Photo: Parking servis
- Project: Reconstruction and upgrade of Obilićev Venac public garage with introduction of
- Country: Serbia
- Implementation: Public utility company Parking servis
- Implementation period: 2015-2017
Belgrade public utility company Parking servis reconstructed three garages in the city between 2015 and 2017. The biggest project was the reconstruction and expansion of the garage at Obilićev venac which has become the first smart garage in the country. The work included extensive construction work and installing of smart technology with the garage being opened to the public early in July 2017.
The public garages in central Belgrade (Zeleni venac, Masarikova street and Obilićev Venac) were built in the 1970s and needed extensive and urgent reconstruction since nothing have been invested in them for years.
The project to reconstruct and expand the Obilićev Venac garage took 14 months to complete and included building another four semi-levels and the transformation of the garage into an environmentally friendly, sustainable, high-performance public facility. It also included introduction of smart components such as solar power station, LED lights, electric car charges, lighting and ecologically sound paint.
The primary focus of the reconstruction work was to strengthen the bearing construction which was in danger of falling. New concrete was poured, steel parts were given fresh protection, wiring was replaced and the floors were waterproofed with a 15 year warranty on all the work.
Technical requirements
The foundations and steel supports had to be reinforced to support the added four semi-levels of the garage and 64 new pilons were inserted at ground level. A total of 35 tons of steel plates were welded to the existing steel girders to reinforce the building and a more than 1,000 cubic meters of reinforced concrete was poured.
Andrija Čupković, Parking servis CEO
“The Obilićev Venac garage meets the criteria for a certified ecological garage which is proof that the Parking servis is a leader in introducing new standards and technologies to this type of facility. All three central city garages have energy efficient LED lights with motion sensors which leads to maximum power savings. The plastic facades have been replaced at the Obilićev Venac and Zeleni Venac garages with state of the art natural materials which secure natural ventilation and are a combination of functionality and aesthetics. They are resistant to the weather and temperature changes.
The garage also got a new roof covering 2,600 square meters including two glass sections totaling 250 square meters. An elevator was also installed.
Reconstruction in line with sustainable development requirements
The garage now uses technology which contributes to the protection of the environment and helps save energy in line with sustainable development principles and it has a solar power station. The garage also has room and the necessary technology for electric cars and bicycles, and recycling waste has been made a priority.
The garage has:
- Solar panels: LUXOR LX-280M/156-60+ (180 pieces)
- Storage batteries: capacity 296Ah, up to 3,000 cycles with 50% use (24 pieces)
- Inverter: V battery 48V230 Vac / 50Hz, integrated regulator 120A, P30/Pnom 8000/7000VA (6 pieces)
- Electric car charges: EVlink parking, 2 charging spaces (3 charges with 6 spaces in the garage)
- Electric tire compressor: VILLAGER VAT 50
Biljana Vlajić, Investment and Construction Service Manager
“Besides the construction work, the work on the façade and high and low voltage wiring, thermal and water supply and sewage facilities was equally extensive. Everything was replaced in the garage. The solar power station provides power and this garage will be the first of its kind in Europe with a green LEED certificate.”
Smart garage also meets needs of bicycle riders
The new smart garage has 40 parking spaces for bicycles, including two spaces for family bikes. Those spaces are on level 5 which exits onto the Obilićev Venac pedestrian area and there is a bicycle track inside the garage for safe riding.
There is no charge for bicycle parking nor for the use of the bicycle repair station which provides basic maintenance and repair tools. The garage also has a tire pump which is free of charge.
Garage users also have at their disposal bicycles as part of the project Park and Ride a Bicycle (Parkiraj i bicikliraj).
Recycling to reduce waste
One of the priorities set by the Belgrade city Parking servis company for the project was to reduce the amount of waste which has to be taken to landfills, by preventing the creating of waste and recycling it, that is by turning waste over to authorized waste treatment facilities which produce energy.
The project authors insisted on the recycling of at least 65 percent of the waste generated at the garage daily in terms of packaging and other things and at least 50 percent of equipment waste.
All the waste collected at the garage is sorted into 6 categories: paper, glass, PET plastics, HDPE plastics, metal and communal waste. Containers are provided for each category of waste at every level and in the offices at the garage.
Parksmart certificate
The Obilićev Venac garage is also the first in Serbia to enter the process of achieving a Parksmart certificate. Parksmart is the only global certification program which defines, measures and confirms high-performance in sustainable garages, that is garages using innovative technologies for garage management and design.
Belgrade has more than half a million registered vehicles and sustainable, smart garages like this one have a positive effect on the environment and become very important tools in upgrading the sustainable development of the city, sustainable urban mobility and improving quality of life for city residents.
The assessment is that the reconstruction of the garage, introduction of LED lights and a solar power station on the garage will bring up to 75 percent of power savings and will cut down maintenance costs by some 25 percent.
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