Seamless Parking at Loop5: Enhancing Experience & Efficiency

Upoffiz’s Loop5 campus in Ghent is a dynamic hub featuring two office buildings with workspaces for over 1,000 professionals, an Upliving building with 45 apartments, and even a theatre. The campus is complemented by 10,000 square meters of lush outdoor space, and a sustainable coffee and food bar. To support its vision of modern, interconnected living and working spaces, Upoffiz needed a parking management solution that matched its innovative ethos. That’s where Capacity came in.

Challenge 

Managing the parking infrastructure at a multi-purpose campus like Loop5 presented several unique challenges:

• Need for Seamless IT Integration: Upoffiz’s vision of a “smart” campus required seamless integration between various systems, including energy, space, and service management tools. The existing setup lacked interoperability, complicating efforts to build a unified and efficient ecosystem.
• Missed Revenue Opportunities: Without a digitalized, data-driven approach, underutilized parking, and EV charging spots represented untapped revenue potential, particularly during off-peak hours.
• Parking Congestion and Lack of Flexibility: As city congestion grew, opening parking to semi-public use became a priority. However, traditional systems couldn’t accommodate flexible access or payment solutions for non-tenants.
• Limited Visibility into Usage Patterns: Site managers needed better insights into parking space utilization to optimize decision-making and ensure operational efficiency.

Upoffiz required a solution that not only addressed these challenges but also aligned with their emphasis on user experience and sustainability. 

“We needed a smart parking system that could integrate seamlessly with our other systems, automate parking flows, and make it easy for both tenants and visitors. Capacity delivered exactly that.” 

 

- Stein Van Stichel, Chief Information Officer at Upoffiz

Solution

Capacity’s smart parking platform was customized and implemented at Loop5, providing an innovative, user-friendly, and highly efficient solution that met the unique needs of Upoffiz.

Key Features and Benefits

Advanced Integration Capabilities: Capacity’s API functionality enabled Upoffiz to integrate the parking system with its broader ecosystem of smart solutions. This provided real-time data, actionable insights, and automated parking operations, seamlessly enhancing the campus’s interconnected systems.

Dynamic Traffic Flow Management: Working with Capacity, Upoffiz developed a system that dynamically adjusts entry and exit lanes to accommodate peak traffic periods, such as mornings and evenings. This significantly reduced congestion and improved the overall flow of vehicles.

Fully Digital User Experience: The parking experience was reimagined for simplicity and sustainability. Registered users can drive in without stopping, as the system recognizes license plates. Visitors benefit from a digital invitation system, eliminating the need for physical tickets and enhancing convenience.

Revenue Optimization: By enabling semi-public access and flexible payment options for non-tenants, Capacity’s system helped Upoffiz monetize underutilized spaces, turning potential losses into revenue opportunities.

Sustainability and Ease of Use: With a ticketless, fully digital solution, Upoffiz reduced waste and aligned its parking management with its broader commitment to sustainability.

Reduced Complexity for Management: The Capacity platform’s advanced features simplified the operational side of parking management, allowing Upoffiz to focus on delivering exceptional experiences rather than grappling with logistical challenges.

“From both a user and an operator perspective, Capacity has taken away complexity and enabled us to deliver a seamless, efficient parking experience. It’s an excellent choice for any organization looking to integrate smart parking with other systems.”

 

- Stein Van Stichel, Chief Information Officer at Upoffiz

Conclusion 

With the help of Capacity’s smart parking platform, Upoffiz has transformed Loop5 into a model of efficiency, sustainability, and user-centric design. By addressing parking congestion, optimizing revenue opportunities, and seamlessly integrating with other campus systems, Capacity delivered a solution that exceeded expectations.