Green Parking Council Launches Green Garage Certification Program
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Green Parking Council (GPC), an affiliate of the International Parking Institute (IPI), launched on June 2 a certification program that is the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
Called the Green Garage Certification Program, the program is an incentive to build parking garages that meet high standards in sustainable design, technology, operations and management.
“Green Garage Certification provides both a roadmap and assessment tool for real estate owners, developers, planners, architects, tenants, parking operators, and others to strive toward a more environmentally and economically sustainable future,” said GPC Executive Director Paul Wessel in a statement.
The certification was developed over several years under the recommendations of external reviewers. The program underwent a beta phase that included more than 40 facilities in the United States and Canada. The end goal of having a certification for sustainable parking garages is part of IPI’s sustainability initiative, which it outlined in a document titled “Framework on Sustainability.”
In addition to a certification program, IPI is dedicated to developing seminars and articles about sustainability and is encouraging peer-to-peer sharing.
“Green Garage Certification applies an holistic approach to garage performance and sustainability, evaluating facilities based on their achievement toward a menu of standards developed by experts from a range of related fields,” explained John Schmid, chair of the GPC board of directors. “This program demonstrates the parking industry’s commitment to a greener future.”
On its website, GPC identifies 44 building blocks that will help existing and new construction parking garages become sustainable. These include energy efficient lighting, greywater reuse, rainwater harvesting, indoor air monitoring and no or low VOC coatings. The council also factors in management and programs, including shared parking, cleaning procedures, a rideshare program and bicycle parking, among others.
Those interested in pursuing Green Garage Certification can view case studies and download “Green Garage Certification at a Glance” along with a free program guide that includes application procedures, program requirements and a breakdown of criteria by certification level at greenparkingcouncil.org/certification.
A book, “Green Garage Certification Standard,” which defines the program’s performance measures and documentation requirements, can be purchased for $49.95 at greenparkingcouncil.org/certification or in an upcoming Kindle version on Amazon.