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Parking solutions: Versatile and green
Stanley Tang
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Property owners and operators are starting to see some big changes in demands for parking. Electric cars are becoming more prevalent, requiring less space and new infrastructure in the form of electricity charging stations.
Both of these present big opportunities for developers who are willing to build or renovate to accommodate them.
Stan Tang is a partner at BLT Architects. He’s designed and built a number of parking and intermodal structures in the hospitality, higher education, multi-family residential, and government industries. He talks about new strategies for getting ahead of the electric car trend, including:
o Small, dedicated parking spaces that maximize space;
o Incorporating electric charging stations;
o Converting roof-top parking to “green” solar/energy generating space; and
o Designing other parking to accommodate opposing large vehicle/SUV trend.
From a marketing point of view, all hotels are going green, Tang notes. “This is another way to distinguish themselves.”
Some properties are installing solar collectors on the top level of the parking garage, providing a type of canopy for those cars that park up top. This not only provides power, but makes for a more interesting view from an adjacent hotel tower.
A few municipalities, including Atlantic City, are encouraging rooftop gardens and the use of solar collectors on roofs. Some parking garages have green roofs, or live vegetation on trellises—“a little more appealing than the utilitarian look,” Tang says, though rooftop gardens do take away parking spaces.
Out of 250 million cars in the U.S., there are about one million electric vehicles, notes Tang. “Clearly it’s an emerging trend that will increase steadily,” he says.
The Fairmont Waterfront, The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and The Fairmont Empress have installed electric vehicle charging stations plus free parking for electric/hybrid car owners.
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Fairmont Hotels and Resorts is making it easier for people who have electric cars. The hotel chain announced last month that it has installed electric vehicle charging stations in three of its hotels in Vancouver and Victoria: the Fairmont Waterfront, the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and the Fairmont Empress.
The charging stations were installed in partnership with GE Energy Industrial Solutions and will be made available to guests and other travellers.
The charging stations offer “level two charging”, which can reduce charging time to between four and eight hours from 12 to 18, depending on the vehicle’s battery size.
“Sustainable travel is important in order to minimize our industry’s impact on the planet,” Sharon Owen, energy manager for the Fairmont Waterfront, said in a press release.
The charging stations are part of Fairmont’s Green Partnership Program that began in the 1990s.
The program aims to allow Fairmont to exceed guest expectations while minimizing its overall impact on the environment.
“This is what Fairmont’s Green Partnership Program is all about and we’re proud to add to the city’s electric vehicle infrastructure,” said Owen.
In addition to the use of charging stations, the three hotels offer guests who drive electric or hybrid cars a complimentary valet parking pass.
Different car sizes/services
Valet parking with electric vehicle charging in Bellevue, Washington
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Even before the most recent energy crunch, the car companies were developing small, compact and electric cars. “But there is always a segment of society that maintains that bigger is better, buying large / SUV-type vehicles. Even these are available in hybrid versions,” Tang notes.
This necessitates more generous stall sizes, and larger turning radiuses. Higher-end hotels tend to have higher levels of services in the form of dedicated sections to accommodate SUVs and vans, Tang says.
And then there are the car-sharing services like Zipcars or Carshare that require their own designated spaces.
Designing a parking garage is more complex than it used to be, but it’s also a guaranteed revenue stream for the owner/operator. It’s important to work hand in hand with the garage designer to maximize versatility and options.
Solar installation at Arizona State University
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