Need a spot to charge your electric car? How about a quick-drying car-wash that wastes little water?

The Calgary Parking Authority is working to provide such amenities for environmentally conscious commuters and plans to roll out new, eco-friendly accessories in some downtown parking lots later this year.

“Really, we want to provide people with services they need, but also show some responsibility when it comes to sustainability,” said Manager Troy McLeod.

The authority is currently surveying models of so-called “waterless” car washes that rely entirely on steam and utilize far less water than traditional systems.
As well, some city parking lots will soon have designated parking stalls with built in charging devices for electric vehicles.

“Using our app, people would eventually be able to see when those stalls are available and reserve them in advance,” McLeod said.

All authority parkades are being outfitted with LED lights, which require less electricity.

Patricia Cameron with Green Calgary deemed the initiatives a positive step, but said the real push needs to be focused on getting people out of their cars and utilizing alternative forms of transportation.

“There are more choices out there for consumers these days. This is really about recognizing that.” — Troy McLeod, Calgary Parking Authority manager

Costs for the parking authority initiatives are still being sorted out, McLeod said, but plans are being made to run some initial pilot projects this fall.