Lufthansa Technik has begun construction of a new maintenance hangar at the future Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The Hamburg-based company is investing $23 million in the new hangar, which will be able to accommodate up to five short-haul and medium-haul aircraft or alternatively one widebody as large as an Airbus A340. Completion of the 72,000-sq-ft facility is anticipated to be in the first half of next year. There is also an additional 18,000 sq ft of office, backshop and logistic areas. The company plans to begin operations next June with approximately 110 mechanics and engineers working a three-shift roster and offering maintenance services up to the scope of an A check. Current plans assume that four aircraft will be maintained in the hangar at the same time. The MRO says the building was designed with energy efficiency in mind; room volume was kept low to reduce energy consumption. The project is supported by the State of Brandenburg with funds from the European Fund for Regional Development.