Excelia’s business school in La Rochelle is a modern, high-level school that focuses on innovation. Excelia was facing a major parking challenge due to its rapid growth. It has worked with Cocoparks to introduce intelligent management of its parking spaces. This initiative aims to improve the experience of all campus users and encourage eco-responsible practices, a further step towards the smart campus.
Background: the parking problem at Excelia
Despite a large number of visitors, including 3,000 students, 87 teachers and various staff members, the Excelia campus has only 243 parking spaces.
This restriction, coupled with the unique configuration of parking lots in a row and ending in a dead end, led to significant delays for users. Many drivers, having driven down the long driveway to the last parking lot with no spaces available, were forced to make a U-turn, generating congestion and frustration.
In addition, irregular parking created safety problems: badly parked vehicles obstructed important access routes, including those for emergency services, while others parked in the middle of lanes, blocking other vehicles and impeding pedestrian traffic.
Solution: smart parking for a smart campus
To meet these challenges, Excelia collaborated with Cocoparks to deploy a dynamic signage solution. Innovative Cocospots sensors have been strategically installed in all campus parking lots. This advanced device collects and transmits parking space availability data in real time, enabling efficient, dynamic management of parking spaces.
The data collected by Cocospots is immediately relayed to a solar-powered sign at the main entrance to the campus. This panel displays information on available spaces in each parking lot, enabling drivers to know instantly where to go.
Not only does this technology help to reduce congestion by optimizing the use of available parking spaces, but it also discourages users from entering the campus unnecessarily, helping to reduce the time spent in cars and, consequently, greenhouse gas emissions. This strategy aligns operational efficiency objectives with the school’s environmental commitments, offering a solution that is both ecological and practical.
Impact and benefits of smart parking
The installation of this signage has significantly reduced the time spent looking for a parking space, thus improving the flow of traffic on campus. Students and staff save precious minutes which they can now devote to their academic or professional activities.
On the school administration side, management via the Cocopilot dashboard also enables effective monitoring and regulation of parking rules, helping to maintain order and safety on campus.
Smart tech: technology and sustainability
The choice of digital signage was a solar-powered panel, underlining Excelia’s commitment to ecological solutions. This approach is a perfect example of how technology can contribute to environmental sustainability while solving practical, everyday problems.
The Cocospots are charged in the evening by the lighting of the parking lot’s lampposts, and run on battery power during the day.
Conclusion and outlook
The smart campus project in La Rochelle has not only improved parking management, it has also raised Excelia’s profile in terms of sustainable and innovative initiatives.
