London Heathrow airport has now just released details of its new £1 billion Terminal 2 building, which will eventually be used to house Star Alliance carriers. The new terminal, which was part of a large £4.8 billion investment across the airport, will have tons more floor space. The terminal will also have self-service check in machines, check-in desks, security search lanes, and fast bag drops.

Mike Brown from Heathrow airport said, “The new Terminal 2 is part of a major program of work already underway. Passengers traveling through Heathrow will be using new and extensively refurbished facilities which provide us with an excellent platform from which we can provide a better service to our customers.”

Heathrow went on to say that the new building has a lower energy requirement and will emit 40 percent less carbon than the existing terminal. The terminal has large north facing windows, which will let in more natural light and reduce the need for artificial lighting. The solar panels on the roof will even further reduce the building’s dependency on energy supplies, and the new energy center, which is partly fueled by renewable resources, will provide heating and cooling.

This new terminal is being built in two phases to help minimize the disruption following the demolition of the existing building and the Queen’s Building. The first phase of the terminal will see the creation of the 185,000 square meters of floor space, which is due to be completed in 2013. The second phase will see the terminal extended into the existing Terminal 1.