Is it possible to design a gas station without choosing a particular fuel pump, so that the concrete island and the embedded mounting bolts, piping, and electrical conduit will fit a wide range of pump brands and models?
I've searched online quite a bit and have found that two bolts on a 13" spacing seems to be very common, but I have not found an actual standard nor any standardization of other details.
I certain hope you have some leeway like Office dA did at Helios House with the design of the gas station. I can't imagine much more of a soul sucking commission for an architect if it's just a straight dime a dozen station.
^Josh, my office makes a killing designing gas station chains... I'm not on the project personally but I know the client gives us the footprint of their pumps and we figure out the convenience stores, car wash bays, and que-lines. Not glamorous, but there are quite a bit of zoning and site plan issues. Good learning projects for the young staff.
True, and as a big corporation probably nets a decent fee too. I'm talking more about the design though as they typically have to follow a standard prototype.
Helios House shouldn't be used as a case study for anything except cynical greenwashing. The brief and project award were created by Olgivy's pr rehab group. Set aside the oddity of BP doing a green project, none of the sustainable features actually worked - they had rooftop PVs were shaded most of the day by the giant "Beyond Petroleum" billboards. Pretty shameful.
The only standards apart fro various manufacturing and internal company driven requirements are the fuel gas codes they are similar to building codes. We run into this in healthcare sometimes as there is almost always a generator and fuel tanks where possible. With the wide range of local codes not just fire safety but ADA and even zoning, I think it would be hard to create a one size fits all solution but a kit of parts or design standards to streamline the design process is possible but you are almost always going to have to design a solution around some site specific constraint or opportunity.
I'm with non... used to do them and prototypes ages ago.
The hard part is the f'n tanker truck refilling the tanks. If memory serves, they only fill on the left side of the tanker, 3-4 kinds of fuel, and it needs to be out of the way of the customers including the hoses they use when filling. Turning radius of a full semi-truck trailer and rig is a pita and they need to be able to 'pull through' the site; no backing, and most certainly no filling from any public roadway.
The largest struggle really is most zoning codes, particularly the landscape requirements. You have a totally vehicular oriented use with massive amounts of heavy duty paving needed. So it's sort of like trying to apply zoning regulations to a roadway with a shed in the median. The other 'joy' with them is the monumental signage; one law requires you post gas prices and can be rather specific about letter height, another limits or disallows monumental signs... seemed like a lot of ours had to go through the special exception board of adjustments sort of submittals (long and drawn out). Lots of other fun code issues too.
Jan 3, 17 1:35 pm ·
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standards for fuel pump footprint at gas station?
Hi,
Is it possible to design a gas station without choosing a particular fuel pump, so that the concrete island and the embedded mounting bolts, piping, and electrical conduit will fit a wide range of pump brands and models?
I've searched online quite a bit and have found that two bolts on a 13" spacing seems to be very common, but I have not found an actual standard nor any standardization of other details.
--Bob
i imagine that whatever gas station you're designing, the company you are designing for, would have a specific brand in mind.
I figured pump stations would have some sort of break-away feature at the base to minimize the whole ball of fire thing.
^Josh, my office makes a killing designing gas station chains... I'm not on the project personally but I know the client gives us the footprint of their pumps and we figure out the convenience stores, car wash bays, and que-lines. Not glamorous, but there are quite a bit of zoning and site plan issues. Good learning projects for the young staff.
Helios House shouldn't be used as a case study for anything except cynical greenwashing. The brief and project award were created by Olgivy's pr rehab group. Set aside the oddity of BP doing a green project, none of the sustainable features actually worked - they had rooftop PVs were shaded most of the day by the giant "Beyond Petroleum" billboards. Pretty shameful.
The only standards apart fro various manufacturing and internal company driven requirements are the fuel gas codes they are similar to building codes. We run into this in healthcare sometimes as there is almost always a generator and fuel tanks where possible. With the wide range of local codes not just fire safety but ADA and even zoning, I think it would be hard to create a one size fits all solution but a kit of parts or design standards to streamline the design process is possible but you are almost always going to have to design a solution around some site specific constraint or opportunity.
Over and OUT
Peter N
I'm with non... used to do them and prototypes ages ago.
The hard part is the f'n tanker truck refilling the tanks. If memory serves, they only fill on the left side of the tanker, 3-4 kinds of fuel, and it needs to be out of the way of the customers including the hoses they use when filling. Turning radius of a full semi-truck trailer and rig is a pita and they need to be able to 'pull through' the site; no backing, and most certainly no filling from any public roadway.
The largest struggle really is most zoning codes, particularly the landscape requirements. You have a totally vehicular oriented use with massive amounts of heavy duty paving needed. So it's sort of like trying to apply zoning regulations to a roadway with a shed in the median. The other 'joy' with them is the monumental signage; one law requires you post gas prices and can be rather specific about letter height, another limits or disallows monumental signs... seemed like a lot of ours had to go through the special exception board of adjustments sort of submittals (long and drawn out). Lots of other fun code issues too.
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