The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s new administration building has been awarded the gold certification under the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.
Construction of the 135,000ft2, four-story administration building was completed in October 2023 and houses the airport authority’s administrative offices. It is located on the southwest corner of the San Diego International Airport (SAN) campus. The facility was built by the Sundt Construction and HOK design-build team in collaboration with the airport authority and project stakeholders.
Sustainable building design features
The building cuts energy use by 31% compared to the LEED baseline. This is achieved through features like efficient HVAC systems, a well-insulated building envelope and on-site solar power generation. The building uses cool roofing to minimize heat absorption and interior finishes with low-VOC content and verified environmental impact (EPDs).
According to the airport authority, a commissioning process ensured that all building systems (HVAC, plumbing, envelope) function optimally for maximum energy efficiency. Additionally, critical energy-consuming systems are individually metered for real-time tracking and optimization.
More than 12% of parking spaces are equipped with EV chargers, and bike storage with showers encourages alternative transportation options. The central sky-lit staircase is intended to promote physical activity and spontaneous interaction among employees. Native, low-water-need plants and efficient fixtures contribute to a 50% reduction in outdoor water use and a 35% reduction in indoor water use compared to the LEED baseline. 
“We are very pleased that our new administration building has achieved the LEED Gold certification,” said Kimberly J Becker, president and CEO of the airport authority.
“Environmental stewardship is a hallmark of our operations at SAN, and we prioritize it in everything we do. This certification is the culmination of hundreds of hours of hard work and recognizes our efforts to lead the way in environmental protection, energy conservation and creating a sustainable work center for our employees. We thank the USGBC for their careful evaluation and consideration.”
San Diego Airport’s new Terminal 1 project
The building is the first of three components of the new Terminal 1 (New T1) project at SAN to be completed. The remaining two components are the airside improvements, and terminal and roadways.
The administration building is the 11th building on the airport campus to earn the LEED Gold or Platinum certification. The office building earned this rating by meeting specific sustainability benchmarks for energy efficiency, water conservation, site selection, material selection and waste reduction.
In related news, the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently awarded San Diego International Airport (SAN) US$23.5m in discretionary grant funds as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program. Click here to read the full story.