Groundbreaking New Book on Sustainable Parking Design and Management Advances "Green" Parking Solutions

A comprehensive new book, to be published in June as an ebook and limited-edition hardcover and now available at discounted prices for pre-order from the International Parking Institute, is a worthwhile and important addition to the body of knowledge on sustainability and parking facilities.

At 188 pages, Sustainable Parking Design and Management: A Practitioner's Handbook is a hefty reflection on parking industry leadership in providing education and support to advance parking and transportation solutions that balance economic feasibility, public health and welfare, and environmental stewardship.

The book covers topics such as sustainable parking operations and management, facility operation, accommodation of electric vehicles, energy-efficient garage lighting, roof systems, vehicle storage and retrieval systems, and sustainable landscaping, metering, and payment.  Nearly 20 case studies are also included.

A joint project of the International Parking Institute (IPI) and the National Parking Association, the book is a collaborative effort of more than 30 field experts and peer reviewers, representing many sectors in the parking industry:  architects; engineers; consultants; private,  public, and institutional owners; and parking experts. 

"The parking industry has a tremendous role to play when it comes to sustainability," said Shawn Conrad, CAE, executive director of IPI, the world's largest association of parking professionals and the parking industry.  "By its nature, transportation can be a less-than-green business.  But thanks to the leadership of parking professionals and industry suppliers, along with those who design and build our structures and lots, green and sustainable parking solutions are a leading industry trend." 

IPI has been an early advocate and visionary in the parking sustainability movement, publishing its Framework for Sustainability for Parking Design, Management, and Operations several years ago. In the past year, the progressive Green Parking Council (GPC) became an IPI affiliate, and this June, GPC will launch the industry's first Green Garage Certification program, fashioned after the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program, which excludes parking facilities.

Conrad says, "This book will advance our efforts and help related fields, such as urban planners, architects, facility managers, and building owners, view the potential in seeing parking sustainability as good for everyone."

Book editor, Rachel Yoka, LEED AP, BD+C, CNU-A, of Timothy Haahs & Associates, Inc., explained: "Our authors have tackled far more than individual topics.  They have addressed the greater context of sustainability in parking, transportation and the built environment. We take readers on a journey from theory and expertise to real-world application."

According to Paul Wessel, executive director of the Green Parking Council, "While one of the overriding goals of smart growth and transit-oriented development is creating vibrant spaces that are less reliant on the automobile, the reality is that the automobile must be accommodated--but in a more sustainable, intelligent, and efficient manner.  As an industry, we're changing the nature of parking, and this book provides a tool for parking owners, developers, operators, and others to continue to drive us forward toward greater sustainability."

The hardcover version of Sustainable Parking Design and Management: A Practitioner's Handbook will be a limited-edition and may be pre-ordered at the introductory (and IPI member discounted) price of $43.95 plus shipping at parking.org/greenbook. An ebook, Kindle version may also be pre-ordered for $27.95.