Pier B, Auckland International Airport

Pier B, Auckland International Airport: New Zealand’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building, this $25.5 million project for Auckland Airport is a great example of sustainable environmental design.

The new pier provides access to four new aircraft hard stands, two additional gate lounges and dual air bridge boarding of large aircraft such as the new Airbus A380s – also able to service two A380s at the same time. It is being constructed in a modular manner to allow future extensions to the building and provide additional gates as required over time.

The project is setting a trend in environmental design as it becomes the first building in the country to be recognised with LEED, the new US rating for sustainable construction. Among its many sustainable features, the pier includes solar heating for public toilet hot water and rain water harvesting, with an estimated 4,000m³ of recycled rainwater per year expected to be collected from the roof and re-used.

Other innovations include assembling the fixed link airbridge walkways off site and lifting them into position ready for the following trades.