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
Wood | Nov 1, 2022
A European manufacturer says its engineered wood products can store carbon for decades
Metsä Wood, a Finland-based manufacturer of engineered wood products, says its sustainable, material-efficient products can store carbon for decades, helping to combat climate change.
Data Centers | Oct 31, 2022
Data center construction facing record-breaking inflation, delays
Data center construction projects face record-breaking inflation amid delays to materials deliveries and competition for skilled labor, according to research from global professional services company Turner & Townsend.
School Construction | Oct 31, 2022
Claremont McKenna College science center will foster integrated disciplinary research
The design of the Robert Day Sciences Center at Claremont McKenna College will support “a powerful, multi-disciplinary, computational approach to the grand socio-scientific challenges and opportunities of our time—gene, brain, and climate,” says Hiram E. Chodosh, college president.
Energy Efficient Roofing | Oct 28, 2022
Rooftop mini turbines can pair with solar panels
A new type of wind turbine can pair well on roofs with solar panels, offering a double source of green energy generation for buildings.
Building Team | Oct 27, 2022
Who are you? Four archetypes shaping workspaces
The new lifestyle of work requires new thinking about the locations where people work, what their workflow looks like, and how they are performing their best work.
Codes and Standards | Oct 27, 2022
Florida’s Surfside-inspired safety law puts pressure on condo associations
A Florida law intended to prevent tragedies like the Surfside condominium collapse will place a huge financial burden on condo associations and strain architecture and engineering resources in the state.
University Buildings | Oct 27, 2022
The Collaboratory Building will expand the University of Florida’s School of Design, Construction, and Planning
Design firm Brooks + Scarpa recently broke ground on a new addition to the University of Florida’s School of Design, Construction, and Planning (DCP).
Building Team | Oct 26, 2022
The U.S. hotel construction pipeline shows positive growth year-over-year at Q3 2022 close
According to the third quarter Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the United States from Lodging Econometrics (LE), the U.S. construction pipeline stands at 5,317 projects/629,489 rooms, up 10% by projects and 6% rooms Year-Over-Year (YOY).
Data Centers | Oct 25, 2022
Virginia county moves to restrict the growth of new server farms
Loudoun County, Va., home to the largest data center cluster in the world known as Data Center Alley, recently took steps to prohibit the growth of new server farms in certain parts of the county.
Museums | Oct 25, 2022
Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion emphasizes human connection to oceans
Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion, currently under construction, features several exhibits that examine the human connection with the Earth’s oceans.
