In an era where massive energy consumption impacts the environment, the development of energy-efficient buildings plays a crucial role in reducing wasteful energy use. The Parking Building D at the Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road is a clear example of a parking structure that prioritizes energy conservation and environmental friendliness, showcasing intelligent building design.

Getting to Know Parking Building D at the Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road

The development of energy-efficient facilities within the Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road is one of the key missions of Dhanarak Asset Development Co., Ltd., which is committed to continuous development.

“Parking Building D” at the Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road is the latest parking facility that began operations in early 2024. It has been developed to accommodate the vehicles of citizens visiting the government offices in the area, enhancing convenience. The building stands 11 stories tall, with a usable area of approximately 84,000 square meters, accommodating up to 1,632 vehicles.

This project stands out for its design, which harmoniously integrates architectural and landscape architecture concepts. The aim is to develop the parking area to connect with green spaces and public transport systems, aligning with the Smart City design principles that emphasize creating a sustainable environment conducive to urban living.

The main architectural concept and design of Parking Building D feature a transparent structure to facilitate natural ventilation. The landscape architecture includes a rooftop garden on the second floor and the rooftop itself, connecting existing green spaces to create a large green area accessible from all directions. This design not only enhances the building's aesthetics but also helps reduce heat from sunlight hitting the roof, balancing the building's temperature and capturing airborne dust.

In addition to being a parking facility, Parking Building D also features a rainwater management system that collects rainwater for irrigation. The landscape architecture has been designed with the concept of "Sustainable Water Management," collecting all rainwater on-site for sustainable management. The rooftop green spaces collect rainwater for irrigation, with excess water draining to a public park area that temporarily holds water before being directed to the public drainage system. This rainwater collection system allows for reuse in public utilities, such as watering plants in the rooftop garden, and includes a highly efficient wastewater treatment system that recycles treated water back into the building. The drainage system is designed to reduce flooding in surrounding areas and promotes the use of water-saving fixtures within the building to minimize overall water consumption.

On the rooftop of Parking Building D, there are 324 solar panels installed, part of a project promoting clean energy use within the Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road. This sustainable building design can generate up to 74,163.60 kilowatt-hours per month, which is used for the building's lighting and cooling systems. Solar energy accounts for 1.5% of energy costs, alongside the use of LED lighting and an automatic lighting control system based on usage times, effectively reducing energy consumption.

Parking Building D has been constructed according to sustainability assessment criteria for energy and environmental performance, meeting the standards of the Thai Green Building criteria, with energy savings assessed under the TREES Option 1 + Option 2.

Additionally, Parking Building D has received the Best Landscape Architectural Design award at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards 2021, held on November 18, 2021, recognizing outstanding achievements in the real estate sector. The awards ceremony was conducted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also won the Best Commercial Landscape Architectural Design award at the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2021, held on November 12, 2021, honoring exceptional work in Thailand's real estate sector that year.

Smart Parking for EVs and EV Buses: Free Shuttle Service!

In the area of “Parking Building D,” smart parking technology is utilized to manage and optimize the parking space within the building, providing convenience for customers and users. This includes sensor technology to monitor the number of vehicles entering and exiting, with real-time display results. The facility is equipped with CCTV cameras for safety, recording drivers, and automatically recognizing license plates. An LED system displays information at the entrances and exits, allowing users to check available parking spaces before entering, making it easier to find parking.

Furthermore, Parking Building D is equipped with 32 EV chargers, each with a charging capacity of 22 kW, designed to support electric vehicles for users of the building, promoting a comprehensive and sufficient charging infrastructure while reducing pollution from traditional vehicles.

Additionally, the first floor of Parking Building D serves as a waiting area and charging station for EV buses, providing free shuttle services for visitors to the government offices within the Chalermprakiat Government Center, circulating between Parking Building D, Building A, Building B, and Building C, with pick-up points from Chaeng Watthana Road available throughout the day.

“Walkable City”: A Landscape Architecture Design Idea Connecting Convenience for Users

Parking Building D has been designed as a central hub for transportation, serving as a recreational area for users and the general public, featuring coffee shops, restaurants, and relaxation spaces. A notable feature of Parking Building D is the rooftop garden on the second floor and the rooftop itself, which includes a vegetable garden, enhancing green space and improving air quality. The design allows for natural ventilation through a transparent structure and large fans. In 2024, a skywalk was opened, connecting Building A and Parking Building D to the Pink Line Skytrain station at the Chalermprakiat Government Center, facilitating travel for users and government officials.

This reflects a design that integrates electric train travel technology, making it easier for people to access and utilize the area, aiming to create a "Walkable City" for everyone, including wheelchair users and the elderly, ensuring equal access with ramps and elevators that do not interfere with vehicle pathways, allowing safe use of public transport within the Chalermprakiat Government Center.

At the same time, DAD has allocated 50 square meters on the second floor of Parking Building D to develop the first reading promotion space in Thailand, creating the “READ Café” learning center in collaboration with the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (Public Organization) or OKMD, responsible for supporting learning media information.

Parking Building D: A Recreational Area Open to All

The landscape design around the connecting pathways of Parking Building D is based on the concept of green infrastructure, aimed at promoting a sustainable and environmentally friendly environment. Over 40 rai of green space has been developed to create a new ozone source in the heart of Chaeng Watthana, with five gardens planted within the government center to elevate it to a green city. This includes rooftop gardens on Parking Buildings A and D, totaling over 8,662 square meters or approximately 5.4 rai, making it the largest green rooftop area on Chaeng Watthana Road. The rooftop garden of Parking Building A has been developed under the concept of a Welcoming Garden with an activity area, as it connects to the Pink Line Skytrain station via a skywalk. The rooftop garden on the 11th floor of Parking Building D is designed as an Urban Farming garden for city dwellers.

Additionally, there is a community garden (behind the Phra Phrom Shrine) covering approximately 5.7 rai, designed as a health garden under the Healthy City concept, allowing citizens to relax and exercise. A median strip and sidewalk garden stretches 1,200 meters, covering 12.05 rai, with over 1,200 trees planted to enhance shade and promote walking. The garden in front of the Rajaprasasana Pakdee Building (Building B) spans 12.65 rai and is designed as a large public park for relaxation, while the garden on the underpass connects Building B and Building C, covering 5.1 rai. In addition to the rooftop garden areas for relaxation, DAD has also allocated space for exercise and recreational activities to promote public health, including a running track within Building B, creating a space that encourages walking and exercise, transitioning from grey to green infrastructure.

At the end of 2024, DAD organized various recreational activities in the area, such as the “D Garden Food & Music” event held in the outdoor area of Parking Building D, creating a food festival in a relaxed atmosphere with music performances as a year-end celebration, reinforcing the commitment to providing public space for citizens to relax, exercise, and engage in recreational activities daily.

This includes a photo contest for the gardens of Parking Buildings A and D at the Chalermprakiat Government Center under the theme "Beautiful Rooftop Gardens," inviting students and the general public to participate in photography, with awards presented at the rooftop garden of Parking Building A at the end of the year, encouraging more public engagement and use of the garden spaces, which are open for everyone to enjoy as a place for relaxation and enhancing quality of life.

The Development of Government Office Buildings at the Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road: A Model for a Low-Carbon Green City

The Chalermprakiat Government Center on Chaeng Watthana Road represents a large-scale government development aimed at centralizing government agencies and enhancing public service. Currently, it focuses on becoming a "low-carbon green city" to address sustainable development and environmental friendliness, serving as a model for future low-carbon green city developments, including green building initiatives in the public sector. This encompasses the management of water and electricity systems, increasing the use of clean energy, and incorporating electric vehicles to serve users at the Chalermprakiat Government Center, while also emphasizing new technologies that DAD leads in implementing and developing into sustainable processes. This hands-on approach aims to yield tangible results, enabling Thai government agencies to visualize the use of clean energy and create a government workspace that enhances quality of life, contributing to a positive image for the country and demonstrating a commitment to sustainable development in line with national greenhouse gas reduction targets.