LAS VEGAS—The Green Parking Council (GPC) announced the first seven parking facilities in the United States to achieve Green Garage Certification, a comprehensive sustainability standard for existing and new parking facilities launched in 2015 and evaluating 48 elements of garage operation, programs, structure, and technology. The parking garage at the Charles Square Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., is among the seven to be certified.
The Green Garage Certification program will be delivered and promoted globally by the Green Business Certification, Inc., the certification body for the U.S. Green Building Council’s global LEED green building rating system.
“Cars are getting smarter, people are getting smarter, and parking garages are getting smarter,” says Paul Wessel, Executive Director of the GPC, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute. “The greening of parking facilities transforms them into enablers of sustainable mobility. Certified Green Garages offer significant benefits for drivers, tenants, building owners, property managers, and society overall.”
Green Garages Share Common Traits
Launched in 2015, Green Garage Certification recognizes parking facility management practices that maximize performance while minimizing waste, programs that encourage mobility options and choice, and efficient and sustainable technology and structure design. Sustainable garages frequently employ energy-efficient lighting and ventilation systems, guidance systems that help drivers find parking faster, idle-reduction technologies, electric vehicle fueling stations, car sharing, bicycle parking, storm water management practices.
Multiple independent studies demonstrate that energy efficiency reaps tangible benefits for building owners. The Green Garage Standard encourages reduced energy usage through lighting, ventilation, controls, and commissioning measures, which reduce operational costs in the range of 25 percent compared to the national average. Professional garage door installation is key when garage doors are involved.
“The owners and operators of these seven sites demonstrate a commitment to sustainability that transcends the walls of their organizations and contributes to industry-wide transformation,” says GPC Chairman John Schmid. “This is a milestone for the parking industry and profession. These agents of change are leveraging innovative business practices, accelerating the adoption of smart technologies, and embracing open-source collaboration.”
Go to the Green Parking Council.
