Green Airports from concept to design

Deerns | www.airport-engineering.com

ith the tremendous increase in air traffic and the number of people involved in their operation, airports are increasingly faced with the negative impacts they have on the environment.

This has created a need for airports to function with a minimum environmental load. Noise and emission of Carbon Dioxide are the two main sources of this negative impact. Although aircraft cause the bigger part of this load, this brochure concentrates on the airport and its operational processes. Reducing the impact of the aircraft is the field of aircraft manufacturers, developing effective plans for an energy-efficient airport is the field of Deerns.

Emission of Carbon Dioxide is leading in the list of environmental impacts of an airport. A wide range of measures is available to reduce the energy consumption that causes the Carbon Dioxide. Think for instance of energy-efficient lighting, cogeneration, etcetera. Yet, the effect of application of these measures is limited. A far better result would be achieved if the actual sources of the environmental load could be tackled. In order to do so, the first step should be to look at the basic functions of an airport, and then see whether an airport could be organised in such a way, that the basic functions are both performing well and organised in an energy-efficient way.

Apart from the economical advantages for the airport, caused by reduced energy costs, the public image of the airport would also benefit from minimal primary consumption of fossil energy.

Of course, the possibilities of re-organising an existing airport in such a way will be very limited. It is not realistic to rebuild an organically grown airport with widespread buildings into a compact and logistically efficient airport. But, one could imagine an imaginary new airport, that performs both functionally and environmentally well. How could you achieve this? Where would you start?

You would have to start thinking about the basic functions of an airport. Then about how these functions are supported by the buildings and technical systems. Once that is done, you should think about what causes the energy consumption of the buildings and the systems and you could reduce this. This analysis being done, you could start develop solutions that improve both the performance of the airport functions and the energy performance.

Airports are in essence a combination of logistic services, whose primary task it is to transfer passengers and cargo from one mode of transport to another. And create a pleasant and comfortable place for the people during their stay at the airport. The parameters for the success of an airport are safety, correct operations, comfortable and well equipped facilities and an operational level that meets the demands of complex logistics. From an environmental point of view, transport of people and baggage and creating a comfortable and healthy environment for the people in the airport are main energy consuming processes.

Therefore, we could concentrate on these two and develop a plan based on simultaneous optimisation of functional performance and minimisation of energy demand. This does require a joint effort by the parties involved in the airport, resulting in an integrated approach.

Deerns is experienced in starting up such processes effectively and directing design teams towards finding new solutions. From concept to design is our motto to create new solutions today that will meet future demands with minimum or zero environmental impact.

Character of an airport

Airport function The primary function of an airport is the transportation of people. However, flying is not like taking a bus. It involves a whole emotional experience: luggage is handled, goodbyes are said, there are luxury shops etc. At the same time, security aspects have become increasingly significant. And last but not least, the environmental image of an airport is becoming an issue.

The Impact of Logistics As we no longer step from our car with our luggage onto an aircraft, the energy consumption of baggage and personal transport has increased considerably. Moving walks and baggage systems run many kilometres and account for a considerable proportion of the energy consumption.

Energy Consumption The energy consumption on an airport, electricity and natural gas, is high: up to C= 1,00 per passenger in a modern hub (2,2 GJ/m2) or C= 0,35 in a modern airport (1,4 GJ/m2). In both cases, a conservation potential of 30% is available through smart climate control, intelligent lighting management and efficient heating and cooling.

Airport types

There is no general solution for making an airport green. Depending the type of the airport, different solutions and technologies will be designed. In some cases, existing airports force us to use the shape or the orientation for the most optimal solution. In other cases, entirely new airports give us the opportunity to think out of the box. Four airport types are mentioned below to show the different ways of thinking.

Organic growth of airports Many airports, particularly older ones, started with a building that has expanded organically over the course of time. A typical characteristic of these buildings is that large internal distances have to be travelled by both passengers and their luggage. Not much energy saving is to be gained in these buildings through shape or material, but their areas makes them particularly suited for applying solar cells or solar telescopes.

Multi-terminal Building A second type of airport is the multi-terminal concept. The entire terminal complex consists of several buildings that each serve a specific destination or airline. Energy saving in this case will be found, apart from other useful technologies, in shortening logistic flows. Domestic flights, for instance, depart from one building while international flights are organized from another. Logistic flows are thus channelled and internal distances limited.

Compact Building & Satellites Another airport type where the focus also lies on distances is a compact building with satellites. In this building, on different floors, all processes can be managed for checking in, baggage intake, security, etc. Logistic distances are limited, thus saving energy. After passengers have gone through all the necessary procedures, they can continue onto smaller satellite buildings, from where they board their aircraft.

Underground Building and Transport A entirely new concept is an underground terminal building with underground transport system. The idea is based on a compact building, as described above, where all processes are dealt with over several floors. Climatologically the building can be controlled much more effectively. Underground transport moves passengers from the building to the airplane line-up. In this concept, many aircraft parking positions can be created on a relatively small area.

Self Supporting Airport

Energy How do we create a Green Airport? Reduction of energy consumption takes place through set rules, called Trias Energetica.

1. Limit Demand for Energy First of all, the utmost should be done to reduce consumption in itself. This requires the necessary insight into all relevant energy aspects when designing new facilities. A range of possibilities has been developed that can be applied to various areas. Their effectiveness is calculated by using advanced computer modelling.

2. Use Sustainable Energy Secondly, the use of natural resources or systems should be optimized. Here, one should consider using incoming sunlight, natural sustainable sources of cold, and rainwater, as well as the installation of active elements for additional generation and storage of energy.

3. Use the Highest Possible Conversion Efficiency for External Energy Supplies When generating energy, naturally available waste products can be utilized, such as the application of biogas generators. If a closed cycle for energy cannot be applied with the highest efficiency for fossil fuels: reduce consumption. The level in which the use of fossil fuels disturbs the balance of Carbon Dioxide is also a measure for the environmental damage caused by the airport. This effect can be fully reversed by responsible planting of trees elsewhere.

What is the Challenge? Good examples of minimal energy consumption for small systems are well known. To integrate these individual examples in a systematic approach on a much larger scale however is not easy. And the circumstances on an individual airport with many customers and employees are not going to help us either. A good overall planning and consequent follow up actions are required to fulfil the maximum potential in designing green airports. The combination between a strategic approach on a higher conceptual level, and the actual finding of practical solutions in the every day design practice isnt easily made but essential in order to reach maximal environmental friendly solution.

Towards Sustainable Energy

Solar Energy The size of an airport makes it eminently suited to apply solar energy. Solar energy can be used to generate the warm water needed by the restaurants or airport-hotel, to generate electricity or produce heat or cold. In areas with high solar intensity, concentrated solar heat can be used to make steam for a steam turbine that drives a generator. Another application of solar heat is an asphalt collector combined with an underground storage system (aquifer). Cold water, pumped up from cold wells, in summer flows through a network of pipes in the asphalt on the runways. This cold water cools the runway, and so maintains its quality. The water which is heated in the process is pumped into a warm well. In the subsequent winter season this water is used to warm the runway, which thus remains ice-free. The now cooled water is returned and restored in the cold well, ready for use during the next summer. With this system, the asphalt course of the landing and take-off runways has a longer life, less environmental detrimental salt needs be applied, and runway safety is enhanced.

(Cooling) Energy from the Sea An airport near the sea can be cooled using cold from deep waters. Even in the tropics, sea water at a depth of 100 metres is sufficiently cold. Cold sea water is pumped up from the depths and routed via a heat exchanger. The exchanger transfers the cold to a cooling net which in turn transports the cold to the buildings. After moving through the heat exchanger the water flows back to sea. Very high cooling rates can be achieved with this system. In sunny areas, this system can also be expanded to produce drinking water. The heated sea water is not returned, but evaporates in a high-temperature solar collector. The water vapour is collected and condensed to fresh drinking water.

Biomass and Cogeneration Large numbers of people produce large quantities of sewage. The sludge that remains after biological degradation can be fermented into biogas, to be used as fue l for a heat power station that generates electricity, heat and cold. The fumes from the biogas contain considerable amounts of Carbon Dioxide. This can be collected and directed via pipelines to greenhouses in the vicinity. Greenhouses require ample Carbon Dioxide for optimal plant growth.

About Deerns

In the field of electrical, mechanical and energy engineering solutions and building physics, Deerns is one of the largest independent consultancy firms in the Netherlands.

With ten offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Dubai, and the United States, Deerns is internationally a trend setting company.

Contact details: Deerns Consulting Engineers P.O. Box 1211 2280 CE Rijswijk - The Hague The Netherlands T: +31 (0)70 395 74 00 F: +31 (0)70 319 10 71 E: airports@deerns.nl www.airport-engineering.com www.deerns.com