Dubai International, soon to be the world’s largest airport, is focusing on sustainability with its newly proposed concourse D. The wing, which is the future home to 100 additional airlines, is scheduled to open in 2015.
The Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) plans to utilize recycling programs (also during construction), renewable energy, and locally sourced building materials throughout the construction process.
At least 10% of materials will be sourced from within 800km of Dubai International, and 20% from recycled goods. 50% (of cost) of building materials will be comprised of products certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Councils’ principles and criteria.
The terminal’s lighting will combine natural sunlight with efficient lighting and sensors for maximum efficiency and minimum heat output.
On the rooftop, 192 solar panels, designed to produce energy and deflect the sun’s rays from the building, will be installed.
Though certainly appealing from a bird’s eye view, the solar project will account for only 1.8 percent of the total power requirement for the terminal.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths notes that new “green” terminal is in accord with a larger industry movement towards carbon neutrality.
“Designing environmentally friendly terminals is key to limiting our energy consumption and carbon footprint over time and fits in with our broader environmental policy. It also supports our industry’s target of carbon neutral growth by 2020,” said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths.
Learn more about the The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Carbon Neutral goal here.
Image via Dubai International
Author: Margaret Stoner
The past five-or-so years, Margaret Stoner has divided her time between Indiana in the Midwestern USA and Israel. She has written for The Jerusalem Post and the Indianapolis Star about environmental issues and arts and culture, and currently serves as marketing and product director for ABI LED Lighting, a sustainable LED lighting company based in Indianapolis. In addition to green and sustainable design, lighting, and building, Margaret loves cooking, fermenting (working on mastering injera and vegan kimchee) and poetry, particularly contemporary Hebrew and Arabic poetry.
Think the statement “50% (of cost) of building materials will be comprised of products certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Councils’ principles and criteria” needs to be fact-checked. FSC certification related to wood-products only, and it’s unlikely that 50% of the airport’s building materials will be wood-based.