Construction work has began on Domus III, Farnborough Airport’s new £55m 175,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, sustainably designed, hangar facility. Designed for the next generation of business aircraft, Domus III will also accommodate the growing presence of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Farnborough Airport is Europe’s leading airport for premium air travel connectivity, serving over 800 international direct connections, it is the only dedicated airport of its kind. Its new hangar represents a landmark development. Centrally located in a prime position adjacent to the airport’s two main taxiways, it complements the airport’s existing award-winning architecture and state-of-the-art facilities.
The 175,000 square foot of hangarage provided by Domus III will increase Farnborough Airport’s hangar space by over 70% and with a construction programme expected to last 75-weeks, the airport will continue to remain fully operational throughout.
The design of Domus III has several iconic and sustainable features, including translucent automated doors, that will stretch the entire length of the building, optimising natural light inside the hangar and reducing lighting usage. The large unhindered access provided by the door design will improve aircraft manoeuvrability, helping mitigate unnecessary emissions from aircraft handling activities. Other sustainable features include rainwater harvesting, intelligent lighting, eco-friendly heating systems and a fully integrated building control and energy monitoring system to minimiseoperational and in-use energy consumption.
Conceived in response to the growing demand for premium hangar space with a design that accommodates the increasing presence of the next generation of business aircraft, Domus III will be rated by BREEAM, the world’s leading sustainability assessment method for infrastructure and buildings.
This is very much aligned with Farnborough Airport’s aims of becoming a global sustainability showcase for airports, while maintaining its position as a thriving hub of international connectivity, as CEO Simon Geere explains:
“We want to lead by example and set new standards,” he said. “We want our customers to choose Farnborough Airport not only because of our market leading facilities and award-winning levels of customer care, but also because of our unrivalled sustainability credentials. Domus III will further improve our facilities whilst supporting our ambitious environmental goals.”
Rushmoor Borough Council believes the new hangar signals a significant economic boost for the region. “Around 80% of Farnborough Airport’s staff live within a 10-mile radius,” said Councillor David Clifford, Leader of Rushmoor Borough Council. “This investment in Domus III is very much an investment into the Borough, demonstrating how important Farnborough Airport is as a significant employer for the region both today and going forward, supporting the growth of Rushmoor’s economy and furthering our ambitions to tackle climate change.”
Appointed contractors McLaughlin & Harvey and Gebler Tooth will oversee the project, with principal Contractors McLaughlin & Harvey establishing their site and welfare cabins and beginning to prepare designated areas for the delivery and installation of materials.
The initial focus will be on a series of enabling works, including the installation of an on-site concrete batching plant to reduce the requirement for off-site deliveries and excess road journeys.
Martin Harvey, Commercial Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey said: “Having worked closely with Farnborough Airport on a plan to increase hangar space in a manner that complements the current infrastructure, we are very much looking forward to delivering the construction of what will be further state-of-the-art facilities at Europe’s pre-eminent business aviation airport.”
