Green parking lot

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Solar canopy parking lot in New Haven at Hotel Marcel. There are EV level 2 chargers underneath the canopy and a 12-stall Tesla Supercharger behind. Parking under Solar Canopy (52937580768).jpg
Solar canopy parking lot in New Haven at Hotel Marcel. There are EV level 2 chargers underneath the canopy and a 12-stall Tesla Supercharger behind.

Green parking lots are a form of parking lot designed to be environmentally more sustainable. Many agencies and organizations have released different standards as to what will be considered a green parking lot. As an example, in the Toronto guidelines the purpose of a green parking lot is to use all the leftover spaces in parking lots in more environmentally friendly manners, and also to make changes to parking lots without interfering with their ability to serve as a parking lot; the US Environmental Protection Agency has released guidelines referring to a green parking lot as any lot which contains environmentally preferable features. [1]

Contents

Minimized impervious surfaces

Example of turf grid Rasenpflasterstein 1.jpg
Example of turf grid

The largest feature of the parking lot is its paved area, hence, by changing this surface to be more permeable to water the parking lot will drain better. Some surface options are open joint pavers, porous asphalt, pervious concrete, or a turf grid. Drainage may be an important part of a green parking lot because runoff is often a serious concern. In addition to using a more porous surface, a more porous subsurface may be used to maximize drainage through the parking lot surface. Drains and low-lying areas for water retention can also be components of a green parking lot.

Bicycles

Another component of green parking lots, according to Toronto's guide, is locations for bicycle storage. [2] As bicycles are more environmentally friendly than cars it is important for a green parking lot to contain a bicycle rack.

Lighting

Minimizing energy consumption is another possible envonmental feature. Green parking lots often use scaled lighting; shorter light poles and less intense lighting where pedestrians or bicycles will be, and higher intensity lighting in areas where cars are, to minimize over-lighting of areas that don't need to be lit. Green parking lots may also power the lighting using solar or wind among other renewable forms of energy. [2]

Solar canopy

Solar canopies over a high school parking lot NNHS Walnut St solar canopy close.agr.jpg
Solar canopies over a high school parking lot

A solar canopy or carport is a structure that elevates an array of photovoltaic panels above ground level so that the area under the panels can be used for other purposes. Many solar canopies are built over parking lots, where in addition to generating renewable power, they also protect the cars from sun, rain and snow. When the lot is not needed for parking, the covered area can be used for other purposes. [3]

Vegetation

Green parking lot with bioswale Green Parking lot at the 140 College Drive Schuylkill Center.jpg
Green parking lot with bioswale

Vegetation used surrounding and within green parking lots varies with location. For this reason grasses like Kentucky Blue Grass should not be used in many areas as this grass requires large amounts of water. [1] Trees are also good vegetation as they provide shade and generally have lower water requirements. [2]

Related Research Articles

Sustainable living describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of Earth's natural resources by an individual or society. Its practitioners often attempt to reduce their ecological footprint by altering their home designs and methods of transportation, energy consumption and diet. Its proponents aim to conduct their lives in ways that are consistent with sustainability, naturally balanced, and respectful of humanity's symbiotic relationship with the Earth's natural ecology. The practice and general philosophy of ecological living closely follows the overall principles of sustainable development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Storm drain</span> Infrastructure for draining excess rain and ground water from impervious surfaces

A storm drain, storm sewer, surface water drain/sewer, or stormwater drain is infrastructure designed to drain excess rain and ground water from impervious surfaces such as paved streets, car parks, parking lots, footpaths, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parking lot</span> Cleared area for parking vehicles

A parking lot or car park, also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface. In most jurisdictions where cars are the dominant mode of transportation, parking lots are a major feature of cities and suburban areas. Shopping malls, sports stadiums, and other similar venues often have immense parking lots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Permeable paving</span> Roads built with water-pervious materials

Permeable paving surfaces are made of either a porous material that enables stormwater to flow through it or nonporous blocks spaced so that water can flow between the gaps. Permeable paving can also include a variety of surfacing techniques for roads, parking lots, and pedestrian walkways. Permeable pavement surfaces may be composed of; pervious concrete, porous asphalt, paving stones, or interlocking pavers. Unlike traditional impervious paving materials such as concrete and asphalt, permeable paving systems allow stormwater to percolate and infiltrate through the pavement and into the aggregate layers and/or soil below. In addition to reducing surface runoff, permeable paving systems can trap suspended solids, thereby filtering pollutants from stormwater.

A blue roof is a roof of a building that is designed explicitly to provide initial temporary water storage and then gradual release of stored water, typically rainfall. Blue roofs are constructed on flat or low sloped roofs in urban communities where flooding is a risk due to a lack of permeable surfaces for water to infiltrate, or seep back into the ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living street</span> Traffic calming in spaces shared between road users

A living street is a street designed with the interests of pedestrians and cyclists in mind by providing enriching and experiential spaces. Living streets also act as social spaces, allowing children to play and encouraging social interactions on a human scale, safely and legally. Living streets consider all pedestrians granting equal access to elders and those who are disabled. These roads are still available for use by motor vehicles; however, their design aims to reduce both the speed and dominance of motorized transport. The reduction of motor vehicle dominance creates more opportunities for public transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retention basin</span> Artificial pond for stormwater runoff

A retention basin, sometimes called a retention pond,wet detention basin, or storm water management pond (SWMP), is an artificial pond with vegetation around the perimeter and a permanent pool of water in its design. It is used to manage stormwater runoff, for protection against flooding, for erosion control, and to serve as an artificial wetland and improve the water quality in adjacent bodies of water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bioswale</span> Landscape elements designed to manage surface runoff water

Bioswales are channels designed to concentrate and convey stormwater runoff while removing debris and pollution. Bioswales can also be beneficial in recharging groundwater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable drainage system</span> Designed to reduce the potential impact of development

Sustainable drainage systems are a collection of water management practices that aim to align modern drainage systems with natural water processes and are part of a larger green infrastructure strategy. SuDS efforts make urban drainage systems more compatible with components of the natural water cycle such as storm surge overflows, soil percolation, and bio-filtration. These efforts hope to mitigate the effect human development has had or may have on the natural water cycle, particularly surface runoff and water pollution trends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground</span>

Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground is a multi-purpose playground in Sai Tso Wan, Kwun Tong District, in eastern Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is the first permanent recreational facility built on a landfill in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffer strip</span>

A buffer strip is an area of land maintained in permanent vegetation that helps to control air quality, soil quality, and water quality, along with other environmental problems, dealing primarily on land that is used in agriculture. Buffer strips trap sediment, and enhance filtration of nutrients and pesticides by slowing down surface runoff that could enter the local surface waters. The root systems of the planted vegetation in these buffers hold soil particles together which alleviate the soil of wind erosion and stabilize stream banks providing protection against substantial erosion and landslides. Farmers can also use buffer strips to square up existing crop fields to provide safety for equipment while also farming more efficiently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable gardening</span>

Sustainable gardening includes the more specific sustainable landscapes, sustainable landscape design, sustainable landscaping, sustainable landscape architecture, resulting in sustainable sites. It comprises a disparate group of horticultural interests that can share the aims and objectives associated with the international post-1980s sustainable development and sustainability programs developed to address that humans are now using natural biophysical resources faster than they can be replenished by nature.

Sustainable landscaping is a modern type of gardening or landscaping that takes the environmental issue of sustainability into account. According to Loehrlein in 2009 this includes design, construction and management of residential and commercial gardens and incorporates organic lawn management and organic gardening techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green home</span>

A green home is a type of house designed to be environmentally sustainable. Green homes focus on the efficient use of "energy, water, and building materials". A green home may use sustainably sourced, environmentally friendly, and/or recycled building materials. This includes materials like reclaimed wood, recycled metal, and low VOC paints. Additionally, green homes often prioritize energy efficiency by incorporating features, such as high-performance insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and smart home technologies that monitor and optimize energy usage. Water conservation is another important aspect, with green homes often featuring water-saving fixtures, rainwater harvesting systems, and grey water recycling systems to reduce water waste. It may include sustainable energy sources such as solar or geothermal, and be sited to take maximum advantage of natural features such as sunlight and tree cover to improve energy efficiency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water-sensitive urban design</span> Integrated approach to urban water cycle

Water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) is a land planning and engineering design approach which integrates the urban water cycle, including stormwater, groundwater, and wastewater management and water supply, into urban design to minimise environmental degradation and improve aesthetic and recreational appeal. WSUD is a term used in the Middle East and Australia and is similar to low-impact development (LID), a term used in the United States; and Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS), a term used in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable urbanism</span> Study of cities and the practices to build them

Sustainable urbanism is both the study of cities and the practices to build them (urbanism), that focuses on promoting their long term viability by reducing consumption, waste and harmful impacts on people and place while enhancing the overall well-being of both people and place. Well-being includes the physical, ecological, economic, social, health and equity factors, among others, that comprise cities and their populations. In the context of contemporary urbanism, the term cities refers to several scales of human settlements from towns to cities, metropolises and mega-city regions that includes their peripheries / suburbs / exurbs. Sustainability is a key component to professional practice in urban planning and urban design along with its related disciplines landscape architecture, architecture, and civil and environmental engineering. Green urbanism and ecological urbanism are other common terms that are similar to sustainable urbanism, however they can be construed as focusing more on the natural environment and ecosystems and less on economic and social aspects. Also related to sustainable urbanism are the practices of land development called Sustainable development, which is the process of physically constructing sustainable buildings, as well as the practices of urban planning called smart growth or growth management, which denote the processes of planning, designing, and building urban settlements that are more sustainable than if they were not planned according to sustainability criteria and principles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree box filter</span> Stormwater treatment system

A tree box filter is a best management practice (BMP) or stormwater treatment system widely implemented along sidewalks, street curbs, and car parks. They are used to control the volume and amount of urban runoff pollutants entering into local waters, by providing areas where water can collect and naturally infiltrate or seep into the ground. Such systems usually consist of a tree planted in a soil media, contained in a small, square, concrete box. Tree box filters are popular bioretention and infiltration practices, as they collect, retain, and filter runoff as it passes through vegetation and microorganisms in the soil. The water is then either consumed by the tree or transferred into the storm drain system.

SunCommon is a Vermont-based installer of residential solar power systems. It is headquartered in Waterbury, Vermont. The business was co-founded by Duane Peterson and James Moore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambridge Central Mosque</span> Mosque in Cambridge, United Kingdom

The Cambridge Central Mosque is Europe's first eco-friendly mosque and the first purpose-built mosque within the city of Cambridge, England. The Cambridge Central Mosque opened to the public on 24 April 2019. The Mosque is a prominent Islamic center located in Cambridge, England in the Romsey area of Mill Road, which is historically recognized as a place for Cambridge radicals. This mosque is considered as an epicenter; It serves as a place of worship, community center, and cultural hub for Muslims in the area. The mosque is notable for its innovative architecture, sustainable design, and commitment to inclusivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar canopy</span> Arrays on structures built over land with other uses

Solar canopies are solar arrays installed on canopies, which could be a parking lot canopy, carport, gazebo, Pergola, or patio cover.

References

  1. 1 2 "Green Parking Lot Resource Guide". National Service Center for Environmental Publications. EPA. February 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Design Guidelines for 'Greening' Surface Parking Lots" (PDF). Toronto City Planning. City of Toronto. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 30, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  3. Newton farmers market, 2021