Jun 5 2014
Responding to the growing desire for more livable communities and rising concern about our planet, the Green Parking Council (GPC), an affiliate of the International Parking Institute (IPI), launched the Green Garage Certification program this week.
The program is the parking industry equivalent of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and recognizes and inspires high standards in sustainable parking facility design, technology, operations, and management.
"Green Garage Certification provides both a roadmap and assessment tool for real estate owners, developers, planners, architects, tenants, parking operators, and others to strive toward a more environmentally and economically sustainable future," says GPC Executive Director Paul Wessel.
According to Wessel, Green Garage Certification is a consensus-driven program developed over several years and honed by external reviewers and a beta phase which included more than 40 facilities in the U.S. and Canada.
"Green Garage Certification applies an holistic approach to garage performance and sustainability, evaluating facilities based on their achievement toward a menu of standards developed by experts from a range of related fields," explains John Schmid, chair of the GPC board of directors. "This program demonstrates the parking industry's commitment to a greener future."