As the Chennai airport struggles to get its act together, it’s time to look at its environmental impact and the need to make its architecture and design energy-efficient.
To retrofit an airport is not easy, so going green at the design stage makes far better sense, says a spokesperson of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). IGBC was involved with the world’s first green passenger terminal, Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, as well as with the international airports at New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
IGBC’s rating approach to improving the energy efficiency in design, construction and airport operations involves various parameters. “Orienting the building to allow optimum sunlight and ventilation and incorporating high performance walls, roofs and glass is important. As airports require constant cooling, energy-efficient air conditioning systems are a must. Installing energy meters to measure, monitor and sustain building performance and using renewable energy sources to meet its energy requirements is the way forward,” says the spokesperson.
By adopting such measures, energy consumption in airports is coming down by 25 to 30 per cent. This results in savings right from day one of the operations and can be sustained throughout. Additional benefits include enhanced indoor air quality that significantly improves the health of passengers and staff.
Shripal Munshi, principal architect, Shripal and Venkat Architects, says the management of people flow and creating visual experiences are a fundamental design criterion for airports. “In India, the placement of the terminal building with respect to thermal exposure is a key factor. Floor-mounted jet nozzles for air conditioning are far more cost-effective and efficient than ceiling-mounted systems. As seen at the Chek Lap Kok airport, Hong Kong, both sides of the spine have boarding gates with floor-to-ceiling glass angled precisely so that the view is not compromised and the glare is cut out,” he says.
Singapore’s Changi Airport terminals T3 and T4 (where construction has just begun ) are setting new benchmarks in design. Says Munshi, “The design includes green walls, intelligent building services, recycling systems for water and sewage and abundant natural lighting, clear orientation and way finding, and minimal signage.” They have incorporated easy-to-use and maintain finishes that consume less manpower and increase operational efficiency.
Chennai airport’s natural lighting is efficient but space utilisation is poor. Munshi says, “What is the point of high ceilings and views when we have to wait in serpentine queues for hours together trying to get past security and immigration? The design needs to be aesthetic, have more security gates, and less spacious areas in the arrival and departure sections.” While he feels the new design is better than previous ones, he points out that one of the problems faced in such large projects is that once the original team hands over the design to local teams, many dilutions take place because of cost, time and possibly political reasons. Shushmul Maheshwari of RNCOS, says, “The Chennai airport is not 100 per cent energy efficient. However, it is using appliances that conform to Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s four-star rating and above. The airport is also using sensors and timers to switch off lights, and chillers to achieve energy efficiency. It is on the planned list of Airport Authority of India (AAI) for solar power plants.”
Commenting on the design, A. Shankar, national director, JLL, says that many areas are still visually or physically cordoned off, such as interior courtyards, which could have decreased the dependence on artificial lighting and provided a green patch. “The management and operations don’t seem aligned with the sustainable ethos of the designers.” So what can be done better? “Use fluorescent lamps, automatic sliding doors and air curtains to reduce air-conditioning loss, escalators with sensors, and room-less elevators that require 40 per cent less energy than conventional ones,” says Maheshwari.
And it is not just the architecture. Other factors such as multi-modal integration can go a long way towards making a structure energy efficient. Aswathy Dilip, Senior Associate - Communications, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), says Chennai airport’s new design caters only to passengers using private vehicles. Users of public transport (buses, suburban railways and auto-rickshaws) have a difficult time reaching and leaving the airport. “Multi-modal integration is very important for transport hubs such as airports and railway stations. Passengers should be able to access them easily and those using public transport should be given equal importance,” she says.
The Bangalore airport is a good example, as it is well connected by buses and trains. Bus shelters are located inside, where passengers are dropped and picked up at frequent intervals. Table-top crossings allow passengers to walk to the entrance safely and seamlessly.
While there are MTC buses plying past the Chennai airport, none of them enters it. “There are no facilities for passengers travelling by public transport. Even within the airport, there is no pedestrian crossing and passengers have to jump across kerbs and the parking lot,” says Dilip.
Best practices Kempegowda International Airport expansion, Bangalore High performance glass for façade and skylights STP treated water for irrigation, heating, ventilation, and AC Discounted parking for alternative fuel vehicles Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad Optimum use of day lighting Energy-efficient cooling tower Treated water for landscaping, ACs and flushing Denver International Airport High performance glazing Energy-efficient escalators Solar electricity-generating system ($7 million) is on the cards San Francisco International Airport Green house gas emissions reduced by 1,667 tonnes per year Bio-degradable tableware Recycled water for plumbing Heathrow Airport, London Solar powered Fuelled by renewable energy sources Equipped with battery powered driverless airport pods |
