Project
Extraordinary location, extraordinary consultancy: The new Nuuk Airport in Greenland is the result of an interdisciplinary team effort
Since 2019, NIRAS has served as a consultant for Greenland Airports in relation to the new Nuuk International Airport, which opened in 2024. The consultancy has covered construction, infrastructure, and environmental aspects, with numerous disciplines contributing to the project in Greenland’s harsh climate.
February 13, 2025
- SECTORS: Infrastructure, Building, Environment and Ecology
- COUNTRIES: Greenland
- CLIENT: Greenland Airports
On 28 November 2024, the new airport in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk International Airport, opened after several years of development. It is Greenland’s largest construction project to date, and with its 2,200-metre-long runway, the airport can accommodate larger aircrafts and facilitate direct international flights.
“It is highly valuable for NIRAS, with our long history in Greenland, to be involved in the country’s major infrastructure projects – such as the expansion of Nuuk Airport. NIRAS has a strong team of experts with interdisciplinary competencies and deep knowledge on Greenland, and we are proud to contribute to the ongoing development of the country’s infrastructure,” said Anders Isak Stig-Jørgensen, Director of NIRAS’s Greenland activities.
Monitoring surface water and noise levels
On the environmental front, NIRAS prepared the initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and a range of environmental studies, including monitoring surface-water and noise levels. In 2020, a monitoring programme was launched to assess whether the construction work would affect water quality in nearby areas, including Malene Bay and the Godthåb Fjord, while noise levels were closely monitored already from 2019.
Significant amounts of rock had to be blasted away to extend the runway from 950 metres to 2,200 metres. One worried that the surrounding water-environment could receive high levels of nutrients, potentially leading to oxygen depletion, poor water quality, and loss of biodiversity – a process known as eutrophication.
"NIRAS has a strong team of experts with interdisciplinary competencies and deep knowledge on Greenland, and we are proud to contribute to the ongoing development of the country’s infrastructure."
Anders Isak Stig-Jørgensen, Director of NIRAS’s Greenland activities.
"NIRAS has contributed on several fronts to finding the right solutions for the project, and the collaboration between NIRAS and Greenland Airports has benefitted Greenland Airports in every way."
Christian D. Andersen, Viceprojektdirektør hos Greenland Airports.
Environmental impact within acceptable limits
The monitoring of the aquatic environment ran over four years, with water samples taken from four selected locations in both spring and late summer. The samples were analysed for specific parameters, including nitrogen-levels, ammonium, COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), potassium, and suspended solids. Surface water runoff was then calculated based on rainfall data and terrain models.
The analysis found that nitrogen and COD levels generally did not pose a risk to the recipients, and that values are now decreasing, indicating a return to normal conditions following the completion of the major construction work. No signs of increased eutrophication were observed in the studied areas, and overall, the monitoring results align with the assessments in the project’s EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). In addition, a more environmentally friendly explosive was used compared to the one included in the EIA report.
Noise surveillance has been one important environmental aspect in the project. The construction work did not lead to an increase in noise levels at the selected measurement points compared to the baseline, meaning no measurable noise impact on the surroundings was detected. Based on the noise measurements from the construction period (2019–2024), a new baseline can now be established for the ongoing noise monitoring of the airport’s operations. This new baseline is considered a better reference point for future noise monitoring, as it covers a longer period and demonstrates that construction work did not influence the noise contribution at individual measurement points.
Interdisciplinary expertise on terminal, - service, - and AFIS-construction
As a subcontractor for Inuplan, NIRAS has been involved since the project’s earliest phases. A key part of the new airport is the associated terminal building, service building, and the construction of an AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) tower, which manages all the airport traffic. NIRAS has contributed as client consultant, preparing technical specifications, conducting project reviews and assessments, supervising the construction phase, and overseeing testing and project hand-over, including as-built documentation.
The project therefore required flexible project management and a broad interdisciplinary approach, incorporating seven specialist areas within construction: power supply and installations, energy and indoor climate, lighting, sound and acoustics, fire safety and security, IT, and BMS (Building Management Systems).
Additionally, NIRAS supervised the electrical installations for the runway project, including the installation of runway lighting, signing, and power supply for the airport’s radar and landing equipment. Now that the new airport in Nuuk has been handed over to the client and is fully operational, the construction team continues to provide client consultancy for the two other airports currently under expansion in Greenland: Ilulissat and Qaqortoq.
The runway surface is key to safe landings
Furthermore, NIRAS provided consultancy on the runway’s construction, including quality control of the crucial runway surface. An essential part of this work was following up on the contractor Munck’s quality control results for crushed stone, asphalt density, roughness, and friction.
“Using falling weight deflectometer equipment brought in from Denmark, we provided consultancy on the execution of falling weight deflection measurements on the runway. These measurements were compiled into a report documenting the new runway’s PCR (Pavement Classification Ratio) and PCN (Pavement Classification Number) values. In broad terms, these values determine which aircraft-types can safely land on the new runway,” explains Brian Henriksen, supervising engineer at NIRAS Infrastructure department.
Bringing 3D expertise into play
As responsible for the technical production of a 3D models of Greenland for the Greenlandic Self-Government, NIRAS also brought 3D expertise into play working on Nuuk International Airport. The airport is now incorporated into the overall 3D model of Greenland. Likewise, 3D models of the two airports in Ilulissat and Qaqortoq have been made.
The visulisations of the three airports were originally created by architects from the Greenlandic architectural firm TNT Nuuk, and NIRAS has integrated them into the digital platform OpenCities Planner, which hosts the 3D model of Greenland.
The right solutions for the project
Deputy Project Director at Greenland Airports, Christian D. Andersen said:
"Throughout the project, Greenland Airports has engaged a number of specialists from the consulting firm NIRAS. The involvement of NIRAS throughout the process has been a significant factor in the project. NIRAS has contributed on several fronts to finding the right solutions for the project, and the collaboration between NIRAS and Greenland Airports has benefitted Greenland Airports in every way."
The collaboration between Greenland Airports and NIRAS continues, as NIRAS also provides consultancy services for the expansion of the airports in Ilulissat (international) and Qaqortoq (regional), both scheduled for completion in 2026.
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