When it comes to thinking up ways to make urban life more livable, providing more space for cars isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Parking lots are generally terrible for the environment, and can cause more aggravation for drivers, pedestrians, city officials, and property owners. They take up space, cause a greater risk for accidents, and concentrate pollutants and the potential to pollute a larger area. But even as cities go greener with bike paths, greater public transportation, and more, cars remain a fact of life in city living, as do the places to park them. But there’s hope on the horizon. Automated parking facilities and parking lift systems in general are alleviating some of the stress motor vehicles put on towns and cities and the people that live there. Here’s how automated parking systems improve urban living.
They Keep Parked Vehicles Off the Streets
Whether it’s there for just a half hour or several days, a parked car takes up space that might be used for better purposes. Cars parked on either side of a street also cut down on room to drive, causing congestion and potential traffic jams. When cars are parked in greater concentration in an automated parking facility, that provides greater potential to turn parts of the road into bike paths, green spaces, and even people and pedestrian-friendly spaces. Open curbs can be added to expand the sidewalk, and areas can be set off for dining, playing, and hanging out.
They Keep Pollution Down
One of the great unpleasant aspects of city living is air choked with exhaust fumes and poisons from internal combustion devices. Automated parking facilities do their part to reduce emissions by preventing the burning of fuels required by regular parking lots and garages. When a driver enters a parking lot, they need to use gas to look for a spot. Automated parking garages place a car on a platform that is then transported to a spot within the facility. No fuel is expended, and thus the air remains cleaner than it would with several cars milling about, looking for spaces.
Peace of Mind
Parking is a hassle, as is entering and leaving a dark parking garage. Likewise, remembering your spot and leaving the lot or garage without risking a fender bender puts a lot on one’s mind. However, with automated parking and parking lift systems, one of the more irritating aspects of urban living is removed. Knowing a spot is guaranteed and that there’s minor risk involved in parking is a load off the average city resident’s mind.
Crimefighting Capabilities
Crime is another unfortunate aspect of urban life. Even though crime is down across the country, the risk remains to some degree, particularly when it comes to car break-ins and other misdemeanors and felonies. When a car is parked in an automated parking facility, its secured away and inaccessible to any potential thieves, vandals, or the like. Automated parking facilities, unlike most parking garages, don’t require human attendants or space for drivers to walk around. There’s no easy entry for thieves or potential muggers, either; and even if there were, there would be no potential targets for them to rob. Automated parking facilities can be thought of as large safes for vehicles that keep the bad guys out.
They Make Better Use of Space Available
Crowding comes in many forms in the city—whether through humans being shoulder-to-shoulder on the sidewalks, cars bumper-to-bumper on the street, or buildings side-by-side on their respective lots. More open and airier cities are more pleasant, so city planners and architects keep this in mind when designing buildings and appointing space to new construction.
Unlike sprawling parking lots and clunky parking garages, automated parking facilities allow the stacking of more vehicles into smaller spaces. This can leave room for urban planning of garden and green areas, wider sidewalks and bike lanes, and more efficient offices and other buildings. Space is neither wasted nor crammed to the gills with construction.
They Use Fewer Resources
Modern automated parking garages are constructed at a lower cost because they require less excavation of the property, take less time to build, and, as mentioned, use up less land. As humans aren’t allowed inside, they don’t require the extra energy and materials needed to provide adequate ventilation for human beings or heating, air conditioning, and lighting needed to keep drivers safe and comfortable. A lack of ramps and aisles also means more places to park in a tighter space without occupying more land, and without needing extra concrete, steel, glass, asphalt, and other materials so wastefully necessary for parking lots and garages. That means less of an impact on the local power grid and other resources, as well.
Looking Good
Here’s another way how automated parking systems improve urban living. They easily fit into their surrounding environment because they’re designed to be low-key and eliminate the visual “noise” of multiple cars in a single place. Areas with automatic parking facilities allow for more light and air to shine on and move through a place, making the area look less dominated by metal, glass, rubber, and fiberglass. Once they’re cleanly parked away, the cars become an afterthought and a city looks like the architectural playground it’s meant to be. Parking facilities can mimic the look of the surrounding buildings as well, or even be hidden away through the magic of nature.
A Veil of Green
Depending on their design, automated parking facilities can provide the perfect environment for greenery. Veils of vines and other plants can be grown and maintained in receptacles on all sides of a facility, making it look more like a natural wonder than just another building. Parking facilities also have the potential to create rooftop gardens and parks for the people in surrounding buildings to enjoy. Fruits, vegetables, and simply decorative plants can be hosted up high, enjoying the free benefits of the sun and rain, while providing nutritious or inspirational plants. Green roofs also make effective use of rainwater—and not just for the plants. It can be funneled off and stored for later use. This is a better situation than a parking lot gathering up rainwater, poisoning it with gas and oil and other pollutants, and permitting it to enter the water supply.
Automated parking facilities can use these as well as other methods not listed here to improve urban living. Whether you’re a city planner or property owner, investigate the benefits of building a parking lift system and how utilizing this technology can give something back to your community!
