Meadow in front of Terminal 1
Meadow in front of Terminal 1

Energy-efficient
building

BBAC-building at BER

Thanks to an innovative building air conditioning system, when it opens the new airport’s terminal is expected to be around 30 per cent more efficient than the standards set in the Energy Saving Act of 2007, which is when the building was initially planned. Cooling and air conditioning with heat exchangers, the use of drinking water pipes to indirectly cool the ambient air, a cooling system for the IT equipment that uses external air and the use of geothermal energy all mean that the building will save around 11,000 tons of carbon compared with a conventional building. 

The plan to fit the terminal roof with photovoltaic or solar thermal panels has been temporarily postponed due to economic considerations, but is planned for a later point in time.  With the introduction of an energy management system certified according to ISO 50001, the energy efficiency of the buildings will be examined and optimised after BER opens. Where feasible on account of their intended use, all new buildings will be planned and constructed as zero-energy buildings. Due to their energy-efficient plans and the use of geothermal energy, photovoltaic and solar thermal panels, these buildings will not require any external energy supplies.

As a member of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH supports the building and certification of environmentally sustainable, economically efficient and user-friendly buildings.