Tirana East Gate has made the trend of shifting towards clean energy a tangible reality through solar panels, which power 80% of the facility. The largest shopping center in Albania has already embraced the initiative, fulfilling its mission to protect the environment: by using solar energy to enable the supply of electricity for all its common areas.
The newest investment of 1.4 million euros, now operational and fully functional, which has covered the entire surface of the building’s terrace, will produce power independently from the main grid, taking advantage of the many sunny days. With the implementation of this technology, TEG has enabled the autonomous provision of power to the extent of 80%, supplying the remaining part from renewable sources.
Fatjon Lamçe, the Head of Maintenance at ACREM, the company that manages TEG and QTU shopping centers, speaks about this innovative investment: “The production of electricity from solar panels is clean and smooth, it does not release harmful pollution to the air nor water in the environment, it does not deplete natural resources by endangering the biological chain of animals or people. In the economic aspect, in addition to the financial reduction of the energy bill, the more objects implement this technology, the more the need for specialized people in the installation and maintenance of this system will increase, creating new jobs. It creates independence from other alternative sources and increases the financial value of the object.”
TEG is working rigorously to be even more environmentally friendly. This mission has begun with its architecture. TEG today has a larger area, and the entire structure is organized so that the transparent facades fill almost the entire space with natural light. The facades are ventilated and everything is thermally insulated.
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TEG has switched its lighting to LED technology, currently reaching up to 90% of total lighting. Even the lighting and air conditioning adapt to the intensity of the sunlight and the visitation times. Natural light has significantly eliminated the need for additional lighting during the day and, for much of the year, windows help ventilate indoor environments without consuming electricity.
Together with its sister center, QTU, last year alone, these two centers recycled 315 tons of paper, setting an example regarding ecological responsibility. Soon, TEG will also install chargers for electric vehicles, thus giving preference to environmentally friendly cars.
The International Financial Corporation, a member of the World Bank, which recently issued a corporate loan to TEG, disclosed that its support was precisely because TEG’s project was compelling, as it turned the BALFIN Group shopping center into a green building.
This green investment constitutes another major step towards sustainability for BALFIN Group, for which both the impact and the sustainable development of operations are part of its mission and vision.
