CENTER INT’s Maldives Velana International Airport Expansion Project Wins LEED Gold Certification, Claiming the Green Building "Oscar"

Recently, the expansion project of Velana International Airport in the Maldives was awarded LEED Gold Certification, known as the global "Oscar" of green buildings.

As a leading domestic supplier of high-end building metal envelope systems, CENTER INT deeply participated in the project, undertaking the construction of the metal roof and curtain wall. With exquisite craftsmanship and strict quality control, the company delivered a finishing touch to this eco-friendly airport.

Velana International Airport serves as the gateway and vital transportation hub of the Maldives, so its expansion project has attracted widespread attention. China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) implemented full-cycle green standards, upheld a strong sense of social responsibility and forward-looking green construction concepts, and overcame numerous challenges such as construction on marine coral reef islands. It delivered a brand-new terminal building and supporting facilities integrating modernization, intelligence and environmental protection to the Maldivian people with high quality.

On July 26, 2025, as part of the commemorative activities marking the 60th anniversary of the Maldives’ independence, Maldivian President Muizzu inaugurated the new terminal. Local residents hailed it as an outstanding showcase of the close people-to-people bonds and cultural integration between China and the Maldives.

The project covers civil concrete, steel structure, metal roof, decoration, electromechanical systems, curtain walls, special airport equipment, greening, peripheral works and other disciplines. During design and construction, the project team deeply integrated passive energy-saving and active environmental protection technologies:

Efficient Energy Utilization

The terminal adopts high-performance curtain wall design. By optimizing daylighting and thermal insulation performance, it drastically cuts energy consumption of air conditioning and lighting systems, effectively reducing power usage during airport operation.

Building Materials & Resource Management

For civil concrete, steel structure, metal roof and other core works, environmentally friendly green building materials meeting international standards were prioritized, with full attention paid to renewable and recyclable resource utilization.

Indoor Environmental Quality

Through sophisticated electromechanical design and interior decoration, natural daylighting and ventilation inside the terminal are optimized, creating a comfortable and healthy environment for passengers and staff.

Sustainable Water Conservation

Tailored to the Maldives’ unique geographical conditions, water-saving irrigation technologies and climate-adaptive vegetation are adopted in greening and peripheral projects to lower consumption of precious fresh water resources.

The Velana International Airport project marks CENTER INT’s first airport project constructed in compliance with US standards. It served as a comprehensive test of CENTER INT’s technical strength and management capacity, as well as a key platform for the company to demonstrate its outstanding capabilities and international vision to the global market. CHEC acted as the overall construction manager of the project, working closely with CENTER INT, which took charge of metal roof and curtain wall delivery. As China’s top enterprise in high-end metal building envelopes with the largest domestic market share, CENTER INT boasts rich practical experience in major national airport and transportation infrastructure projects.

The LEED Gold Certification of the Maldives Velana International Airport Expansion Project stands as a vivid example of CENTER INT practicing the green development philosophy of the Belt and Road Initiative and advancing coordinated economic, social and environmental development in host countries. This achievement not only elevates the airport’s operational quality and international image, but also verifies the robust project management and technological innovation capabilities of Chinese infrastructure players in complex international engineering projects.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally authoritative green building evaluation system applied across more than 180 countries and regions. It comprehensively assesses buildings from six dimensions: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovative design, awarding four certification tiers: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum based on scoring.