Park smarter: California’s blueprint for the future of parking

This blog post was authored by Domenic Koyama, Senior Preconstruction Director, McCarthy Building Companies; and Fernando Sanchez, Director of Design Integration, McCarthy Building Companies.

California’s urban growth, car culture, and environmental leadership have turned parking buildings into critical pieces of infrastructure. What were once simple, utilitarian garages are now complex facilities designed to accommodate future transportation trends, integrate with sustainability initiatives, and navigate some of the toughest building codes in the country. Builders, architects, and engineers are driving this evolution, balancing functionality, regulatory demands, and user experience to meet California’s unique challenges.

From Parking Garages to Smart Mobility Hubs in California

Parking buildings today are not just for cars—they are hubs for mobility. EV charging stations, bike-sharing docks, and other user amenities (like easier payment systems) have become standard features, reflecting a shift toward multi-modal transportation. Builders play a pivotal role in designing these facilities to support evolving user needs while aligning with California’s emissions reduction goals and land-use priorities.

This transformation is about more than amenities. Mobility hubs must be flexible, accommodating current demands and future innovations like autonomous vehicles or adaptive reuse.

How Builders Navigate California’s Parking Codes and Regulations

Navigating California’s regulatory framework is central to parking design. Statewide mandates like CALGreen require sustainable practices, from stormwater management to renewable energy systems. Local jurisdictions often add further layers of complexity, with increased baseline requirements for capacity, accessibility, and energy efficiency.
Collaborative delivery methods like design-build have become essential for general contractors and developers to tackle these complexities together.

Tools such as McCarthy’s SiteShift technology play a pivotal role in these efforts by enabling one-day feasibility studies that evaluate critical factors such as site conditions, regulatory compliance, and design options early in the process. By bringing architects, engineers, and contractors together early in the process, teams can streamline the approval process and ensure projects remain cost-efficient while compliant with local and state standards.

Sustainable Parking Design in California: Solar, EV Charging, and Adaptive Reuse

Sustainability isn’t just an added feature in California parking—it’s a requirement. Rooftop solar arrays, permeable pavements, and energy-efficient lighting systems are now standard. Beyond compliance, these features offer long-term operational savings, reducing energy consumption while enhancing a project’s environmental impact.

Adaptive reuse is also shaping parking design. Higher ceilings, modular layouts, and durable materials make it possible to convert parking spaces into offices, housing, or retail as transportation demands shift. For instance, some California facilities are designed with the foresight to pivot away from parking-only functions, ensuring long-term usability in a rapidly changing landscape.

A general contractor’s ability to self-perform parts of construction can also contribute to sustainability efforts. By directly managing processes like material selection and installation, builders can better align with environmental goals, such as using low-carbon materials or incorporating innovative solutions like permeable pavements and cool roofs.

The Role of Mobility Hubs

One of the most transformative trends in parking design is the rise of mobility hubs—spaces that support multiple modes of transportation. These hubs not only provide EV charging and parking but also integrate shared mobility options like scooters and bikes, creating seamless connections to public transit systems.

Builders play a critical role in designing these hubs, requiring foresight to incorporate real-time parking availability systems, enhanced pedestrian pathways, and infrastructure for future technologies like autonomous vehicles.

The Future of Parking in California: EV Infrastructure and Urban Mobility Trends

As transportation technology advances, parking buildings must keep pace. The rise of expanded EV charging networks and increasing reliance on shared transit (such as micro-mobility and rideshare services) are reshaping urban mobility. Parking buildings must be designed not just for today’s needs but with an eye on the technologies and transportation trends of tomorrow.

Shared mobility services, such as ride-sharing and micro-mobility (e.g., scooters and bikes), are also on the rise, especially in California’s dense urban centers. Parking designs must support this shift by including areas for scooters and bike-sharing stations, dedicated spaces for car-share vehicles, and easy integration with public transit. As individual car trips mixes with other transportation modes like shared transportation requires parking buildings to be more flexible, multifunctional, and adaptable.

EV infrastructure is no longer an optional addition—it's becoming a necessity. California's aggressive climate goals and rising demand for electric vehicles (EVs) mean that parking buildings will need to accommodate EV charging stations at rates comparable to EV vehicles on the road. Future-proofing parking designs to allow for scalability in charging infrastructure is key. This includes not only ensuring sufficient power capacity but also integrating smart charging stations that can track energy use, optimize availability, and potentially allow for grid-to-vehicle energy exchanges.

Parking buildings will also need to consider their role in integrated transportation systems. They will act as transition points between various modes of transportation, ensuring seamless movement from personal vehicles to public transit, shared rides, or even future transportation modes like air taxis. The increasing demand for last-mile connectivity will drive the need for parking that connects to transit hubs efficiently and without unnecessary delays.

Finally, the ongoing development of sustainable infrastructure will shape parking designs. Projects will increasingly need to incorporate renewable energy, such as solar panels, as part of the larger push for green building standards. Additionally, as cities face rising temperatures, cool roofs and green building materials will become more standard in parking designs, helping to mitigate the urban heat island effect and enhance overall energy efficiency.

Key Takeaways

California’s parking buildings have evolved dramatically, reflecting changes in technology, regulation, and urban mobility. For the building community, these projects represent a convergence of technical expertise and creative problem-solving. By addressing regulatory complexity, prioritizing sustainability, and planning for future adaptability, parking structures in California are setting a benchmark for innovation in the built environment.