Heathrow East

Heathrow East

The new Heathrow East Terminal (HET) in the Central Terminal Area of Heathrow Airport is being designed with the intention of replacing the ageing Terminal 2 and Queens Building by 2012. It will have a transparent façade which will allow passengers to have direct views to the airfield enhancing the passenger experience and the natural wayfinding in the airport.

The Firstco Project Brief is to work alongside the Master Systems Integrator (MSI) in order to provide detailed designs and interface management for the delivery of Information and Control Systems (ICS) at the Heathrow East Terminal.

The ICS brief is to provide information and utilise technology to automate efficiency of people and processes. It comprises 4 primary groups of systems:

• Communications – The systems and infrastructure used to deliver Data, Voice and Video around the Terminal and Campus.
• Security – CCTV, Access Control, X-Ray Search and other specialist systems required to ensure the safe and Department for Transport compliant operation of the Airport.
• Operational Systems – These are the specific systems required for airport operation. Numerous systems and databases are used across BAA, the Airlines and Control Authorities – from Check-in and Bag Drop right through to Flight Information Displays and Stand Allocation.
• Control & Monitoring systems – Safety critical, operational control and environmental control systems which are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week from Control Rooms around the airport.

At present the MSI and Firstco team are working with the BAA development teams to expand on the stakeholder and user requirements, in order to formalise a basis of design for each of the 20+ individual systems that fall within the 4 primary groups.

Delivery of these systems will be extremely complex and timescales are tight. HET is being built alongside the operational Terminals 1&3 in one of the world’s busiest airports. From years of experience at Heathrow and Gatwick, Firstco have an excellent knowledge of the airport environment, logistics and its systems, and will use this knowledge and experience to work alongside the MSI to develop the Information and Control Systems on time and on budget.