the installation of additional solar panels, a high-voltage cabin, and high-quality charging stations.
The solution
Smappee’s black EV Base charging stations perfectly met Damman’s need for a functional and stylish solution that aligns with their brand. Smappee partner ExtraPower, through ExtraVolt and Elektro Himpe, meticulously prepared and executed all electrical works. Since January 2024, everything has been operational, enabling proactive energy management at Damman.
The results
- A well-designed, dedicated parking area for charging sessions
- Smappee Dashboard provides clear insights into energy consumption
- Total cost of ownership for each electric vehicle easily calculated
- EV Wall chargers installed at employees’ homes
- Optimal use of solar energy for self-consumption and charging sessions
Why Smappee?
- Sleek and attractive design of high-quality charging stations
- Smooth communication with the client and installer
- Flexible configuration of charging stations (smart charging, direct charging, etc.)
- Convenient adjustments possible based on clear data
- Simplification of renumeration of home charging sessions through split billing
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