Upcoming airports focus on greener buildings

New Delhi: India’s upcoming airports are focusing on energy-efficient buildings, high-performance air conditioning, rainwater harvesting, waste-water treatment, and optimal reuse of treated water to align themselves with environment-friendly development.
Such measures are also being implemented at the Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports that are being upgraded.
New Delhi airport’s Terminal 3, or T3, the centrepiece of its $3 billion (Rs. 13,500 crore) modernization plan that was completed last year, was designed as per the Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) rating system, which includes a high level of green cover with 35 acres of landscaping outside the airport building and 4,000 sq. m inside it.
IGBC defines a green building as one which uses less water, optimizes energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste ,and provides healthier spaces for occupants than a conventional building.
Rainwater harvesting and the use of natural light and power-saving CFL bulbs are basic elements for achieving the green building objective.
At T3, daylight is a primary focus of its design. It uses sensors to monitor the quality and quantity of air, recycled water for flushing, and less-polluting electric vehicles or those that run on compressed natural gas.
An official of the Delhi International Airport Ltd, or DIAL, who was involved in the environment aspects of the new terminal, on condition of anonymity said that although green buildings are more expensive to construct than regular buildings, the additional money spent can be recovered in three-four years of operations.
The Chennai and Kolkata airports are being upgraded keeping in mind the certification requirements of a green building, said V.P. Agarwal, chairman of the Airports Authority of India.
21/06/11 Jacob P. Koshy & Tarun Shukla/Live Mint

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Categories: Airports Jun 2011, New Jun 2011