Delivering the recently awarded Terminal 2 project at Kuwait International airport (KIA) to budget could prove very challenging, according to a source familiar with the transaction.

“As far as I am concerned, building the terminal under the current specifications could cost up to twice the contract value,” the source tells MEED.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works (MPW) awarded a Turkish/local team of Limak Construction and Kharafi National the deal to build Terminal 2 on 30 May. The consortium offered $4.3bn for the construction of the 25 million-passenger-a-year terminal, inclusive of a two-year maintenance fee.

In comparison, Doha’s new Hamad International airport has a design capacity of 30 million passengers annually and cost $15.5bn to build. Abu Dhabi’s Midfield Terminal Complex, which will deliver an additional 20 million passengers a year of capacity to the emirate’s existing airport, is being built for $2.9bn.

KIA’s Terminal 2 is designed to accommodate all aircraft types through 51 gates and stands. Under the current design, it will be able to accommodate an equivalent of 21 A380s, the world’s largest passenger airliner, simultaneously.

The new terminal will occupy 708,000 square metres and has been designed by the UK’s Foster+Partners.  It is planned to become one of the world’s first Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) gold-certified airports.

In line with this goal, the new terminal will have 12MW of solar power capacity through 66,000 panels installed on the roof.

The terminal has a trefoil layout, comprising three symmetrical wings of departure gates. Each facade spans 1.2 kilometres and extends from a 25-metre-high central space.

The design incorporates the whole building under a single roof canopy with glazed openings that allow light in while deflecting the heat. The canopy extends to shade a large entrance plaza supported by tapering concrete columns inspired by Kuwait’s traditional dhows. The airport will combine the thermal properties of the concrete structure with a large expanse of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels to harvest solar energy.

Terminal 2 is scheduled for completion in 2022.