Structured parking facilities occupy large spaces in urban settings and impact the environment in a variety of ways, including reduced air quality, increased light pollution, and increased nonpoint source pollution carried by stormwater. Because cars and car parking are a necessity in today's society, alternate parking facility designs are needed to reduce these impacts.
In order to meet the need for more environmentally friendly parking structures, Tom Cahill created the concept of the Green Solar Canopy. This new environmental technology incorporates the stormwater harvesting of a green roof with the air quality and energy production of a glazed solar panel (photovoltaic cells) canopy arching over the drive lanes.
The glazed solar canopy produces clean electricity from sunlight while simultaneously allowing sufficient light to pass through. When nighttime illumination is needed within the parking structure, the electricity is supplied by the photovoltaic cells. With internal lighting, the GSC eliminates "dark sky" illumination, a major urban impact caused in part by safety lighting of parking garage rooftops.
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