Energy-producing bus station in Rzeszów

The construction work on the city’s main station (DKL) was completed last September, but passengers have been able to use it since the beginning of this year. Investment costs come to PLN 20 mln. The new station has been equipped with computer systems provided by ML System and Asseco Data Systems.

“The entire building is covered with photovoltaic cells – on the façades, shelters and even the blinds. The air-conditioning system automatically adjusts to the weather outside. As a result, the station is a zero-emission and energy self-sufficient structure,” insists Paweł Sokołowski, the director of the digital municipal infrastructure division at Asseco Data Systems.

Asseco provided interactive boards to inform passengers about bus journeys, as well as the ticket machines and an interactive information board in the waiting room. The company also installed the ADS – Metropolis monitoring system that uses cameras to recognise the buses. It has been integrated with Rzeszów’s Intelligent Transport System, which includes a parking zone monitoring system, interactive bus stops and ticket machines.

ML System was the supplier of the energy management system (SZE), which automatically controls the lighting, heating and air-conditioning.

The station also has a 30kW heat pump as well as access control and fire alarm systems. The use of the photovoltaic cells in combination with the heat pump equipped with a heat exchanger is what has made it possible for the station to be a zero-energy building.

The excess energy produced by the photovoltaic panels will be used to power the lighting in other buildings and the electric bus fleet. The station will eventually also be equipped with an electric vehicle charger.