(LAS VEGAS – July 1, 2015) — The Green Parking Council (GPC) today announced the first seven parking facilities in the U.S. to achieve Green Garage Certification, a comprehensive sustainability standard for existing and new parking facilities evaluating 48 elements of garage operation, programs, structure, and technology. The Green Garage Certification program will be delivered and promoted globally by the Green Business Certification, Inc., the certification body for the U.S. Green Building Council’s global LEED® green building rating system.
New Green Garages include corporate, university, airport, and hotel facilities in Los Angeles; Metro Washington, D.C.; Denver, Houston; Cambridge, Mass.; and Ithaca, N.Y.
The first seven parking facilities to achieve Green Garage Certification are:
| Garages | Category | Owner/Manager | Location |
| Bank of America Plaza | Office | Brookfield | Los Angeles |
| BG Group Place | Office | BG Holdco LLC | Houston |
| Canopy Airport Parking | Airport | Och Ziff Capital Management Group Parking Acquisition Ventures (PAVe) | Denver |
| Charles Square Garage | Hotel | Charles Hotel | Cambridge, Mass. |
| Forest Home Garage | University | Cornell University | Ithaca, N.Y. |
| Silver Spring Metro Plaza | Office | Brookfield | Metro Washington, D.C. (Silver Spring, Md.) |
| Westpark Corporate Center | Office | JLL(Property Manager) | Metro Washington, D.C. (Tysons, Va.) |
“Cars are getting smarter, people are getting smarter, and parking garages are getting smarter,” explains Paul Wessel, executive director of the GPC, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute. “The greening of parking facilities transforms them into enablers of sustainable mobility. Certified Green Garages offer significant benefits for drivers, tenants, building owners, property managers, and society overall.” Launched in 2015, Green Garage Certification recognizes parking facility management practices that maximize performance while minimizing waste, programs that encourage mobility options and choice, and efficient and sustainable technology and structure design. Sustainable garages frequently employ energy-efficient lighting and ventilation systems, guidance systems that help drivers find parking faster, idle-reduction technologies, electric vehicle fueling stations, car sharing, bicycle parking, and storm water management practices. Multiple independent studies demonstrate that energy efficiency reaps tangible benefits for building owners. The Green Garage Standard encourages reduced energy usage through lighting, ventilation, controls, and commissioning measures, which reduce operational costs in the range of 25% compared to the national average. “The owners and operators of these seven sites demonstrate a commitment to sustainability that transcends the walls of their organizations and contributes to industry-wide transformation,” adds GPC Chairman John Schmid. “This is a milestone for the parking industry and profession. These agents of change are leveraging innovative business practices, accelerating the adoption of smart technologies, and embracing open-source collaboration.” Green Garage Certification is a program of the non-profit Green Parking Council. For copies of Green Garage Certification at a Glance, the Elements of Green Garage Certification, the free Green Garage Certification Program Guide, and to purchase the Green Garage Certification Standard, go to www.greenparkingcouncil.org/certification. – See more at: www.greenparkingcouncil.org/featured/first-certified-green-garages/
