Edmonton airport upgrade 25% under budget
by: Walter Tychnowicz, edmonton journal
EDMONTON — The international airport's massive expansion is expected to come in 25 per cent under its original $1-billion budget, infrastructure vice-president Paul Garbiar said Wednesday.
The economic downturn made a good supply of workers available, kept labour costs down and made the project more efficient, Garbiar said Wednesday during a progress tour of the expansion.
"There couldn't be a better time to build," he said.
"During the boom, the shortage of labour meant you didn't always get the best people and there was a drop in production. You also didn't get the innovative people you need.
"We've not only got the best companies working on the expansion, but also their best people, and that's been very significant for us."
Edmonton Airports project managers locked in lower prices for big-ticket items such as materials and equipment last year, Garbiar said.
"We were able to realize tremendous savings without sacrificing quality of features."
The current facilities, designed to handle 5.5 million people a year, are already at 6.1 million. The expansion will accommodate the nine million a year expected by 2015.
Garbiar said while passenger traffic dipped during the recession, it's back to growth this year.
The expansion will add 480,000 square feet, or 50 per cent, to the current terminal, with 13 new aircraft gates (up from 17), more restaurants and shops, a striking new control tower and office building and 32 football fields of additional concrete apron for aircraft movement.
The extra gates will allow airlines to add flights, especially during peak hours, Garbiar said. Planes currently have to line up to use gates, and airlines choose which airports they use by how quickly they can get in and out, he added.
The new building, with its acres of glass and sweeping roofline, will be fully enclosed by the end of this year, with the whole project on time for completion by the fall of 2012, Garbiar said.
For transborder traffic, one of the airport's fastest-growing sectors, a new larger U.S. departure and arrival space, will open in the spring of 2012, he said.
The Canadian customs and immigration areas are also being expanded so visitors get the best possible first impression, Garbiar said.
Although 300 to 800 construction workers are always on-site, disruption to travellers is kept to a minimum by isolating crews in their own "island" that has no contact with the rest of the operation. This also reduces security costs, Garbiar said.
Inside the terminal, passengers see only a large hoarding with information on the expansion. A video about how it will look when finished shows on the wall above.
Behind it, hundreds of workers pour concrete, erect steel and install roofing with the help of cranes, backhoes and other heavy equipment.
Garbiar said the project will be registered for sustainability under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria. For example, for energy efficiency, special surfaces block direct sunlight in the summer and allow it in during winter.
The project is being funded by Alberta Capital Finance Authority, a government corporation that provides flexible funding for capital projects at the lowest possible cost.
It will be repaid through the $20 airport-improvement fee paid by passengers and higher revenue from sources such as parking and aircraft landing fees, Garbiar said.
There are no plans to increase the improvement fee, he said.
