The Parksmart certification is a rating system designed to evaluate and recognize the sustainability of parking facilities. It was created by the International Parking Institute (IPI) and offers a comprehensive evaluation of a parking facility's sustainability efforts, covering areas such as energy efficiency, transportation demand management, water conservation, and environmental quality.
Facilities that receive the Parksmart certification are recognized as having taken significant steps towards reducing their environmental impact and promoting sustainability. The certification is achieved through a rigorous evaluation process that considers a range of factors, including design, construction, operation, and maintenance practices.
Some of the specific criteria used to evaluate a parking facility for Parksmart certification include the use of renewable energy sources, the implementation of transportation demand management strategies, the use of environmentally friendly building materials, and the provision of alternative modes of transportation such as bike storage or electric vehicle charging stations.
By choosing a Parksmart-certified parking facility, individuals and organizations can be confident that they are supporting environmentally responsible practices and helping to reduce the impact of parking on the environment. The Parksmart certification is an important tool for promoting sustainability in the parking industry and is increasingly being recognized as a benchmark for excellence in the field.
A rating system is a method used to evaluate and assign a numerical or symbolic value to a product, service, or entity based on specific criteria. The purpose of a rating system is to provide an objective evaluation of the qualities or attributes of the item being rated, allowing users to compare and make informed decisions.
In the context of the Parksmart certification, the rating system is used to evaluate the sustainability of parking facilities. The rating system takes into account a range of criteria, such as energy efficiency, water conservation, transportation demand management, and environmental quality, to determine the sustainability level of a parking facility.
The rating system typically assigns a score or rating to the facility based on its performance in each of the evaluated criteria. The scores or ratings are then combined to produce an overall evaluation of the facility's sustainability. The final rating is used to determine whether the facility meets the standards for Parksmart certification and, if so, what level of certification it will receive.
Overall, rating systems play a crucial role in helping users make informed decisions by providing objective and comparative information about the qualities or attributes of the items being evaluated.