IND commemoration marks the only LEED® green building certification for an entire airport campus

Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) employees and board members were joined by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airports Division Manager – Great Lakes Region Sue Schalk for the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification of the Indianapolis International Airport’s (IND) Midfield Terminal complex. IND is the only airport to win LEED certification for an entire terminal campus.

The Midfield Terminal campus, at more than 1.2 million square feet, is among the largest projects to be awarded LEED certification. “The Midfield Terminal concept was decades in the planning, but the benefits of its design, including its contributions to sound sustainability practices, will make a positive impact for many more decades to come,” said Bob Duncan, interim executive director of the IAA. “We will continue to look for innovative ways to increase the value we bring to our stakeholders and to excel at our core mission of supporting safe, reliable, and expanding air service in Central Indiana.”

“FAA congratulates the Indianapolis Airport Authority in achieving LEED certification for this impressive aviation facility,” said Sue Schalk, FAA Airports Division Manager – Great Lakes Region. “The sustainability features represent a model for 21st century airport development and FAA is proud to have been a part of the development of the new airport.”

LEED is a third-party certification program and nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. It is managed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The certification applies to the terminal, concourses, the Ground Transportation Center, and the parking garage

The design, construction, and operation of the Midfield Terminal complex incorporates numerous innovative features that allowed planners to overcome the unique and challenging hurdles to designing sustainable airport facilities. The resulting LEED certification is recognition that energy efficiency, sustainable design, and protection of the environment are central features of the new Indianapolis International Airport.

Specifically, LEED recognizes the exemplary design in the areas of:

• ENERGY EFFICIENCY: At least 18% more efficient than standard design through use of natural light, energy-efficient equipment and effective building control systems, etc.
• RECYCLING: Terminal recycling program, construction-material recycling, recycling content of materials
• INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: No-smoking policy, indoor air and comfort monitoring, daylighting, outdoor views
• WATER EFFICIENCY: Water-savings fixtures
• SUSTAINABLE SITE DEVELOPMENT: Low impact construction, clean stormwater, access to mass transit, etc.
• INNOVATIONS: Reduction of aircraft taxi times; low-emitting materials, very high recycled and regional material rates

A more detailed summary of LEED-related sustainability attributes at IND is attached.

Although the features recognized by the LEED certification provide an enhanced experience for visitors and employees and support their well-being, they also add great value through measurable efficiency gains in energy, fuel, and water usage. In fact, the investments in sustainable design recognized by LEED certification will more than pay for themselves through substantially reduced aircraft fuel usage and cuts in terminal campus energy and water usage.

Recent examples of IAA sustainability initiatives in addition to the LEED certification process include relighting projects in the IND parking garage and at the Indianapolis Maintenance Center that produce combined yearly savings of more than $250,000 and annually reduce CO2 emissions by 5,233 metric tons, equivalent to removing more than 1,000 gasoline-powered cars from the city’s roads each year.

In May 2011, in partnership with Hendricks County Parks & Recreation, Sodalis Nature Park opened to the public. This park, located on IAA property, provides recreational and education opportunities for the community. It is located in IAA’s extensive conservation management area.

In November 2011, the IAA installed electric vehicle charging stations in its parking garage. Operated in conjunction with its valet service, the stations are available at no additional cost to passengers.

The IAA has also announced plans for the development of one of the largest airport-based solar farms in North America, which will annually produce more than 15 million kilowatt hours of power, enough to meet the electrical energy needs of more than 1,200 average American homes for a year. The renewable power it generates will prevent approximately 10,700 tons of CO2 from being released into the environment each year, roughly equivalent to removing 2,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road annually. The solar farm is expected to be completed early next year.

About the Indianapolis Airport Authority
The Indianapolis Airport Authority owns and operates Indiana’s largest airport system. In addition to Indianapolis International Airport, its facilities include the Downtown Heliport, Eagle Creek Airpark, Hendricks County Airport, Indianapolis Regional Airport, and Metropolitan Airport. IND has received several prestigious awards recognizing it as a leader within its class, including annual Airport Service Quality awards for performance excellence by Airports Council International. IND is the first airport in the U.S. to win LEED® certification for an entire terminal campus, and the airport has won recognition for excellent customer service, concessions programs, and art and architecture.

IND’s economic impact in Central Indiana is more than $3.3 billion annually, and about 10,000 people work at the airport each day. Benefitting from lower-than-average fares, IND serves more than 7 million business and leisure travelers each year and averages 135 daily nonstop flights to 34 destinations. Home of the world's second-largest FedEx Express operation and the nation’s eighth-largest cargo facility, IND is committed to becoming the airport system of choice for both passenger and cargo service. For more information, visit IND’s Facebook page at Indianapolis International Airport and Twitter page at @INDairport.

About U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building certification program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 44,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising more than 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 120 countries. In addition, nearly 16,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with more than 67,000 more homes registered.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. Learn more at usgbc.org.

FACTS AND FEATURES ABOUT IND’S LEED CERTIFICATION

• An abundance of natural light reduces electricity needs and offers visitors unfettered views of exterior surroundings. More than 75% of indoor public space receives controlled, natural daylight.
• An enveloping roof provides enough shade to reduce cooling costs while incorporating a myriad of skylights and adds to the natural, filtered light that enters the terminal at controlled solar-heating levels.
• Highly efficient heating and cooling systems feature floor-level pipes that localize climate control to areas that impact visitors. Continuous monitoring of the airport’s heating and cooling performance economically maintains temperature and humidity within established comfort ranges.
• Mitigation of airport byproducts, such as hydrocarbon emissions and deicing substances, by recapturing them or by subjecting them to a natural filtration process in which they are consumed by plants in bioswales or by microorganisms cultivated in detention ponds.
• An optimized midfield terminal location between the parallel runways dramatically cuts aircraft taxi times and, consequently, airline fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and passenger delays. Researchers from Purdue estimated the new terminal location saves airlines over 500,000 gallons in fuel annually because of reduced taxi time (~$1.5 million in savings at current jet fuel prices). This equates to reductions in carbon monoxide emissions of more than 45,000 kilograms, in hydrocarbon emissions of more than 5,100 kilograms, and in nitrogen oxide emissions of more than 6,700 kilograms.
• A Ground Transportation System located adjacent to the terminal to eliminate the need for rental car shuttles.
• Roadways designed to alleviate traffic congestion route visitors with less stop-andgo. A free cell phone lot allows drivers to save gas rather than circling while waiting to pick up arriving passengers.
• The airport has an ongoing program to protect, restore, and expand wetlands and endangered species habitats in the airport’s vicinity in ways compatible with an airport operating environment.
• Dust and erosion controls during construction exceeded EPA standards and reduced the Midfield Terminal project’s impact on water and air quality.
• The terminal features water-saving fixtures with automated controls that reduce use by more than 35% and decrease the facility’s use of waste-treatment resources.
• The construction process adopted voluntary, proactive steps to avoid compounds that contribute to ozone depletion – steps that, six years later, were encoded in state environmental regulations.
• The building and system design exceeded established energy-efficiency standards, reducing energy consumption by 18%.
• Recycling stations are located throughout the airport and channel waste into community recycling programs. During construction, the project’s waste-recycling program separated and diverted more than half of the project’s construction debris away from landfills for reuse elsewhere. The project also reused pavement rubble from demolished roads and taxiways as fill on-site. Overall, use of recycled materials in construction exceeded 27%, reducing raw material demand and often requiring less energy than materials derived “from scratch.”
• More than 68% of the project’s construction materials were sourced from regional manufacturers. Reliance on regional products supports local economies and reduces the impact of long-haul transport.
• More than 63% of the wood construction products used for the Midfield Terminal were certified from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which promotes responsible forest management globally by certifying forest products that meet rigorous sustainable forestry standards.
• The terminal meets established standards for ventilation to protect the quality of indoor air and is included in a campus-wide non-smoking policy. Automatic air monitors check levels of carbon dioxide and other indoor air contaminants to allow real-time ventilation adjustments and ensure access to fresh air. Dust control procedures are used at entryways and cleaning products and other chemicals are used only in specially ventilated areas.