Arup Joins Anemos Consortium to Lead Athens International Airport Expansion

4:33 pm UTC April 3, 2025 Apr 3, 2025 | by: Arup | Civil engineering

(Photo by: Arup)

Athens International Airport, the busiest in Greece, handles 26 million passengers annually. This major expansion project will increase its capacity to 40 million by 2032, enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency.

Athens International Airport (AIA), Greece’s largest airport, is set to undergo a major expansion aimed at accommodating 40 million passengers annually by 2032. The project will involve significant updates to the main and satellite terminals and enhancements to the landside and airside facilities. These include upgrades to aircraft stands, gate seating, commercial spaces, and more. The work will be carried out in phases to ensure the airport remains fully operational throughout construction. The terminal expansion strategy focuses on minimizing disruption to the existing services.

As part of the Anemos consortium, Arup will contribute its deep expertise in aviation design, providing over 30 specialized services. Arup’s role will encompass airport planning, multidisciplinary design, civil and structural engineering, fire safety, technology consulting, facade design, SMEP (Services, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) systems, and integration of airport systems.

The project will align with AIA’s Route 2025 initiative, which sets ambitious goals to achieve net-zero operations and carbon reduction over the entire project lifecycle. This will be achieved by adopting passive design strategies, low-carbon materials, and modular construction systems prioritizing energy efficiency.

The design incorporates five key sustainability principles: achieving operational net zero, enhancing climate resilience, safeguarding the natural environment, optimizing resource efficiency, and promoting wellbeing for passengers and staff. The concept design will focus on creating a sustainable, functional, and future-proof airport.

Conor Hoey, Europe Aviation Business Leader at Arup, commented: “The Anemos team was brought together by its shared values, approach, and purpose and combines deep local knowledge and international expertise in designing and delivering complex infrastructure and aviation projects. As world leaders in aviation design, Arup is proud to bring its advanced approach—integrating energy, digital technologies, sustainability, and user-centered design—to the team.”

“This win is a testament to the AIA’s trust in us to support it in reaching its full capacity with a fresh, innovative, and passenger-focused experience that will exceed the highest standards of aviation excellence,” he added.

Cormac Deavy, Project Director and UKIMEA Property, Science, and Industry Business Leader at Arup, said: “I am delighted to be leading the Arup team in providing all the technical and engineering services required to deliver this transformational project as an integral part of the Anemos consortium. Synthesizing the different technical inputs in an integrated way while blending the old with the new will be essential as we deliver this project that has sustainability at its heart.”

The project is expected to achieve a LEED Gold certification, reflecting its commitment to sustainable design and energy-efficient solutions.