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
| Jul 12, 2013
12 award-winning healthcare projects [slideshow]
AIA's Academy of Architecture for Health announced the recipients of the 2013 AIA National Healthcare Design Awards.
| Jul 11, 2013
Bill to borrow more for college spending in Michigan criticized due to ‘higher-ed bubble’
An amendment to a Michigan appropriations budget authorizes an increase in state debt to pay for state university construction projects. But some experts see a “higher education bubble” on the horizon, and said more taxpayer debt for more buildings is a bad idea.
| Jul 11, 2013
Skanska exits U.S. Chamber of Commerce over LEED controversy
Skanska USA resigned from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce over the Chamber’s decision to support the American High-Performance Buildings Coalition.
| Jul 11, 2013
DOE releases stricter energy efficiency standards for new federal buildings taking effect in 2014
The Energy Department released stricter energy efficiency standards this month for new federal buildings.
| Jul 11, 2013
Pennsylvania legislators work on bill to update demolition codes following fatal building collapse
Pennsylvania lawmakers are working on a bill to update demolition codes, in the wake of a fatal building collapse in Philadelphia in June.
| Jul 11, 2013
Lawsuit challenges modular apartment project in New York City
A plan to build pre-fab apartment buildings at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been challenged by a lawsuit filed by the Plumbing Foundation in Manhattan Supreme Court.
| Jul 10, 2013
SmithGroupJJR hires Don Posson as Co-director of Sustainable Design
SmithGroupJJR has hired veteran mechanical engineer Don Posson, PE, CCP, CPD, LEED AP, as the firm’s co-director of sustainable design.
| Jul 10, 2013
World's best new skyscrapers [slideshow]
The Bow in Calgary and CCTV Headquarters in Beijing are among the world's best new high-rise projects, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.
| Jul 9, 2013
Where are they now? 40 Under 40 alumni make their mark in D.C.
Every month we’ll be touching base with past 40 Under 40 honorees to see what’s been happening in their professional and personal lives since winning the award. This month, we feature two outstanding professionals: HKS's Shannon Kraus and Roger Chang from Westlake Reed Leskosky.
