DAA HAS LODGED plans with Fingal County Council to give Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport a major facelift. 

The plans to upgrade the terminal, built in 1972, would see the roof and core façade of the building replaced with a new modern, energy-efficient structure.

The terminal’s existing concrete fins will make way for a combination of glass and solid panels to “create a fresh look for T1 that will improve the overall visual appearance of the airport campus”.

The northern and southern sides of T1 – effectively the front and the back of the building -will feature significantly more glazing within the new design and the removal of the 1970s concrete fins will create a distinctive new look for the terminal, Dublin Airport said. 

As the project is pending approval,  no date is set for these upgrade works to take place.

The project to upgrade the façade and other elements of Terminal 1 has been part of the long-term plans for Dublin Airport for several years, said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison. 

“While passenger traffic had been hit by the impact of COVID-19, as custodians of Dublin Airport on behalf of the State, DAA must always take a prudent long-term view in relation to managing the facility,” he said. 

“As certain elements of T1 are approaching the end of their life, it makes sense to seek planning permission now for these works, which will be carried out over the coming years.”

“Sustainability is at the heart of how we operate at Dublin Airport and this project will have a hugely positive impact on the overall energy consumption levels for Terminal 1,” he added. 

Harrison said the changes will generate a significant improvement in the terminal’s energy efficiency, as it will move the upgraded elements of building from their current BER rating of F to B3. 

Terminal 1 opened in May 1972 at a cost of £7 million and effectively replaced Dublin Airport’s original 1940s terminal. The newer terminal connected passengers more directly with Piers A and B – now the 200 and 300 boarding gate areas – which was built in the early 1960s.