The International Parking Institute (IPI) recently awarded the 2013 national Sustainable Parking and Transportation Facilities Award of Excellence to the new parking structure on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory campus in Golden.

Photo by Frank Ooms

The garages open sides allow for natural ventilation, and 99% of the structure is day lit.

Photo by Frank Ooms

The facility has 36 spaces with electric-charging stations, with a future capacity for 360 more.

The design-build team responsible for the project included Haselden Construction and RNL, with DESMAN Associates as the structural engineer and parking consultant.

The five-level structure with 1,800 parking spaces is 90% more efficient than a typical garage. The project features numerous sustainable attributes. A roof-mounted array of solar panels, set in saw-tooth formation to maximize solar intake and energy production, covers the entire top level of the parking garage. In addition to supplying power for the campus, the solar roof provides weather and sun protection, minimizing snow-removal operations and enhancing comfort and safety for users of the facility.

Open sides allow for natural ventilation, and 99% of the structure is day lit. To encourage further energy efficiency, there are 180 preferred parking spaces designated for carpools-vanpools and low-emitting vehicles, as well as 36 spaces with electric-charging stations, with a future capacity for 360 more).

“It’s great to be a part of such an innovative project,” said Bryan Sculthorpe, Design-Build Project Manager at Haselden Construction. “This parking structure truly raises the bar in a setting where many people would not think to focus on sustainability.”
This is IPI’s 31st year of hosting the competition. This year, seven parking facilities and operations were recognized by the organization. The judging panel included architects, parking corporation representatives, and city, airport and university officials.