Parking Garages Get Their Own Sustainability Certification

The idea of a green parking garage might strike some as an oxymoron, but GPC says that its standard differentiates facilities, and since LEED specifically excludes standalone garages, the niche is open. “Green Garage Certification applies a holistic approach to garage performance and sustainability,” said GPC executive director Paul Wessel. Each facility will be evaluated based on its achievement on a menu of standards developed by experts from a range of related fields, according to Wessel.

GPC will evaluate garages based on categories such as energy efficiency, energy resilience, access to mass transit and other alternative transportation options, stormwater management, and cleaning practices. Metrics for parking facility evaluation are broken down into a point-based system, and GPC will offer three levels of certification­—bronze, silver, and gold—based on scoring. GPC also announced the release of a 195-page book, Green Garage Certification Standard, defining performance measures and documentation requirements for certification. 

For more information:

Green Parking Council

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