The new airport is on the island of Baltra and required an investment of US$24 million. The project, which was developed by specialists from England and Argentina, centers on an environmentally friendly design for the terminal, according to Ezequiel Barrenechea, the president of Galapagos Ecological Airport.
Each of the coating materials used (paint, solvents, etc.) features low emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), which are gases and vapors that pollute the environment.
The final phase of construction includes the installation of a power generation system along the sides of the tarmac. The 356 solar panels will be installed using materials from the demolition of the old terminal and they will provide 50% of the new terminal’s energy. The rest of the electricity needed will come from hybrid generators, which run on diesel and other solar panels.
“When the wind power comes online [at the end of 2013], we will be using 100% renewable energy,” said Jorge Rosillo, the manager of the Galapagos Ecological Airport.
Due to the lack of fresh water sources on the island of Baltra, Ecogal built a desalination plant in Caleta Aeolin. The new plant takes in seawater for desalination and purification, which is then transported by tanker to the airport.
The terminal also has a sewage plant that employs the latest technology. According to Barrenechea, once the wastewater has been treated, it is completely free of impurities and is released back into the ocean from which it was taken.
For climate control within the airport terminal, Ecogal implemented a natural cooling system featuring large windows equipped with screens to prevent the entry of birds and lizards.
Source: Ecuador News
