Can you imagine an international airport terminal, spread over 53,000 sq. m, using only natural light for illumination throughout the day Well, the new terminal in the international airport at Mohali, Chandigarh, has achieved this near impossible feat, which not only makes it the first of its kind in India but in the world too. The airport has also used other green technologies that makes it one of the most-environment-friendly buildings in India.
The façade of the terminal consists of transparent low-heat gain glass which automatically allows daylight to filter in yet reduce the amount of air-conditioning needed to cool the place. Besides, the air-conditioning, which is fired by chiller efficient machines, utilises the principal of thermodynamic&mdashin many areas, the air-conditioning starts working only when its sensors detect body heat in that zone at other times, it lies dormant to conserve energy. A 200-KW solar plant sits on the rooftop and generates enough power to meet the major demands of the terminal. Other notable features include use of fly ash bricks, cavity walls, double insulated roofing, etc. The terminal also uses sensor-based plumbing to save water. The installation of a sewage treatment plant based on environment-friendly extended aeration technology will help recycle the treated water for use in flushing and gardening. But the implementation of technology has not affected the designing of the terminal, which includes among other things a lawn right inside the terminal
Evidently, the environment-friendly technologies will also help reduce the cost of running such a huge terminal. Built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T), the new terminal will therefore not only serve as a key model for airports of the future but also raise the bar for designing green buildings in India.