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
Healthcare Facilities | Nov 6, 2017
Design isn’t enough to foster collaboration in healthcare and research spaces
A new Perkins Eastman white paper finds limited employee interaction at NYU Winthrop Hospital, a year after it opened.
Architects | Nov 6, 2017
How to start a negotiation: Begin as you mean to continue
How you start a negotiation often will determine where you end up, writes negotiation and mediation expert Brenda Radmacher.
Giants 400 | Nov 3, 2017
Top 25 military architecture firms
Jacobs, Michael Baker Intl., and HDR top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest military sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Engineers | Nov 2, 2017
CannonDesign expands its presence in Colorado with BWG acquisition
Future mergers could be in the offing.
Giants 400 | Nov 1, 2017
Top 35 industrial architecture firms
Jacobs, Stantec, and BRPH top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest industrial sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
K-12 Schools | Oct 31, 2017
Exploring empathy in architecture: Put yourself in your student’s shoes
People are enigmatic and inherently complex, which can make it difficult to design for a larger population.
Architects | Oct 31, 2017
AIA selects recipients for the 2017 Innovation Awards
The program honors projects that highlight collaboration between design and construction teams to create better process efficiencies and overall costs savings.
Giants 400 | Oct 30, 2017
Top 130 green architecture firms
Gensler, Stantec, and HOK top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest green sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Architects | Oct 30, 2017
City 2050: What will your city look like in 2050?
What do we think the future will look like 30 years or so from now? And what will City: 2050 be like?
Architects | Oct 25, 2017
Mason & Hanger appoints Ben Lilly as its new president
The firm expects to continue mining growth opportunities with its federal agency clients.
