March 2023

Green parking lots – why do we need them?

Hadart

In the era of common mobility, the development of large urban agglomerations, a car has become a common good. In Poland, 86.2% of the population declares having a car, another 5% declare willingness to buy it in the nearest future. Even in the face of changing EU regulations on the production of expensive non-combustion cars from 2030, it seems that we will not change our habits in the next decade, hence the need for large parking lots at workplaces or at shopping and service centers. Since we have more and more parking lots, can we use them effectively for greenery implementation?

In Poland, in 2020, we had 571 cars per thousand inhabitants, which places the country between Italy 625 and Germany 551. Below five hundred vehicles were recorded by countries such as Spain and France.The Danes, on the other hand, lead in the percentage of households without a car, i.e. over 70%.This shows that the level of wealth is not directly related to the increase in demand for cars, and Scandinavian countries treat public transport as an important necessity and useful solution.However in Poland own car still’s been considered as a more important need than the development of public transport.On this occasion, it is worth mentioning the phenomenon of the transport exclusion, which along with many others ones, is becoming a key challenge from the perspective of 14 million people living outside large urban areas. Often whole municipalities do not organize public transport and are unreached by organized private transport.Large industrial centers as well as shopping centers located on the outskirts of the agglomeration do not encourage commuting by bike or public transport. In places where a bus or tram arrives, the number of connections very often is not adapted to the needs of the employee or consumer. Since many people have no alternative, the car becomes the “natural” choice.

Do cars like green?

If many people choose the car as their main mean of transport, then struggling with the almost red-hot air inside the car during the summer becomes common issue.Within a few minutes, the temperature can reach 40 or even 50 degrees Celsius, becoming dangerous for every living organism.What if it could have been prevented?

One of the most effective ways to reduce the temperature in parking lots is planting greenery.

Over a hundred years ago, urban planners knew about it well by planting trees and shrubs along the streets. This affects biodiversity, what’s more effectively lowers the ambient temperature. Owners of large-area facilities are increasingly trying to use large parking spaces to introduce greenery, which increases the prestige and market value of the investment. Shaded car parks means less heating of vehicles along with parking space, which shows that the creation of green car parks in investments is desirable and brings specific benefits.

How to the car parks more green?

Naturally, creating shade over cars is the only one goals, it is also important to use large areas to reduce air temperature and retain rainwater in the soil by implementing plantings.Tree crowns can shade a large area and although their introduction is a costly solution, ultimately we get the most benefits. It is also worth using various types of frames for climbing plants that will separate parking spaces.Creepers within a few years of growth will create beautiful green walls and even roofs.It all depends on the shape of the structure for the plants or the routing of the lines for their development.Not only the shade is important.Flower meadows emerging on the outskirts of the investment positive affect the maintenance of biodiversity, which becomes extremely important today. In addition, they maintain stable humidity grade by retaining groundwater inside the soil. Bringing harmony to the environment, calming down our senses are another ones. Meadows are also an ideal environment for retention reservoirs, i.e. ponds of all shape, or fire protection reservoirs. We’ve already written about retention reservoirs that can be planted around the meadows in the article: How to implement greenery to large-area facilities?

Sponge parking

Parking lots are also an opportunity to implement the idea of a sponge city, i.e. wise retention of rainwater.Green parking spaces, in the construction of which permeable aggregates in the substrate, uncompacted soils and filter fibers were used, apart from their function, become a ground rich in rainwater.Importantly, such solutions guarantee the stability of the substrate and surface.

Parking lots can be a concrete desert settled close to our workplaces and in front of shopping and service centers.

They can also be a green space that not only purifies the air and has a positive impact on slowing down climate change, but also pleases the eyesight and has a beneficial effect on our concentration and well-being. Shaded car parks also have a positive impact on our vehicles, because thanks to the lower temperature inside the car, we do not have to waste time ventilating it in the summer. Drivers using AC will also appreciate the fact that the vehicle consumes less fuel in the first minutes after engige start. This is probably our most motorized blog entry, but the green industry also uses cars and parking lots. We shall create them and use them very wisely.

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