ML SYSTEM PRODUCTS: | |
---|---|
ROOF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES WITH HEATING FUNCTION | 5 145 m2 |
SKYLIGHT PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES | 1 012 m2 |
SKYLIGHT PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES WITH BACKLIGHTING FUNCTION | 1 436 m2 |
SKYLIGHT GLASS SETS WITH BACKLIGHTING FUNCTION | 2 416 m2 |
SKYLIGHT GLASS SETS | 2 105 m2 |
TOTAL AREA: | 12 100 m2 |
TOTAL PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATION CAPACITY: | 1,1 MWp |
Oliwia Dec-Wolszczak & Marcin Wolszczak, DWAA Architekci
The reconstruction of Warsaw West Station was driven by the need to enhance passenger comfort, safety, and accessibility, as well as to increase the station's capacity, optimize energy costs, and improve efficiency.
From the very beginning, we suggested to the investor the incorporation of renewable energy sources at the station. We conducted economic analyses demonstrating the significant cost savings the investor would achieve.
The architecture of Warsaw West Station must embody timelessness. Railway structures and buildings should serve multiple generations while remaining unique, distinctive, and characteristic of railway infrastructure. Railway architecture is both an art and a "brand," and Warsaw West Station represents a world-class investment.
The largest BIPV installation in Europe, covering an area of 12 000 m2 and generating 1.1 MWp, enables an annual reduction of 650 tons of CO2 emissions.
Warsaw West Station, due to its strategic location, is one of the largest railway stations in Poland in terms of passenger traffic and the number of passing trains. The station has eight platforms and serves domestic, international, and suburban trains. Together with the adjacent PKS bus terminal, it forms the Warsaw West transport hub. However, for many years, the station required renovation to accommodate the growing number of passengers, improve accessibility for people with disabilities, and integrate modern railway traffic control technologies. A new impetus was needed to revitalize this key transportation hub.
The implemented BIPV solutions generate approximately 30% of the energy required to operate the entire transportation complex.
Sylwester Korzeniak
Director of Projects, ML System
Warsaw West Station is one of the most significant projects undertaken by ML System in Poland. For this investment, we produced several hundred photovoltaic modules of varying dimensions and shapes, using frameless glass/glass technology with a backlighting function. The modules were installed on the platform roofs and within the glazed skylights. For the northern slopes of the skylights, we supplied inactive infill panels made of safety glass, also featuring backlighting. Thanks to this illumination, both the northern and southern slopes create a cohesive visual effect after dark. The modules installed on the roof are equipped with a heating function to prevent icing and snow accumulation.
As always, our goal was to meet the project's design requirements, and the tailored solutions we developed and implemented ensured the expected aesthetics and necessary technical parameters. The intended architectural effect was achieved, and additionally, the facility has become a power plant generating free electricity—an essential factor considering the scale of the project, its environmental impact, and the operational cost savings for the investor.
The investor's requirements mandated that at least 75% of the eight platforms be covered. As a result, a roof with a total area of 35 000 m2 was constructed. This space was efficiently utilized for the installation of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, supplied by ML System.
The photovoltaic solutions installed in the glazed skylights and on the platform roofs generate approximately 30% of the energy required to operate the entire transportation complex.
The installed Energy Management System integrates over 150 devices in parallel communication, collecting and storing data from 5000 measurement points.
The building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system consists of BIPV modules integrated into skylights and BIPV modules installed on the station's roofs. The BIPV modules in the photovoltaic skylights feature an additional glass illumination function, while the BIPV modules on the roofs are equipped with an automatic snow removal function.
The illumination and snow removal systems are operationally supervised by PLC controllers and are managed by the Energy Management System (EMS) from ML System. The EMS controls the photovoltaic installation, the automatic snow removal system, and the illumination system for the skylight modules. It oversees the photovoltaic aspects of all eight platforms simultaneously and serves as a supervisory system in case of a failure in the Building Management System (BMS).
The EMS is deployed on a redundant, virtualized server and features web-based access and automatic backup capabilities. The system integrates over 150 devices in parallel communication, collecting and archiving approximately 5,000 data points in real time. The visualization platform includes more than 100 dashboards, covering various aspects of the system's operation.