BER airport: progress on fire safety, opening date remains autumn 2013

According to a press release from Flughafen Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH, solutions are taking shape for the technical problems that led to the BER opening being postponed from June 2012 to 27 October 2013.

The four problem areas

The airport company has presented approaches for four areas:

The smoke extraction system in the main pier is being rebuilt at four points. Smoke extraction will in future work floor by floor rather than across multiple floors. In the central section of the main pier, a multi-floor solution remains in place and will be verified through hot gas smoke tests.

For the baggage handling system, additional smoke barriers are being installed at the conveyor belts that move between floors. This is to prevent smoke from spreading between levels in the event of a fire.

The locking system operates fully automatically via keycard without traditional keys. The airport company must demonstrate to the licensing authority that it functions even during a power outage. The same system is already in use at Frankfurt Airport, according to the operator.

The sprinkler system will not be rebuilt. Instead, the airport company will provide proof of system reliability.

What this means for the property market

BER technical director Horst Amann is maintaining the autumn 2013 opening date but described it as no foregone conclusion. In adjacent locations such as Schoenefeld, Bohnsdorf, Lichtenrade and the southern part of the borough (Bezirk) of Neukoelln, prices for apartments have already risen. The delays had recently caused uncertainty among buyers.

For investment decisions in the region, future noise emissions are a factor alongside the opening date. In the flight paths, they can affect property values. The publication of detailed noise protection maps and the implementation of sound insulation measures therefore remain relevant for the market development at this location.