Budolfi Plads A/S has invested in the development and reconstruction of Budolfi Plads in the heart of Aalborg. From the outset, the vision has been to contribute positively to local life — today, the development brings together retail, residential, and green space in one of the city’s most central locations.
When the new parking facility opened, Budolfi Plads needed more than a way to manage spaces. They needed to understand how their facility was being used, how to price it correctly, and how to direct drivers there in the first place. That is where Sensade came in.
The Challenge
Opening a new parking facility in a busy city centre comes with a set of decisions that are difficult to make without data. How should spaces be priced? How many should be reserved for residents — and on what terms? How can drivers be guided to the facility before they’ve already committed to another route?
Budolfi Plads needed a partner who could not only provide the technology, but help them think through the operational questions that would determine whether the facility performed well from day one. Without reliable occupancy data, those decisions would have to be made on intuition alone — with real financial consequences if they got it wrong.
The Solution
Sensade provided both the technology and the ongoing consultancy to help Budolfi Plads make the right decisions. Through a smart parking system and a data platform, the facility now has a complete, real-time picture of how its spaces are being used — and the historical insight to plan ahead.
A Focus on Data
Through an online dashboard, Sensade provides continuous data analysis and parking statistics for the facility. This allows Budolfi Plads to review parking behaviour across different parking types — the facility is divided between standard paid spaces, disabled spaces, and motorcycle spaces.
Increased Revenue
The ongoing statistics give Budolfi Plads a complete picture of how the facility is being used at any given time. This has given the operator direct insight into customer behaviour, allowing them to optimise day-to-day operations based on real data rather than assumptions.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes
Budolfi Plads had originally planned to create 30 residential parking spaces, where residents could park without time restrictions for a monthly subscription fee. Data modelling showed clearly that this scenario would result in a significant revenue loss and reduced flow for other parkees. Budolfi Plads changed their strategy accordingly — and avoided the loss entirely.
Variation in Parking Behaviour
Parking behaviour at Budolfi Plads varies considerably across days of the week and between different space types. Data also shows that one Friday does not necessarily reflect the same pattern as another. Larger variations on the same weekday can occur due to events in Aalborg city centre, weather conditions, or wider disruptions — such as the significant changes in behaviour observed during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Directing Drivers to Available Spaces
The parking system benefits not only Budolfi Plads, but drivers across Aalborg. Every day, thousands of drivers are guided to available spaces in the city centre through the solution’s integration with Aalborg Municipality’s parking guidance system. Available spaces are shown in real time on digital guidance signs throughout the city, and drivers can also check availability through the Aalborg City app. The data integration was completed in a matter of hours using Sensade’s API.
The Results
- Increased parking revenue
- Data-driven pricing and licence strategy
- Avoided revenue loss through scenario
- Real-time availability feed integrated into Aalborg Municipality's guidance system
- Integration with Aalborg City app
