We are aware that the energy crisis that Europe is going through has worsened the situation with stable energy supply even for the citizens of the Republic of Kosova. The lack of sufficient domestic electricity production capacity, dependence on imports and unstable electricity prices in the international market have created uncertainty in electricity supply. Such a situation is estimated to hinder the economic development of the Republic of Kosovo, thus causing high costs for households as well as businesses.
Therefore, we architects have a vital role in sustainable development, designing buildings that are not only functional but also environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Incorporating solar energy into architecture is becoming a crucial part of creating new buildings in the modern world. This was the motive for designing a gas station that would be electrical self-consumption, to produce and consume own electricity by installing renewable generation system of solar panels. The first photovoltaic system with bifacial panels in Kosovo was applied to the "Benita Company" building, where these panels catch the light on two sides, increasing the energy production by up to 30%. They are 100% waterproof panels, with optimal performance.
Located in the city hills of Klina, on the main road Prishtina-Peje, this building incorporates Gas Station, Market and Fast Food with its terrace covered with solar panels that all together generate their own electricity.
The building materials are mainly of steel constructions, where the cover is made of primary steel trusses which are supported on HEB 300 steel pillars, while the secondary trusses are supported on the primary ones. On these trusses are the steel beams that serve to place the construction of the solar panels and the gutters of the panels. The construction of the market and the restaurant is also built from concrete walls, on a floor height of 5m. Also, the facade of the market is made of Solar Facade, made of aluminum profiles and solar glass, which affects the preservation of the internal temperature and the thermal coefficient. And in terms of security, laminated glass 3.3 has been applied.
The attractive part of this building is the lighting, which is made of Plexiglas plates with LED lighting placed inside these panels, while the rest of the building's cladding is also made of aluminum composite panels and the ventilated facade with HPL panels.
The use of solar panels on roof inclination of 5% is aesthetically pleasing that improves the building's overall beauty, serving as a practical component of the roof facade, offering high safety and is suitable for both cold and warm roof configuration. All the external and internal lighting, the operation of the refrigerators located on the glass facade, as well as the kitchen elements operate on the basis of the energy created by the photovoltaic system, through the hybrid system installed by Fronius Gen devices, which offer optimization of energy, maximum flexibility and efficiency for solar energy management, as well as energy storage for later use, removing dependence on the electrical network.
