The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced on August 21 that LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B has been awarded the Envision Platinum award from The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) for its environmentally conscious construction.
LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the operator and developer of Terminal B, has partnered with Skanska Walsh Joint Venture for design and construction on the project. It was designed to help generate energy, save water, and reduce total emissions once the project is complete. Design considerations also include a new baggage handling system, strategically placed unconditioned environments, and wall-to-ceiling windows that reduce the need for lighting which will result in a 19% net energy savings when the project is completed.
It is the first project to achieve recognition from ISI at any level under its newly updated Envision v3 framework. The Envision Platinum award, the highest level within the program, also recognized Skanska-Walsh’s efforts to promote worksite safety and minimize noise, vibration and other construction impacts on the local community.
During construction, nearly 22,000 tons of concrete was recycled from the demolition of the original Terminal B parking structure and approximately 2,475 tons of this recycled concrete were reused on the adjacent jobsite.
“We are honored to receive the Envision Platinum award for our work in redesigning Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport,” said Stewart Steeves, CEO of LaGuardia Gateway Partners.
“Since day one, our priority has been building a terminal that offers a first-class guest experience and has a minimal environmental footprint. We’ve worked closely with Skanska-Walsh to create a design and construction approach that enables us to revamp Terminal B in a sustainable fashion, and this award demonstrates our overall commitment to this goal.”
“The Port Authority has taken aggressive steps to achieve sustainable growth, promote environmental efficiency, and reduce the environmental impact of aviation on our host communities and the region,” said Port Authority chairman Kevin O’Toole. “We look forward to continuing to work with our stakeholders and partners to design and build state-of-the-art facilities that meet and exceed modern environmental standards.”
In 2015, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled a vision plan to create a modern, unified LaGuardia Airport. The US$4bn partnership with LaGuardia Gateway Partners for Terminal B is the largest public-private partnership in US aviation history, 80% funded through private financing and existing passenger fees. The Terminal B arrivals and departures facility is expected to open in mid-2020.