Innovations in Airfield Sustainability

1. Innovations in Airfield Sustainability 33rd Annual Airport Conference Hershey, PA March 3, 2010

2. Panelists Christopher Decker, PE • Principal/Senior Engineer • Roy D. McQueen & Associates, Ltd, VA Carol Lurie, LEED AP, AICP • Principal/Senior Environmental Planner • VHB/Vanasse Hangen Brustlin. Inc., MA

3. Sustainable Aviation Guidance Alliance Why was SAGA Initiated? • Requests to industry organizations on how to start a sustainability program • Airports faced with overwhelming array of sustainability resources • Desire for airport-specific sustainability guidelines in one place • Call for clarity on best practices

4. SAGA Participants • Airports Council International-NA (ACI-NA) • Airport Consultants Council (ACC) • American Assoc. of Airport Executives (AAAE) • Air Transport Association (ATA) • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) • Airports – ORD, BOS, RNO, LAWA, POS • Consultants

5. SAGA Goal • Assist airports initiating or conducting sustainability programs by consolidating existing guidelines/practices into a comprehensive, searchable resource that can be tailored to the unique requirements of individual airports • Applicable to airports of all sizes • Encompassing all activities – capital improvement programs, routine maintenance, and daily operations

6. Sustainable Aviation Resource Guide www.airportsustainability.org

7. SAGA Achievements • Offersguidance to airports on how to start a sustainability program • Compiles airport-specific sustainability practices in searchable database (in Excel and Web-based database) • Suggests examples of ways to adapt practices to airports of all sizes and types • Provides specific references to airports’ source documents

8. SAGA Resource Guide • Section 1 – Defines Airport Sustainability and Benefits • Section 2 – How to Start, Implement, Sustain and Maintain a Program • Section 3 – Examples of Sustainability Programs • Section 4 – Database of Proven Sustainability Measures Logan Airport Micro Turbines

9. Sustainability Database • Comprehensive, searchable listing of existing sustainability practices undertaken by airports • Organized by broad range of criteria: • Functional Areas • Landside • Airside • Airport-wide • EONS • Economic Viability • Operations Efficiency • Natural Resources • Social Responsibility • Activities • Planning • Design • Construction • Operations • Maintenance • Administration

10. Sustainability Database/Excel 68 Organizational Columns 972 Measures (as of September 2009)

11. Sustainability Database/Web

12. SAGA Next Steps • Enhance database by developing supporting information for each of the sustainable practices provided in the SAGA database • Brief description of the practice • Associated costs and benefits • Link, references or contacts for additional information • Update on regular basis

13. Examples of Airside Innovations • Capital Projects • Install Hydronic runway pavement to control snow accumulation on runways • Install heated pavement to control snow accumulation on paved areas • Install geothermal heating and cooling systems • Provide fuel hydrant system access at all future aircraft gates to eliminate the use of tanker fuel trucks • Construct Deicing facility with bio-treatment system that captures glycol-impacted storm water • For runways and taxiways (as applicable), use LED lighting and signals for new systems. • Design future airport layout to reduce aircraft delay • Reduce taxiing distances on landing by installing high-speed or rapid exit taxiways

14. Examples of Airside Innovations • Construction Practices • During airside construction, use reusable polyethylene plastic barricades with solar power flashlights • Utilize pervious pavement for roadways, shoulders, non-traffic pavements, maintenance roads, utility yards, airside parking facilities. • Incorporate temporary sedimentation basins, temporary ditch checks, diversion dikes, temporary ditches, sediment traps, silt fences, and/or pipe slope drains into construction plans. • Plan the phases or stages of construction to minimize exposure. • Require that at least a portion of the construction vehicle fleet are clean fuel vehicles and/or incorporate clean air technologies.

15. Examples of Airside Innovations • Operations • Establish airside lighting controls and procedures to turn off or reduce the intensity of airside lighting (runway, taxiway and apron lights and navigational aids) when not being used. • Utilize fuel cells, especially in remote locations, for powering remote weather stations, cars, trucks, and buses, combined heat and power applications, laptops, cell phones, and other applications. • Use zero- or low-VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesives and sealants; consider using water-based sealants which contain no VOCs and can be used on porous or nonporous surfaces. • Promote use of the following locally/regionally available materials: concrete, asphalt, structural steel, masonry, post-industrial recycled gypsum wallboard, landscape material and seed.

16. Examples of Airside Innovations • Operations • Require taxiing aircraft to use a single engine only • Use propane fuel for the aircraft rescue and fire-fighting (ARFF) training center simulation burners instead of conventional gasoline • Use GSE tugs for aircraft pushback from gates. Increase aircraft towing where appropriate. • Use high-speed aircraft tugs as part of a drive to reduce emissions from aircraft on the ground. • Airside drivers will have to pass stringent green driving tests which will encourage them to switch off their engines when possible and to drive economically.

17. Need more Information? Contact: Carol Lurie, LEED AP, AICP VHB/Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. clurie@vhb.com