As the 2017 winners of the International Parking Institute's (IPI) Awards of Excellence illustrate, diverse parking challenges call for a myriad of creative solutions. One winning garage pioneers full automation in a compact space and uses recycled plastic bags and milk jugs in its construction. Another incorporates sand dunes to buffer a Dutch town from the North Sea. Several feature public green spaces that invite community. And all employ state-of-the-art, sustainable solutions that slash energy costs and promote alternative transportation. The awards will be presented at the IPI Conference & Expo in New Orleans May 21-24.

Winners include two healthcare-related structures.

Best Design of a Parking Facility with More than 800 Spaces

Phoenix Biomedical Campus Parking Structure

The Boyer Company Irvine, Calif., Owner

Project Participants:

Okland Construction, Contractor

SmithGroupJJR, Design Architect

Watry Design, Inc., Structural Engineer & Parking Consultant

A new, $19 million parking garage serves the Phoenix Biomedical Campus (PBC), a 30-acre urban medical, bioscience, and educational campus designed to accommodate 6 million square feet of biomedical facilities. The eight-level, 397,000-square-foot garage houses 1,211 parking stalls and 2,250 square feet of retail. Two gated entry/exit locations offer three lanes each, one of which is reversible, and a double, park-on ramp further improves circulation patterns. The garage's design allows for redevelopment of neighboring surface lots into building sites and landscaped open space. A shade canopy covering street-level pedestrian sidewalks and bike lockers features a micro-perforated metal panel that reveals the city skyline and surrounding mountain parks, while filtering the sun and diffusing natural daylight throughout the garage, exceeding the natural ventilation requirements required by code. LED lighting with motion sensors and photocells further reduces energy consumption. 

Award for New Sustainable Parking & Transportation Facilities Excellence

Partners Healthcare Garage -- Corporate Campus

Partners Healthcare, Somerville, Mass. Owner

Project Participants:

Buro Happold, Mechanical Engineer

Code Red Consultants, Code Consultant

Gensler, Architect

HLB Lighting Design, Lighting Consultant

Leggat McCall, Owner's Representative

McNamara/Salvia, Structural Engineer

RDK Engineers, Security/Low Voltage Engineer

Richard Moore Consultants, Sustainability Consultant

SP Plus, Parking Consultant & Operator

Suffolk Construction, Construction Manager

Partners HealthCare's $56 million, seven-level garage was an integral part of the 2015 master plan for its new corporate campus, which would consolidate its 15 offices scattered across Boston and create an outdoor space that would be enjoyed by the Somerville community. Sustainability was a major focus. The $56 million garage features an elaborate LED lighting system, a massive solar photovoltaic array that provides power to the garage and an EverSource power grid, and a sophisticated parking guidance system. The sustainable features have yielded a 20 percent reduction in search times, resulting in reduced CO2 emissions; a popular community green space; and spaces for more than 100 bicycles. Future plans include electric-vehicle charging stations and vehicle ride-sharing options. 

The International Parking Institute is the world's largest association of parking professionals and the parking industry. Learn more at parking.org.