Monday proved another productive, enlightening day at the IPI Conference & Expo in Phoenix, Ariz. After Executive Director Shawn Conrad, CAE, walked attendees through scenes from IPI’s first 50 years during Monday’s breakfast keynote session, Chair Casey Jones, CAPP, recognized current and outgoing members of the board, followed by the presentation of the 2012 IPI Awards of Excellence. (read more about this year’s winners in the July issue of The Parking Professional).
Keynote speaker Britta Gross, director, Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization, General Motors, then took the stage with a simple message about a complex topic: Parking is very important to alternative fuel vehicles.
She outlined the three major options for fuel and propulsion systems on the market: plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), extended range EVs (EREV), and battery EVs (BEV). After talking about the technology behind her company’s Chevy Volt, she urged parking professionals to become familiar with EVSE (electrical vehicle supply equipment) suppliers, and recognize opportunities to make parking facilities EV-friendly. Toward that end, she concluded with seven steps to consider:
- Identify parking facilities where vehicles park for two or more hours.
- Prioritize residential (overnight) parking.
- Identify existing 120V outlets in parking facilities.
- Reach out to electric utilities for information.
- Consider 240V EVSE installations..
- Consider a valet parking solution to facilitate access to nearby EVSE installations.
- Explore solar power for EVSE installations for even greater sustainability benefits.
Florida Prize Winner Excited to be in Phoenix
Jacqueline Sablain was taking in the sights and sounds of her first IPI Conference & Expo, meeting people at her table during the Monday, June 11 breakfast keynote, when she found herself in the spotlight.
IPI Executive Director Shawn Conrad, CAE, welcomed Jacqueline during his opening remarks, noting that she was attending the show as the winner of the Florida Parking Association’s (FPA) Carol Easterling Scholarship Award grand prize for front-line employees. Here’s her winning video!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=650t0XdQuu4]
As head clerk in the University of Central Florida’s Parking and Transportation Services office, Sablain said she focuses on turning negatives into positives. “I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible and looking for anything that helps us with our customer service,” she said Monday morning.
High on her must-attend list during the conference: the “Going Green” Arizona State University campus tour on Wednesday, and the “Parkaholics Anonymous: 12 Step Intervention” educational session on Tuesday that focuses on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s program.
Expo Hall Opens to Fanfare
After Monday’s Awards of Excellence program and keynote address, parking professionals flooded the Expo hall to meet with vendors from all segments of the industry. Many attendees noted the larger size of the hall as compared with past years, and later returned Monday afternoon for a reception that was complete with live music, refreshments, and a slice of IPI’s 50th birthday cake.
Today at the Conference & Expo
Tuesday kicks off with a general session keynote by Dr. George Hazel on “The Future of Parking in Cities” (read more about that in the November 2011 issue of The Parking Professional), and the 2012 Professional Recognition Awards. A full morning and afternoon of educational sessions and off-site facility tours are complemented by lunch and several hours in the Expo Hall, with even more Power Pitch offerings. it’s going to be a full day in Phoenix!