While airports haven’t traditionally been associated with sustainable design, San Diego International Airport has long been a leader in this area. It was one of the first major airports in the U.S. to adopt a formal sustainability policy, is operated with the utmost respect for its unique natural setting – an urban center on the shore of San Diego Bay – and now, is undergoing a $1 billion improvement project called The Green Build, that exemplifies sustainable development. The Green Build will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification or its equivalent. Goals of the project’s sustainable design include decreased water usage, reduced energy consumption, use of alternative energy sources, emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources. Specific features include: New Building Elements - Low-flow water fixtures - Low-water-use landscaping - Maximum natural light - Energy-efficient artificial light - Enhanced building envelope/windows and shading - On-site renewable energy - Reflective (cool) roofs - Cool pavement - Energy Star equipment - Lighting/HVAC controls - Power and preconditioned air at jet gates, reducing need for auxiliary and/or ground power use - Charging stations for electric vehicles - Use of alternative fuel vehicles - Indoor chemical and pollutant source control - Indoor air quality management plan Construction Elements - Recycle & reuse building materials, including grinding up used concrete on-site and reusing in construction - Management of construction waste to divert from landfill - Use of regionally sourced materials (within 500 miles) - Use of equipment running on alternative fuels or with certified particulate traps - Use of low-emitting materials, adhesives & sealants In addition, the Airport Authority dedicated $45 million to remediate the land for The Green Build, formerly a landfill that contained household waste and contaminants. The Airport Authority navigated numerous hurdles to perform an innovative clean closure – under budget and on schedule – excavating the waste and disposing of it offsite at properly permitted disposal facilities. This landfill clean closure protected public health and enhanced the surrounding environment by removing a potential source of groundwater contaminants. This is one of the first clean closures on an airport site in the U.S. and sustainably provided the needed land for The Green Build.

Project Information

Project Address: 

San Diego International Airport, Harbor Drive, San Diego 92101

Project Owner/ Developer: 

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (with contractors Kiewit/Sundt [land side] and Turner/PCL/Flatiron [air side])

Owner Contact Name/ Email: 

Diana Lucero/dlucero@san.org

Project Architect/ Designer: 

URS (land side) and HNTB (air side)

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