Parking — the lack of it, the cost of it — has always been a sensitive issue in education communities. Into the mix add the expansion of electric vehicle charging stations, ride sharing, and micromobility. Their construction characteristics make them ideal locations for storage enterprises and emergency generators. NFPA 88A Standard for Parking Structures asserts best practice of a small but important part of it; the construction and protection of, as well as the control of hazards in, open and enclosed parking structures. Things get complicated with other occupancy classes merge with it; especially so when electric vehicle battery fires present another order of magnitude of risk.
The 2023 Edition (recently released) can be read in the link below:
FREE ACCESS: Standard for Parking Structures
Insight into the ideas that are in play can be tracked in the transcripts linked below:
Note the concern for the overlap and space between this title and passages in International Code Council catalog. We limit our concern for fire safety and more education communities build high rise student accommodation with integral parking structures. The bibliography is extensive (References Pages 92 – 99):
The 2027 edition of this standard is open for public input until June 4, 2024. CLICK HERE to get started on your own.
We hold this title on the standing agenda of our Prometheus and Mobility colloquium. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [17-235]
Category: Parking & Transportation, Space Planning, Facility Asset Management
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Josh Elvove. Joe DeRosier