As countless cars whiz back and forth across busy streets and highways, the need for parking structures is obvious and undeniable. In an age of environmental consciousness, however, there is more to parking cars than the immediate gratification of need. Obligation to build a greener, more sustainable future is now standard but where to begin? Before haphazardly erecting a structure that fits the needs of now, why not examine a smarter, more efficient way to meet our growing transportation needs?

Sustainable development (SD) is the social, economic, and environmental commitment to growth and development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Utilizing a hot-dip galvanized steel framing system in an open-deck parking structure not only creates a beautiful, functional structure that will stand the test of time, it also embraces the statutes of sustainable development by generating social benefits, economic savings, and environmental advantages that will benefit everyone for the life of the project.

Developed in 2010, this publication explores the social benefits, economic savings, and environmental advantages of utilizing hot-dip galvanized steel to enhance your parking structure.