November 16, 2022
5 min read
Ohmie GO has become the first electric-mobility and technology start-up to become a member of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the peak body for sustainable buildings and communities.
The GBCA is a member-based organisation and its purpose is to lead the sustainable transformation of the built environment. GBCA provides guidance and education on sustainable developments, building and designs and rates the sustainability of buildings, fitouts and communities through Australia’s largest national, voluntary, holistic rating system – Green Star.
Ohmie GO Founder and CEO Kyle Bolto says the GBCA were a “natural fit” for their business, which is disrupting the transport and property industry, by changing the relationship between buildings and mobility. Ohmie GO are installing electric-mobility hubs in developments across Australia, providing tenant-only access to EVs, micro-mobility and EV charging, all in one seamless app.
“Joining the GBCA is a perfect brand alignment for us, as we’re truly passionate about transforming the way we move around our cities, providing greater access to sustainable mobility so no one gets left behind,” said Kyle.
GBCA CEO Davina Rooney said it made sense for businesses to “walk the path of decarbonisation together”.
“Our expectations of the built environment have grown alongside the current health and climate challenges and businesses are increasingly seeking places that are healthy for people and the planet. Electric-mobility and building infrastructure that supports it are part of that future,” said Davina Rooney.
As the leading authority on building sustainability, GBCA has also founded its own Green Star rating system used by developers across Australia as an internationally-recognised sustainability rating and certification system.
“We work with some of Australia’s biggest and most well-known developers who have been awarded Green Star ratings from GBCA, and have Ohmie GO e-mobility vehicles in their buildings, as a part of their sustainability targets,” said Kyle.
“It’s wonderful to be part of the GBCA member portfolio now, as we’ve been committed to this mission for quite some time,” said Kyle.
The GBCA is comprised of approximately 650 member companies which include over 400 small-to-medium enterprises, 81 companies with annual turnover of more than $100 million and 33 companies now listed in the ASX200.
Likewise, its membership base includes major developers, professional services firms, banks, superannuation funds, product manufacturers, retailers, utilities, suppliers, educational institutions, local government and, now, an e-mobility and technology company.
“Ohmie GO is helping investors and businesses meet community expectations and ESG ambitions and GBCA is delighted to engage with diverse members, like Ohmie GO, to drive a healthier, more sustainable future forward,” said Davina.
“If our industries are going to eliminate fossil fuels, tackle climate change, and ensure a healthy Australia for future generations, the decade of decarbonisation - for buildings, mobility and beyond – is now, and collaboration is key to making that happen,” said Kyle.
Ohmie GO has become the first electric-mobility and technology start-up to become a member of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the peak body for sustainable buildings and communities.
The GBCA is a member-based organisation and its purpose is to lead the sustainable transformation of the built environment. GBCA provides guidance and education on sustainable developments, building and designs and rates the sustainability of buildings, fitouts and communities through Australia’s largest national, voluntary, holistic rating system – Green Star.
Ohmie GO Founder and CEO Kyle Bolto says the GBCA were a “natural fit” for their business, which is disrupting the transport and property industry, by changing the relationship between buildings and mobility. Ohmie GO are installing electric-mobility hubs in developments across Australia, providing tenant-only access to EVs, micro-mobility and EV charging, all in one seamless app.
“Joining the GBCA is a perfect brand alignment for us, as we’re truly passionate about transforming the way we move around our cities, providing greater access to sustainable mobility so no one gets left behind,” said Kyle.
GBCA CEO Davina Rooney said it made sense for businesses to “walk the path of decarbonisation together”.
“Our expectations of the built environment have grown alongside the current health and climate challenges and businesses are increasingly seeking places that are healthy for people and the planet. Electric-mobility and building infrastructure that supports it are part of that future,” said Davina Rooney.
As the leading authority on building sustainability, GBCA has also founded its own Green Star rating system used by developers across Australia as an internationally-recognised sustainability rating and certification system.
“We work with some of Australia’s biggest and most well-known developers who have been awarded Green Star ratings from GBCA, and have Ohmie GO e-mobility vehicles in their buildings, as a part of their sustainability targets,” said Kyle.
“It’s wonderful to be part of the GBCA member portfolio now, as we’ve been committed to this mission for quite some time,” said Kyle.
The GBCA is comprised of approximately 650 member companies which include over 400 small-to-medium enterprises, 81 companies with annual turnover of more than $100 million and 33 companies now listed in the ASX200.
Likewise, its membership base includes major developers, professional services firms, banks, superannuation funds, product manufacturers, retailers, utilities, suppliers, educational institutions, local government and, now, an e-mobility and technology company.
“Ohmie GO is helping investors and businesses meet community expectations and ESG ambitions and GBCA is delighted to engage with diverse members, like Ohmie GO, to drive a healthier, more sustainable future forward,” said Davina.
“If our industries are going to eliminate fossil fuels, tackle climate change, and ensure a healthy Australia for future generations, the decade of decarbonisation - for buildings, mobility and beyond – is now, and collaboration is key to making that happen,” said Kyle.
It started with a simple yet somewhat challenging brief, set by our CEO, to create the best shared eBike experience in the world. This means taking a wholistic view of the experience including the eBikes, the docking and charging system and the end to end app UX. Partnering with Dutch-Australian eBike brand Lekker gave us the perfect e-bikes to fit our needs, cool, sophisticated and high quality. On the other hand, our team searched the world for a docking solution that also met our needs but simply couldn’t find anything that fit with our vision from a design, functionality and product quality point of view. What this meant was that if we wanted the best solution in the world our engineering team would need to design, develop and build a solution ourselves. So our team set to work on a docking and charging solution that is simple, beautiful and left users with an outstanding experience, just as we have with our market leading Ohmie GO shared EV user experience.
Bike docking systems usually exists simply for functionality, without regard for design or aesthetics. The aim was to create a product which would be not only a technology leading solution but also visually appealing, from an industrial design point of view, so it could be placed in locations like hotel and premium building foyers.
Founder and CEO, Kyle Bolto said the team spent countless hours and effort obsessing over the details of the docking solution in order to get it right.
“In the same way that household names like Apple and Tesla differentiate their products through both technology and design, we set out to create a step change in design and style for an electric bike docking solution. We’ve named it the eDock,” explained Kyle.
“We thought long and hard about how an eBike user on our platform would interact with our eDock from an interface point of view. Utilising instructive LED lights integrated into the eDock in conjunction with the Ohmie Go app to help guide users through each step of booking became a key design feature. From the moment you book an eBike on the app, you're met with design components that take you through the experience, with lights flashing when you first book the bike, to a pulsing green light when it’s time to pull the bike out,” said Kyle.
We set out to create a product which our large global realestate and hotel clients would be proud to feature in the foyer of their gorgeous buildings. In the eDock we have created a solution that is not only state of the art technology but also visually striking, yet maintains a beautiful end-to-end flow with users.
“We know users resonate with products that are not only functional but beautiful, why would shared e-bikes be any different?” said Kyle.
We’re excited to announce that some of our clients have already designed in our new automated electric bike docking and charging solution, eDock, and will be installed and initially offered with Lekker eBikes in some of the most amazing buildings across Australia in 2023.
Market leading electric-mobility startup Ohmie GO has partnered with Frasers Property Australia, one of Australia’s leading diversified property groups, to provide two Tesla electric vehicles for the exclusive use of staff and tenants at Rhodes Corporate Park.
The EVs and technology were launched this month at an event taking place at Rhodes Corporate Park.
Kyle Bolto, Founder and CEO of Ohmie GO, said the partnership with Frasers Property is an example of a major property group seeking to implement change at an infrastructural level to impact sustainability
“Tenants and workers at Rhodes Corporate Park have the use of our app, Teslas and charging facilities for use on-demand. Our technology makes the experience as easy as possible for users, you simply open the Ohmie GO app, book a car for as little or as long as you’d like and use your phone to unlock the vehicle in the carpark,” said Kyle.
“Our solution gives people the opportunity to move away from private car ownership, or commuting daily in traffic, to a new era of transport which might include a combination of walking, public transport and shared electric vehicles,” said Kyle.
Mark Gleeson, Executive General Manager Investments, Frasers Property Australia said the new partnership with Ohmie GO enhances the flexibility provided to tenants at Rhodes Corporate Park and their teams.
“Our partnership with Ohmie GO enhances the convenience and connectivity we provide our customers in a thoughtful, sustainable way. It recognises not everyone drives to work, it encourages people to cycle or catch the train, and it means those who do so can still access a car if and when they need, even if they need to take it home for the night. It’s all about the flexibility we provide,” said Mr Gleeson.
Kyle Bolto said the tech startup’s mission is to continue disrupting the transport and property industry by changing the relationship between buildings and mobility.
“The future of transport is undoubtedly shared electric-mobility solutions, and we plan to continue innovating in this space by harnessing our technology and experience as market leaders,” said Kyle.
Ohmie GO has officially partnered with Melbourne-based developers ICD Property on Aspire Melbourne to provide sustainable shared electric-mobility to residents of the 65-storey tower in Melbourne CBD.
The partnership comes off the back of rising fuel prices and record-breaking inflation driving a desire by apartment residents for cost-effective and sustainable amenities.
Rolling out Ohmie GO within Aspire Melbourne marks the second partnership between the two groups after Ohmie GO piloted at ICD Property’s Eq Tower in 2019 with the rollout of two shared Hyundai Kona electric vehicles.
Using the Ohmie GO app, residents are able to securely book an electric vehicle for as low as $16.50 an hour, with Ohmie GO managing the service end-to-end including maintenance, cleaning, insurance, billing, on-demand support, and sustainability reporting. Presenting a modern solution for apartment residents looking to save money whilst not losing out on the lifestyle and convenience of owning a car.
Looking at data from the Motoring Associations of Australia, car ownership in Australia averages $10,000 - $15,000 per annum, with this figure looking to rise in the future with petrol, maintenance, and insurance all facing price hikes. Further research shows, a typical private car sits idle for up to 96% of its lifetime with increased work/study-from-home conditions exacerbating this figure.
For residents of Aspire Melbourne, the offering of Ohmie GO means not needing to spend a dime on fuel, car servicing, or forking out the $40,000 - $120,000 typically charged to purchase a car park within a residential building in Melbourne CBD.
“At ICD Property, we are always focused on delivering amenities to our residents that improve their quality of life. We are also acutely aware of the property industry’s responsibility to move towards greener practices, which we are constantly trying to evolve within our own developments. Ohmie GO marries these two values, providing a highly useful amenity to our residents that will improve their lifestyle, save money, and also push for more sustainable outcomes in our industry. Not to mention helps lower overall greenhouse gases and traffic congestion in our cities,” says ICD Property’s CEO Matt Khoo.
“ICD Property first met with Ohmie GO in 2019, recognising their unique cornerstone in the market of private sustainable transport and offered our Eq. Tower residential development as an opportunity to test-drive their product, piloting their first ever residential shared electric vehicle service. It is amazing to work with them again now years later, seeing how their business has grown and gotten even better and more beneficial to developers and residents,” continued Khoo.
Other green initiatives ICD Property has implemented across their development portfolio include the design of South Australia’s greenest office tower within their Market Square precinct. The 7-storey 20,000 sqm office tower boasts an all-electric build, 6-star Green Star and 5 and 1⁄2-star NABERs credentials, rooftop solar, and award-winning waste management system.
“Since 2016, we’ve been harnessing the latest technology to drive sustainable outcomes for the built form. We recognised early on that one of the significant looming challenges was how does the built form handle the transition into e-Mobility. We’re now working with some of the most forward-thinking players in the property industry, positively impacting buildings, residents, and the planet,” says Ohmie GO CEO Kyle Bolto.
One Queensland building that has partnered with Ohmie GO has already reported offsetting over three tonnes of CO2 emissions within a single month. Empowering residents to choose a greener mode of transport whilst still accessing premium car vehicles and simultaneously saving money.
Ohmie GO is continuing to expand their solution across residential and commercial buildings, including the build to rent space, appealing to financially savvy buyers, as well as the aged-care, retirement, hotel and downsizer communities who benefit from access to a private car without the responsibility of 24/7 ownership.