ROBOTIC PARKING SYSTEMS, INC. GARAGES:
INHERENTLY SAFER, GREENER, MORE COMPACT, AESTHETIC & LOWER OPERATING COSTS

A “PARKADIGM” SHIFT IN PARKING GARAGE DESIGN ©

Author: Roger C. Courtney, Esq.

Reducing risks in parking lots and garages is a major concern. “Because parking facilities are more likely settings for crime – both violent and property – than all other real estate except residential, security is one of the most critical issues facing owners and operators of parking facilities today,” according to a National Institute of Justice research study.

Automated / robotic parking garage vendors manufacture and operate robotic parking systems for vehicles in up to one third of the footprint of a conventional concrete ramp garage. The author of this paper believes that a number of these automated/robotic parking garages may meet the principles of “inherently safer design,” “value engineering,” and Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (“CPTED”). This White Paper focuses specifically on the design and technology of Robotic Parking Systems, Inc. (“RPS”).

Throughout this paper, these concepts and other benefits are discussed that show how robotic parking garages clearly outmatch concrete ramp designs. Statistics relating to how the design of a Robotic Parking System garage prevents the potential for sexual and other assault, suicide, and vehicular damage and theft are presented. Premises liability and insurance costs for garage owners are reduced. Also, since vehicles are not in operation once they are moved for storage / retrieval, greenhouse gases are reduced by over 90% vis-à-vis a standard concrete garage of the same vehicle capacity. Since all vehicle occupants depart their vehicles at the entry/exit terminal, all spaces are handicapped accessible and more.

Environmental Contributions of Robotic Parking

The author describes how Robotic Parking Systems are “green” products that conserve fuel and reduce pollution for a clean parking facility. Below is an example of emissions reduction and energy saved in a 1,000 space RPSG:

• Saves 13,750 gallons of gasoline annually in the parking process
• Quantity of toxic emissions eliminated with robotic parking are:
  • 2,001 lbs. of Hydrocarbons (HC) per year
  • 1,031 lbs. of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) per year
  • 15,463 lbs. of Carbon Monoxide (CO) per year
  • 138 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) per year (i.e., 90%+ reduction vs. a CCRG)
  • 71,500 lbs of tire dust per year and 7,150 lbs of brake dust per year

Questions for Decision Makers About Parking Garage Design Choice

Whether a developer is considering traditional concrete or robotic parking, there are specific questions the author recommends get answered prior to finalizing a specific style of parking structure. These include questions around the following topics: operating costs, liability, retrieval times, footprint, life cycle, scalability and more. A full list of these questions with details is found on page four of the white paper.

We hope that the information and policies presented in this white paper cause a paradigm (“parkadigm”) shift in thinking so that people make the decision to seriously evaluate the beneficial design and technology advantages of automated / robotic parking.
If you are interested in gaining specific information for your project, and how it could reduce the carbon footprint, liability and increase the ROI of your project, reach out to our experts at the link below.

Providing some basic information about your project such as location, number of spaces, and height restriction, we can create a custom designed parking system for your project at no cost, eliminating all risk for developers interested in exploring this option.