Airports represent a fantastic opportunity for architects and engineers to express their design skills. They are by their nature long span structures incorporating large spaces, and often rely on grand scale façade designs for their architectural expression. Our façade engineers have extensive experience in meeting the challenges that designing and constructing airport facades can present. New cladding materials and processing techniques are continually being developed in the search for better façade performance, making the design and procurement of the building envelope a highly technical and complex process – yet one that is still immensely creative.

Our facade engineers work closely with other members of the project team to bring the benefits of high-level technical knowledge to the design of the envelope. With sustainability now a key regulatory requirement, we carefully analyse the environmental ‘behaviour’ of different façade designs using advanced techniques such as thermal modelling, wind analysis, acoustic design, solar and glare studies.

This rigorous assessment enables us to design a facade that is appropriate for each airport project. Combining our practical knowledge of natural ventilation, shading and daylighting systems with environmental factors such as solar gain, wind flow and weather proofing we are able to deliver well built, high performance airport facades that provide superb occupant comfort with much reduced energy and running costs.

In addition to assessing the technical needs of the project, our engineers also plan for the practical issues that might arise during construction. When airport buildings are being extended, it is important to ensure that there is as little disruption to operational functions and passenger experience as possible. Our façade engineers also work closely with security specialists on the design team to ensure that the façade construction complies with the security strategy requirements.