CASE STUDY: BRISBANE AIRPORT What’s next? A comparable project for BNE’s international terminal will follow directly on from the domestic project. The security equipment will need to be upgraded and, as de Graaff puts it, “We have a similar issue shoehorning this into “We’ve opted for things like a custom carpet inspired the original location so will be relocating the security ABOVE LEFT Satellite area by Queensland beaches, which has the texture and look checkpoint here too.” retail zone of sand,” Stone says. “We’ve also sourced local hardwood Passport control and immigration will also be moved timbers, including spotted gum. We’re hoping to have the and the duty-free store will be expanded. ABOVE RIGHT essence of Queensland throughout.” “It’s a pretty significant redevelopment, especially for 10 new and departing passengers,” says de Graaff. refurbished F&B outlets Sustainability “We’re also going to run out of capacity by 2030/2032, will serve Another subject close to BNE’s heart is sustainability, and and so we’re in the process of planning for a new third passengers the airport aims to achieve net zero in 2025 for Scope 1 and terminal,” he continues. “We haven’t decided whether this Scope 2 emissions. will be domestic, international or a combination of both, or As part of her work, Stone looked at sourcing local which airlines will go there yet. The only thing we know for materials where possible and those with recycled content sure is where we’re going to locate it, which is next to the or, at the very least, materials that can be recycled. The domestic terminal, right between the two runways. new carpets are made from recycled material and the new “We opened the second runway in 2020, which shifted bench tops are made from 14-20% recycled material. the center point of the airport to that location and provides “I also looked at our waste strategy and connectivity with the domestic terminal how we manage recycled goods, and we’ve but will also enable us to create a whole implemented a lot more recycling options in new terminal precinct with minimal taxi our new design to encourage that strategy,” times to the runway. This provides not she explains. “We looked at electric motors for only a good passenger experience but our baggage handling systems and have a lot also benefits in terms of environmental of additional projects happening as part of sustainability.” Gert-Jan de Graaff, Brisbane Airport Corporation Future BNE that focus on sustainability. On top of this, BNE has 500ha of land “We’re trialling low-carbon asphalt and available for commercial development, concrete, and specifically for the domestic terminal we’re and is focusing on the development of its industrial deploying a large solar farm and rolling out electric precincts, its Aerotech Park and its center for aeromedicine. infrastructure for all our ground equipment. Gone are the “The city, and Queensland more generally, is growing old diesel motors; all our specialist airfield equipment will and this provides us with a unique opportunity to develop plug and charge.” the airport further – in a way that’s based around “Brisbane has a subtropical climate with an sustainability and the passenger experience. We want to abundance of sunshine, so solar power is really make sure that the people here in the community can important to the airport,” adds de Graaff. “Around be proud of what we’ve built,” de Graaff concludes. 30% of our power is generated through solar, and from 2025 our procurement of power will be LEFT 100% from solar and wind-generated sources.” Rendering showing Balancing the construction work against central BNE’s sustainability goals also provided a check-in platform for Stone and her colleagues to find bag-drop partners in the construction industry with a similar zone mindset, and who weren’t afraid to experiment with new ideas and drive change. “We have some pretty ambitious targets with our contractors and have stringent waste strategies in place,” she says. “We’re tracking just how much waste we’re removing from the airport and have systems in place to ensure as much as possible will be recycled. This requires a lot more effort and coordination, but that’s how we’re managing the construction process.” Around 30% of our power is generated through solar BNE plans to electrify 70% of airside vehicles by 2026 24 Passenger Terminal World APRIL 2024 www.PassengerTerminalToday.com