SIKA: ARE OUR CAR PARKS FIT FOR THE VEHICLES OF THE FUTURE? SIKA, SPECIALIST CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS MANUFACTURER, HAS LAUNCHED A NEW SPECIALIST REPORT AIMED AT CAR PARK OWNERS, ASSESSING CAR PARK STRUCTURES FOR THE ONGOING ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) TRANSITION AND ASKING WHETHER THEYRE FIT FOR THE FUTURE. Build, repair and refurbish: Are our car parks fit for the vehicles of the future? has been prepared by experts at Sika, addressing the challenges of car parks in the modern world as the uptake of EVs continue at pace. The rise of EVs and what this means for car parks EVs have long been identified as an important weapon in the fight against climate change and they are a key component of the UKs net zero strategy. However, EVs are significantly heavier than Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles and there is mounting concern about the impact this influx of heavier vehicles will have on the UKs ageing car park estate. Many of the UKs existing Multi-Storey Car Parks (MSCPs) were built in the 1960s and 1970s, predominantly from reinforced concrete. What is more, these structures have a long history of early degradation, structural defects and other shortcomings; often due to design, materials, workmanship and maintenance issues. PN Oct 2022 pp24-25 Ad.indd 24 23/09/2022 11:37