LAS VEGAS—Add parking facilities to the roster of commercial properties that have been certified as sustainable. The Green Parking Council on Wednesday said seven facilities have achieved Green Garage certification in a program inspired by the US Green Building Council's LEED program, which does not apply to parking garages.

The seven facilities span the US, including one at Bank of America Plaza in Los Angeles; BG Group Place in Houston; Canopy Airport Parking in Denver; the Charles Square Hotel garage in Cambridge, MA; Forest Home Garage at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY; and two facilities in the Washington, DC metro area: Silver Spring Metro Plaza in Silver Spring, MD and Westpark Corporate Center in Tysons Corner, VA.

“Cars are getting smarter, people are getting smarter and parking garages are getting smarter,” says Paul Wessel, executive director of the GPC, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute. “The greening of parking facilities transforms them into enablers of sustainable mobility. Certified Green Garages offer significant benefits for drivers, tenants, building owners, property managers and society overall.”

Launched earlier this year, Green Garage Certification recognizes parking facility management practices that maximize performance while minimizing waste, programs that encourage mobility options and choice, and efficient and sustainable technology and structure design. The program encourages reduced energy usage through lighting, ventilation, controls, and commissioning measures, which reduce operational costs as much as 25% compared to the national average.