Change is everywhere, even at gas, or petrol, or filling stations. As people and lifestyles changed with advances in technology, so did gas stations. No longer a quaint station to fill gas or petrol, these fuel retailers slowly evolved to include the several conveniences consumers expect to be available almost everywhere today. This meant that the architectural design of gas stations has had to adapt. Along with qualified and certified designers, these designs need high-quality 3D architectural visualisation services to deliver accurate retail design drawings.
There was a time when gas stations across the world used to feature a generic design, when rural petrol stations had cosy waiting rooms or featured Art Deco designs and consisted of simple layouts. Then, a series of changes, such as the transfer of large populations to dense urban conclaves, resulted in extensive and efficient public transport systems. Another change had to do with what humans were doing to the planet in terms of the rampant and irresponsible use of fossil fuels, resulting in the development of electric alternatives. Both these changes meant that there would be a difference in the number of people using gas stations to fill fuel in their cars. As the services offered by gas stations changed, the design of gas stations was bound to follow suit.
Electric cars are appearing in cities with regular frequency and are finding charging points at gas stations, where the idea is to charge the electric vehicle in 30 minutes. In addition, cafes, supermarkets, lounges with high-speed internet and information hubs for electric vehicle maintenance can also be featured at modern gas stations.
As the population of electric cars increase, they may have their own charging stations and thus become a new kind of gas station. This will lead to decreased traffic at downtown gas stations, due to more people charging their cars at offices and homes. It has even been proposed that retro drive-in restaurant cinemas can be attached to vehicle charging points.
Architectural design will have to consider new plot sizes, infrastructure, aesthetics and locations that straddle both urban and rural areas. The possibilities for design to incorporate retail and improve user experience are almost endless.
Changes in Fuel Retail
Trends that have caused an upheaval in fuel retail stations are as follows:
- Increasing popularity of alternative fuels, such as electricity
- New kinds of transport
- Increased expectations by consumers, who want the availability of modern conveniences
- Arrival of new digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) to robotics to the Internet of Things (IoT).
These trends must be catered to in architectural design, and digital tools can be used to alter layouts of the new gas stations. The gas station business model now has to adopt a customer-centric plan rather than the vehicle-centric one. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and automation can all help further the cause.
Alternative fuels are also being developed with the assistance of established car manufacturers, such as:
- Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
- Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
- Compressed natural gas (CNG)
These fuel options may still require a traditional fuel retailer, unlike electric vehicles, which means there is yet another factor to be considered in architectural design.
Major car manufacturers, taxi services and even IT giants are keen on developing driverless, fully automated cars. Such cars can be refueled or recharged when the vehicles do not have passengers and are outside urban areas. These cars will need refueling stations with a specific kind of architectural design.
As it may take longer to manufacture electric trucks and other heavy-duty electric vehicles, they will continue to need gas stations on highways and other locations for some time. Also, those using electric cars may stop on highways for other necessities, such as food, toiletries, etc. Unstaffed service stations offering conveniences and discounts are also becoming popular, driving architectural design to adapt so that they can offer these services.
Today’s gas stations offer:
- Fuel and services for vehicles
- Products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, vehicle products, vehicle maintenance services, car wash
- Coffee, snacks, consumer products
Customers are beginning to expect more though.
Consumer Expectations
The customer is king, and while designing gas stations, the king must be provided for. Today’s kings seek:
- Fresh, healthy food options
- Attractive store formats
- Personalised products and services
- Self-service checkouts
To facilitate these requirements, fuel retailers collect customer data to understand their preferences. The challenge will lie in other, more advanced retailers, who will offer purchases in a faster and easier manner. Some of these methods include:
- Voice-activated shopping, facilitated by IoT and AI
- Unstaffed retail outlets
- Walk-in vending machines
- Integration of online and offline shopping
- Automated checkouts
To compete, fuel retailers must match these conveniences by creating space for them in their architectural designs. It is important to create a shopping experience for customers that is digitally enabled, making check-outs a seamless experience.
What can gas stations do to adapt to these changing scenarios?
- Focus on existing conveniences and offer new services
- Transform networks and assets
- Develop new skills and expertise
- Build new asset base by developing a series of partnerships
To improve the customer experience, digital technology can be utilised to enhance loyalty programmes and payment gateways, providing information on promotions and how they can be paid for on mobiles. Gas stations have several services to offer customers, including:
- Monitor cars for tune-ups, repairs, cleaning, etc. with predictive maintenance solutions.
- Connect car owners with firms that service vehicles and companies that offer financial products, mobility services, entertainment and e-commerce.
- In urban locations, gas station stores need to offer a higher variety of consumer goods than was previously offered.
- On highways, traditional stores will suffice, with food that can be packed, and rest areas should be available.
- Fuel trucks that can deliver fuel to stranded motorists
- Warehouses for last-mile deliveries
- Drones, AVs, robots and digital counters to help deliver customised products and digital solutions to consumers
Gas stations, or fuel retailers, need to innovate with digital technology and other measures to remain relevant in the changing environment of today’s world and possibly the future. The architectural design of these fuel retailers requires intelligent and informed thought. Architectural firms employed by fuel retailers must have access to accurate 3D architectural visualisation services by experienced firms with expertise in Building Information Modelling, or BIM modelling services. Using Revit software, architectural design firms and fuel retailers can choose BIM outsourcing as a cost-effective and reliable option for retail design drawings in Revit BIM or 3D BIM modelling to help plan their strategy in adapting to the changing nature of gas/petrol stations.
XS CAD has valuable experience providing 3D BIM modelling services and 3D architectural visualisation services for global firms. Our range of services for building designers and contractors include retail design drawings, 3D BIM modelling and 3D rendering services for large global retail chains.
For further details, contact info@xscad.com
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