Pudong International Airport is planning an environmentally friendly air traffic hub for the  second phase of construction at the airport. The new building should slash energy consumption to half of what was originally envisaged.

Officials hope the project will save about 130,000,000kW/h of electricity each year after the project, cutting the airport's annual energy consumption to US$20 (Yuan 150) per cubic metre. Payback on the US$13.33 million (Yuan 100 million) energy-saving project is expected within eight years.

One of the most impressive aspects of the design is a massive skylight feature (above) comprising 138 separate skylights, which is not just an energy-saving measure, but also a way to showcase the airport's striking architecture. The project designers say it will cut about half of the airport's projected lighting consumption. The skylights are made from double-layer anti-radiation glass with high transparency and a 100mm heat preservation layer, and are designed to screen the interior from strong sunshine and heat radiation without hampering light flow.

Designers will include a series of ventilation holes on four sides of the terminal to make use of the high wind pressure around the airport to provide natural ventilation. The airport's air conditioning system will be supplemented by two large steel water holders in the airport's energy centre, which are cooled to freeze the water at night and used for cooling during the day.

Designers say water from the river around the airport will be treated and recycled for the terminal's toilet flushing and car washing operations.

These measures are expected to reduce tap water usage by about 2.5 million tonnes per year, say project designers.