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In Tongeren, Hödlmayer NV manages a vast car park of 142,000 m², good for some 3,200 vehicles. After several heavy hailstorms, the company, together with Zonnecentrale Limburg (Groep Machiels and LRM), looked for a structural solution that would provide protection as well as generate sustainable energy.
The result was ambitious: about 200 carports, built in just ten weeks, to stay ahead of the declining subsidy rules for solar panels. Together, the carports cover some 36,000 m² and today form the largest solar parking lot in the Benelux.
Under extreme time pressure, high-frequency piling was chosen: steel profiles were vibrated directly into the ground, without classical foundations. The complete constructions-with solar cells mounted on aluminum C- and I-sections-were built at ground level and then placed on the columns using a flexible coupler that could accommodate tolerances.
Durable steel protection for extreme outdoor environments
Hot-dip galvanized steel was used for the entire steel structure. That choice was crucial for three reasons:
Today, on sunny days, the parking lot produces up to 4,536 kW, accounting for more than 4,000 MWh per year. Thus, Hödlmayer not only protects its vehicles, but also makes a solid contribution to Tongeren’s green energy supply.
