Making the most of car parking spaces

Creating car parking space for new property developments in metropolitan and regional areas is a challenge for any local authority, and in the age of environmental awareness, there is pressure for car parking land to be multipurpose.

Northam Boulevard Shopping Centre is about an hour east of Perth, and it was recently upgraded to include a solar-powered car park.

A prime example of how car parking can have a dual purpose, the solar car park in Northam was developed by Perdaman Advanced Energy.

The car park with 900 solar panels together with a roof-mounted array provides 40% of the shopping centre’s annual power requirements, bringing down electricity bills for the owner and tenants.

A driver for this project was the anchor tenant, Woolworths. It understood the need for a shaded car park area to encourage consumers to stay and shop longer in the knowledge their vehicles would be protected from Western Australia’s blazing heat. Solar car parks provide the opportunity for shade to improve amenity and customer satisfaction without owners having to incur a cost.

Car parks with solar panel facilities are suitable for community hubs, sports centres, sporting ovals, shopping centres, hospitals, aged care, schools and universities. They provide benefits by turning car parking space into an asset that provides shade and generates clean power. The facilities are designed to make practical, economic and environmental sense.