Once a year, the leaders in parking and sustainability from across the world gather to soak up the latest data and technology disruptions, celebrate innovation and compare notes with colleagues about how to manage the 90 percent of time that the world’s billions of cars are waiting for their next jaunt.

Best practices in parking operations are constantly evolving. Sometimes, new technology drives radical changes in best practices. More often, though, best practices evolve gradually and steadily as subject matter experts share their knowledge and experience. 

Parking adds to urban congestion

The parking industry is realizing that advances in technology and society affect the current thinking related to mobility and parking. These changes raise questions: What will the future hold? Will parking demands increase, decrease or simply change? What will become of our parking structures?   

How smart is your parking? If you are interested in optimizing performance, cutting energy consumption and increasing sustainable operations in your parking facility, Parksmart certification may be a great fit for you. Parksmart is a transformational rating system that defines and recognizes sustainable practices in parking structure management, programming, design and technology.

2016 was an exciting year for Parksmart—one filled with new partnerships, opportunities, growth and the promise of a better future for smarter parking and the sustainable parking industry.

Cities are looking to green infrastructure to align sustainable development efforts and to foster social and economic development.

The 2017 Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Awards recognize high-achieving parking facilities, honoring real estate owners who have achieved exceptional energy reductions at parking facilities through high-efficiency lighting and controls.

Parksmart Advisor training is now being offered as both in-person and online through an instructor-led class by the International Parking Institute, in partnership with GBCI. Parksmart Advisors lead clients through the certification process by evaluating parking facilities’ sustainable attributes and preparing their applications for certification submission.