Design & construction
Right: The airport will prioritise sustainability by using local materials and labour, as well as following a zero single- use plastic ethos.
Below: The airport will encourage carriers to use sustainable aviation fuel while operating out of the terminal.
Consortium. For Cole, the key draw of getting involved with the Red Sea International Airport was its ambitious sustainability goals. “We were very keen to get involved in what we think is a world first, a sustainable luxury tourism development,” he says. From an operational perspective, daa plans for all vehicles at the airport to be electric, with one or two exceptions, powered by renewable energy provided by the Red Sea. The company will also be encouraging carriers to use sustainable aviation fuel, which is made from agricultural and domestic waste but can also be produced synthetically by combining carbon and hydrogen, wherever possible. “In the lifetime of the project, some of the short-range aircraft like seaplanes could be electric by the time we finish,” he adds. “It’s a journey; we’re at the start of that journey right now. Aviation has a bit of work to do but I think it will get there.”
Cole anticipates it being a learning experience for all involved. “We are experts in airport operations and they will very quickly be experts in how you sustainably develop a tourism resort. We will be learning from Red Sea as much as they will be learning from us.”
Bring the vision to life There are three stages to daa’s contract with the Red Sea Development Company. The first was the design review, which was split into two phases: the terminal and the airfield. The second phase will involve bringing on board subcontractors and ensuring all assets are ready to operate. “That begins in the middle of 2022, and will stretch through to the end of the year and potentially 2023,” Cole says. The airport will be constructed using local materials and labour with a zero single-use plastic ethos. The final and most exciting stage is the operation of the airport, which will be operated using 100% renewable energy provided by the Red Sea. All subcontractors involved will need to hit certain environmental and sustainability standards. “Subcontractors that are not comfortable with that unfortunately won’t be able to work on the Red Sea,” Cole stresses. His advice to those thinking about getting involved is to look at the region more widely and consider its potential.
“If you think one-dimensionally about just the Red Sea then perhaps it may not be that attractive; it’s a remote part of Saudi Arabia, it’s a green field airport. But Saudi Arabia is growing dramatically. There are several other tourism projects being developed, including Amaala. We see Saudi Arabia as the powerhouse of the Middle East,” Cole says. “The intention is to have 330 million passengers by 2030 and we’re well on our way to doing that with the growth we’re seeing in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and the 23 small regional airports in Saudi Arabia.” The biggest lesson Cole has learned from working on the Red Sea International Airport is that anything is possible with the right vision. “The leadership in Saudi Arabia will bring their vision to life, there is no doubt about that,” he concludes. “We’re seeing on the ground now that it’s coming to life very quickly.” ●
46 Future Airport /
www.futureairport.com
Foster + Partners
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49
