Innovation in mobility

Mobility plays a vital role in the economic development of countries all over the world, and Italy is no exception. In this context, the renovated boarding area E at Rome Fiumicino airport provides an excellent example of the kind of work that can and must be carried out on existing infrastructures to meet the challenges of the future.
The area, which is already used for international (non-Schengen) flights, welcomes more than 5 million passengers a year. The renovation project was carried out by ADR Engineering (Spea Engineering, a subsidiary of Atlantia Group) owned by Aeroporti di Roma, the operator of Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, as well as the largest operator in Italy and the fifth largest in Europe in terms of passenger numbers. In view of the sheer volume of passengers passing through the area, the project devoted a great deal of attention to flows, as well as structural issues and environmental sustainability.
In particular, the 90,000 square metre boarding area has 22 new gates, including 14 equipped with jet bridges (two are for the Airbus A380 with direct boarding to the upper deck), allowing for a further expansion in the airport’s capacity.
The transparency of the new skylight emphasises the elegance of the metallic framework, while the thermal resistance of the glazed surfaces coupled with installations such as high-performance radiant floors have enabled this new building to attain the status of an NZEB (Near Zero Energy Building).
To create the visually striking two-floor glazed atrium housing retail and catering spaces, much attention was devoted to the design of the false ceilings. A powerful architectural design consisting of steel sheets coupled with sound-absorbing panels guarantees a good level of acoustic comfort, a very unusual quality in open spaces with such large dimensions. For the floor coverings in the central areas, the access routes to the gates and the exclusive shopping gallery located at the centre of the boarding area, Cotto d’Este supplied Ardenne Sablé porcelain tiles from the Cluny collection (with an intense mineral-look surface typical of Borgogna stone in the colour magnolia), and Travertino Silk from the collection Exedra by Cotto d’Este. Both collections consist of 14 mm thick porcelain tiles in custom-made sizes. Cluny, in particular, reproduces the natural appeal of a historically popular stone in large size surfaces (60×120 cm) that combine flatness with aesthetic appeal and (in the Protect line) antibacterial qualities thanks to the presence of integrated Microban® technology. In this solution, an antibacterial shield incorporated into the ceramic material eliminates up to 99.9% of bacteria from the surface. The result is a constantly protected surface that combines high hygienic performance with exceptional resistance to wear and climatic conditions.
Last but not least, the terminal is equipped with highly innovative installations including a new baggage sorting system. Built by Italian company Leonardo with technology that has been under development since 1996, this cutting-edge system successfully completed testing about a year ago and has attained the expected performance levels in terms of efficiency and flexibility.