Sustainable buildings
Environmentally sustainable design
The roof of the new international arrivals area is home to the largest photovoltaic solar array in New Zealand. The award winning 300m2 solar panel installed on the roof converts the sun’s energy directly into electrical energy. The solar energy generated is enough to power the arrivals corridor lights during the day, providing an estimated energy generation of 49,500 kWhr per year, equating to 16 days worth of power savings energy.
Solar water heating panels are also installed on the roof, capturing solar energy for pre-heaing water in the hot water system. This solar energy services the public toilets on the first floor of the new arrivals area and is estimated to generate energy savings of approximately 15,000 kWhr per year.
In other green initiatives, the building also incorporates; high efficiency chillers for air-conditioning, condensing boilers that reclaim heat, enhanced insulation levels, low energy lighting systems, and low energy way-finding signage.
Leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED)
The new Auckland Airport Pier B, that opened mid 2008, remains on track to become New Zealand’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green rated building. The LEED system promotes the creation of sustainable buildings. It focuses on the building life cycle, from site selection, water and energy efficiency, building materials to construction methods. Documentation has been submitted to the US Green Building Council for review. While the timeframe for a response from the US Green Building Council is unknown, we anticipate a response before the end of the 2008 calendar year.
Rainwater harvesting
Rainwater from the international arrivals expansion, approximately, 5,000m2 of roof, is collected and stored in multiple 25m3 tanks located adjacent the building. The recycled water is used by the air-conditioning cooling towers, the buildings largest water user. An estimated 6,000m3 of recycled rainwater per year will be re-used, helping reduce the airport sites need for municipal supplied mains water.
Like the arrivals expansion building, rainwater from the Pier B roof is to be collected and stored for reuse. When the Pier B system comes on line, an additional 6,000m3 of recycled rainwater per year will be re-used.
Low emission vehicles priority parks
As part of the LEED accreditation programme, Auckland Airport has installed 21 priority parks in the international car park for hybrid vehicles and vehicles with engine sizes 1.6 litre or under. The parks are identified with a green priority parking sign in front of the park.