New Delhi now boasts the first LEED Gold airport terminal in India, as San Francisco aims for the same achievement in the U.S.
The Indian Green Building Council recently awarded the LEED Gold certification for Indira Gandhi International Airport's 5.4 million square foot Terminal 3, which opened last July, GreenBiz reports. The terminal, designed by HOK International, is designed to handle up to 34 million travelers each year.
Environmental features include rainwater harvesting, a compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station, and interiors with high amounts of recycled content. Terminal 3 also offers a metro station, and battery-operated vehicles move travelers between terminals.
Yesterday San Francisco International Airport unveiled renovations to its 640,000 square foot Terminal 2 (pictured), which is aiming to become the first LEED-Gold terminal in the U.S. The $383 million project recycled 90 percent of original content from the building, which first opened in 1954.
The terminal will host flights for American Airlines and Virgin America, including Virgin Galactic space flights. Its sustainability features include use of natural light, energy-efficient lighting, recycling stations, paperless ticketing, local vendors selling organic food, and a ventilation system that uses 20 percent less energy.
A dual plumbing system will allow for reclaimed water to be used for toilets and other uses, and the terminal’s plumbing fixtures use 40 percent less water than typical fixtures. Building materials include terrazzo flooring with recycled glass chips, recycled-content carpet and efficient use of structural steel, the airport said.
The first flights to and from the terminal will begin a week from today.