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Green parking lots are a form of
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,
A solar canopy or Newton farmers market, 2021
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Green parking lots are a form of parking lot
A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), 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 ...
designed to be environmentally more sustainable
Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...
. Many agencies and organizations have released different standards as to what will be considered a green parking lot. As an example, 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 that, without interfering with their ability to serve as a parking lot; the US Environmental Protection Agency
A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...
has released guidelines referring to a Green Parking Lot as any lot which contains environmentally preferable features.
Minimized impervious surfaces
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
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 ...
, pervious concrete
Pervious concrete (also called porous concrete, permeable concrete, no fines concrete and porous pavement) is a special type of concrete with a high porosity used for concrete Concrete slab, flatwork applications that allows water from Precipitati ...
, 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 forbicycle storage
Bicycle parking typically requires a degree of security to prevent theft. The context for bike parking requires proper infrastructure and equipment ( bike racks, bicycle locks etc.) for secure and convenient storage. Parking facilities include l ...
. As bicycles are more environmentally friendly than cars it is important for a green parking lot to contain a bicycle rack The ambiguous term bicycle rack or bike rack may refer to:
*Bicycle carrier, a device attached to a vehicle (e.g., to a car or bus) to which bicycles can be mounted for transport
*Bicycle parking rack, a stationary fixture to which a bicycle can be ...
.
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.Solar canopy
A solar canopy or carport
A carport is a covered structure used to offer limited protection to vehicles, primarily cars, from rain and snow. The structure can either be free standing or attached to a wall. Unlike most structures, a carport does not have four walls, and us ...
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./ref>
Vegetation
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. Trees are also good vegetation as they provide shade and generally have lower water requirements.References