Brussels Airport has started construction of a new €15 million ground run-up enclosure (GRE) designed to reduce noise from aircraft engine testing following maintenance.
The 8,000 sqm facility will allow aircraft engines to be tested at full power within a U-shaped enclosure surrounded by 15m-high noise barriers.
Depending on aircraft type and distance from the facility, Brussels Airport said the enclosure could reduce noise levels by 10 decibels.
The airport said a 10-decibel reduction would mean the sound is perceived as being half as loud, with local residents in Humelgem and Steenokkerzeel expected to experience the greatest improvement.
Engine run-up tests are carried out following maintenance and are both an aviation safety procedure and regulatory requirement.
Brussels Airport currently conducts between 150 and 200 tests each year, with engines tested in open space.
Arnaud Feist, chief executive of Brussels Airport, said: “Engine run-up tests after maintenance are essential for aviation safety. With this investment, we are combining that safety requirement with a concrete reduction in noise nuisance for residents in our immediate vicinity.
“This new engine testing facility is just one initiative in our broader effort to create a more sustainable and quieter airport.”
The GRE is being constructed on an area of the tarmac where several outdated buildings have been demolished.
At slightly larger than a football pitch, the facility will be capable of accommodating widebody aircraft including the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.
Foundation work is now under way, followed by paving and the installation of the noise barriers.
Engine tests will continue to be restricted to between 7am and 10pm to limit noise during night-time hours.
Brussels Airport said construction would have no impact on airport operations, with the new facility scheduled for completion by the end of March 2027.
