According to the results of an industry-wide survey conducted by the International Parking Institute, increased demand for technology-related innovations account for half of the top ten trends in today's $30 billion parking industry. Among them, cashless, electronic, and automatic payment systems; real-time information about parking rates and availability via mobile apps; and wireless sensing devices for improved traffic management.
"Parking is all about mobility and connectivity," said Casey Jones, CAPP, chairman of the International Parking Institute (IPI), the world's largest association representing parking professionals and the parking industry. Jones shared results of the 2012 Emerging Trends in Parking Survey at the IPI Conference & Expo in Phoenix, Ariz. this week where more than 2,500 attendees, 220 exhibitors, and parking pros from 25 countries convened.
Jones says survey results reflect the demand for technology, sustainability, revenue-generation, and customer service that are converging to earn the industry new respect from Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and every drivable place in between, as forward-thinking planners come to the realization that parking matters to the design of more walkable, livable communities and to broader transportation issues.
More than one-third of those surveyed see the demand for green or sustainable solutions as a top trend affecting the parking profession. It is estimated that about 30% of the cars circling a city at any given time are doing so as drivers look for parking. Aside from the frustration factor, those cars are creating traffic congestion, viewed by survey respondents as being the single most significant societal change affecting the parking industry. From an environmental standpoint, that translates to incalculable amounts of wasted fuel and carbon emissions.
According to respondents, the number one strategy for making parking more sustainable is energy-efficient lighting, followed by parking space guidance systems that aid in finding parking faster, encouraging alternative travel, automated payment processes, solar panels, renewable energy technology, and accommodating electric vehicles.
An increased focus on customer service is another significant trend cited.
"Parking professionals are continually striving to make the parking experience better," says IPI Executive Director Shawn Conrad, CAE. He explains that the parking industry has expanded to serve cyclists, those who car-share, those en route to shuttle buses or light rail, and even pedestrians who benefit from parking facilities that serve as mobility connectors.
A chief problem seen by survey respondents is one those in the parking profession are working hard to correct: decision makers need to consult parking experts earlier in the planning process to prevent a myriad of design issues and other problems later on. When surveyed about the most common avoidable mistakes, respondents cited such issues as "lack of vision to invest in mass transit systems to handle large movements of people," "inefficient layout and poor aesthetics," "failure to think about parking in the planning stages," and "overlooking important issues such as water and power sources, snow removal, entry/exit functionality, and how and by whom the facility will be used."
Survey results showed a dead heat between urban planners, local government officials, and architects as those who most need to better understand parking and all its complexities.
When asked where parking would best fit as a course of study at an academic institution, nearly half of respondents suggested that parking should become part of the curriculum at schools for urban planners. Runners-up were schools where business and public policy is taught.
The 2012 Emerging Trends in Parking Survey was conducted in May 2012 among parking professionals by the International Parking Institute (IPI) and released at IPI's Conference & Expo. Results were tabulated and analyzed by the Washington, D.C.-based Market Research Bureau. A complete report is available at www.parking.org. +
Related Stories
| Jan 21, 2011
Upscale apartments offer residents a twist on modern history
The Goodwynn at Town: Brookhaven, a 433,300-sf residential and retail building in DeKalb County, Ga., combines a historic look with modern amenities. Atlanta-based project architect Niles Bolton Associates used contemporary materials in historic patterns and colors on the exterior, while concealing a six-level parking structure on the interior.
| Jan 21, 2011
Research center built for interdisciplinary cooperation
The Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital, in Houston, the first basic research institute for childhood neurological diseases, is a 13-story twisting tower in the center of the hospital campus.
| Jan 21, 2011
Music festival’s new home showcases scenic setting
Epstein Joslin Architects, Cambridge, Mass., designed the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Mass., to showcase the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, as well at the site’s ocean views.
| Jan 21, 2011
GSA Recognizes the Best in Public Architecture
The U.S. General Services Administration recognized the best in public architecture and civilian federal workplaces at the 2010 GSA Design Awards in Washington, D.C. This year's 11 award winners showcase the federal government's commitment to cutting-edge architectural design and its focus on sustainability.
| Jan 20, 2011
Houston Dynamo soccer team plans new venue
Construction is scheduled to begin this month on a new 22,000-seat Major League Soccer stadium for the Houston Dynamo. The $60 million project is expected to be ready for the 2012 MLS season.
| Jan 20, 2011
Worship center design offers warm and welcoming atmosphere
The Worship Place Studio of local firm Ziegler Cooper Architects designed a new 46,000-sf church complex for the Pare de Sufrir parish in Houston.
| Jan 20, 2011
Construction begins on second St. Louis community center
O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex in St. Louis, designed by local architecture/engineering firm KAI Design & Build, will feature an indoor aquatic park with interactive water play features, a lazy river, water slides, laps lanes, and an outdoor spray and multiuse pool.
| Jan 20, 2011
Community college to prepare next-gen Homeland Security personnel
The College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Ill., began work on the Homeland Security Education Center, which will prepare future emergency personnel to tackle terrorist attacks and disasters. The $25 million, 61,100-sf building’s centerpiece will be an immersive interior street lab for urban response simulations.
| Jan 19, 2011
Industrial history museum gets new home in steel plant
The National Museum of Industrial History recently renovated the exterior of a 1913 steel plant in Bethlehem, Pa., to house its new 40,000-sf exhibition space. The museum chose VOA Associates, which is headquartered in Chicago, to complete the design for the exhibit’s interior. The exhibit, which has views of five historic blast furnaces, will feature artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution to illustrate early industrial America.
| Jan 19, 2011
Baltimore mixed-use development combines working, living, and shopping
The Shoppes at McHenry Row, a $117 million mixed-use complex developed by 28 Walker Associates for downtown Baltimore, will include 65,000 sf of office space, 250 apartments, and two parking garages. The 48,000 sf of main street retail space currently is 65% occupied, with space for small shops and a restaurant remaining.
