"Pallet parking" is on the way to Ireland, ushering in a new generation of fully automatic underground car parks to this country DEVELOPED originally in Italy, the pallet parking system utilises an ingenious automated car stacking process featuring both horizontal and vertical automated movement.
The new system has been perfected over the past decade and is ideally suited to both residential and commercial buildings. Market leader Easy Park Ireland is currently in discussions with a number of leading developers to introduce the pioneering parking system to major cities in this country.
Cars enter the basement level stacking grid via a single, vehicle-sized turntable and are whisked at the press of a button below ground where they are automatically stacked in up to ten parking rows. Computerised The driver simply puts his vehicle into position, presses a button and the computerised parking system does the rest. Car retrieval times average between one and four minutes.
I watched the new system function smoothly at a 140 car space scheme at Vissersdyk during a recent visit to the docklands regeneration area of Rotterdam. Over 200 of the new pallet parking systems have now been installed throughout Europe, providing an estimated 6,000 car spaces. Now the system is available here. "The number of cars in Ireland will double again within a few years," said Easypark Ireland managing director Arie de Lint. "So parking space will be a more of a premium than ever. "Land is very expensive here, so the best way to utilise it is to automate parking systems."
Easy Park Ireland is now offering a variety of car parking solutions in this country, including the pioneering Interpark pallet parking system. Customised Customised for anything from 40 to 500 cars, pallet parking can offer a 40% saving over the conventional car ramp systems so familiar here. Easypark Ireland has installed around 400 machine and automated car parking spaces in this country within the past six years at locations like the IFSC, Harcourt St and Sorrento Terrace.
However, Mr de Lint is unequivocal about the advantages of the latest technical breakthrough: "The new system offers considerable savings on existing automatic car stacking systems - not least that it is unobtrusively tucked away out of sight below ground and offers considerable economies of scale.
"Advantages of the precision-built new automatic parking process include more cars per cubic capacity than existing systems (up to double the amount); no ramps are needed; major savings in space/cost in building; no staircases/elevators/illumination (except for servicing). "There is no forced ventilation, so the system is noise friendly and saves energy /maintenance costs.
In addition, CCTV is not needed - again cutting back on costs." Mr de Lint adds that there is also no damage to parked cars by other vehicles and no burglary, as outsiders cannot enter the system - thus leading to savings on insurance fees. He points out that the system is environment-friendly as cars do not use excessive fuel during the parking cycle. No attendants are needed and the system is likewise user-friendly as one does not need to walk through dark parking levels. "The parking apparatus can, moreover, be easily dismantled if so needed and erected at another site," the engineering expert concludes. "However, the typical life time of this system is over 30 years.
