Turkey’s Limak has submitted the lowest bid for the contract to build the new terminal at Kuwait International airport with a price of $4.7bn.

Limak’s price is nearly $1bn lower than the second-lowest price of $5.6bn submitted by Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). The other two bidders are the UAE’s Arabtec Construction at $5.8bn and a joint venture of Italy’s Astaldi with Turkey’s Ictas at $5.9bn.

The new terminal, known as Terminal 2, will contain 30-51 gates, a transit hotel, VIP and first-class lounges, and car parking for 4,500 vehicles.

The new passenger terminal was designed by a team led by the UK’s Foster & Partners, which won the contract in November 2009. Foster & Partners is working with the local Gulf Consult. The design team also includes the UK’s Arup, the US’ Parsons Brinckerhoff and the Netherlands Airport Company. The project client is Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry.

The terminal will increase the capacity of the airport from 6 million passengers a year to 13 million.

Terminal 2 will be located south of the existing terminal between the two existing runways. The terminal is designed to set a new environmental benchmark for airport buildings and is inspired by local forms and materials. The building will consist of three symmetrical wings of departure gates, each spanning 1.2 kilometres.

The project is targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) Gold standard and aims to be the first passenger terminal in the world to achieve this.

The total investment in developing Kuwait International airport is expected to reach $6bn. In addition to the new terminal, an estimated $3bn will be spent on widening runways, enhancing control tower facilities and building new cargo facilities.

Limak is working on another of the region’s airports. In 2012 it started work on the the $400m renovation of terminal two at Cairo International airport as part of a joint venture with India’s GMR Infrastructure.

The renovation of Terminal 2 will involve upgrading the existing passenger terminal to handle up to 7.5 million passengers a year, more than double its current capacity of 3.5 million passengers a year. The project will also involve building a new departure hall and airside pier, as well as the construction of larger gates to accommodate Airbus A380 aircraft.