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IND Midfield Terminal complex wins prestigious LEED® green building certification

11/11/11

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) is pleased to announce that the Indianapolis International Airport’s (IND) Midfield Terminal complex has earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. IND is the first airport in the U.S. 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.

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, costs associated with pursuing LEED certification will more than pay for themselves through substantially reduced aircraft fuel usage and cuts in terminal campus energy and water usage.

“Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The Midfield Terminal project efficiently uses our natural resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will tremendously benefit future generations to come.”

“On today’s third anniversary of the Midfield Terminal opening, we are reminded of the decades-long foresight and strategic planning that were required to create the award- winning, internationally recognized airport we now enjoy,” said John D. Clark III, executive director and CEO of the IAA. “I congratulate our team for achieving a milestone that recognizes our Board’s vision and commitment to making sustainability a part of that process and for helping to create a facility that will serve the Central Indiana region for many years to come.”

“Practicing sound sustainability processes helps us improve the quality of life in our community while becoming more competitive,” he added. “We are grateful to receive LEED certification but mindful that it is one example of our ongoing commitment to create the airport system of choice through sustainable innovations that increase the value we bring to our employees, our customers, our business partners, and our neighbors.”

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 (IMC) 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.

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 by the middle of next year.

About the Authority

The Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) owns and operates Indiana’s largest airport system. In addition to Indianapolis International Airport (IND), 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. It was named the 2010 best North American airport by J.D. Power and Associates and best airport in North America by Airports Council International as part of its annual Airport Service Quality awards for performance excellence. The airport has received numerous other awards since the new terminal opened in 2008, including 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. With some of the lowest fares in the U.S., IND serves more than 7 million business and leisure travelers each year and averages 140 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.

About U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

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 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. 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. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.

For more information, visit www.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-and- go. 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%, diverting waste from landfills, 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 maintains 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.