Sustainability

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is committed to plan for and provide air transportation facilities that are safe, effective and environmentally friendly.  Planners have made implementation of sustainable design one of the goals of the Terminal Development Program.  The success of this endeavor will be measured by applying Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation with the intent of receiving a LEED Gold certification.   This is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. 

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Some of the key opportunities for incorporating sustainable design principles and LEED guidelines into the Terminal Development Program:

• Incorporating recycled materials, both materials removed during demolition of the existing site and building, and new products that incorporate recycled content.
• Reducing water usage through careful selection of plant materials and specification of fixtures and equipment which use less water, and possibly reclaiming and treating gray water to use for irrigation.
• Selecting exterior materials for the building which admit natural light and views, while affording high levels of insulation to moderate heat gain and/or loss.
• Relying on daylight rather than electric lighting when possible, and requiring high-efficiency light fixtures and controls.
• Using high-efficiency electric motors, low-loss transformers and other energy-efficient light fixtures and controls.
• Evaluating opportunities for on-site power generation, co-generation or other approaches to meeting electrical demand.
• Considering programs which engage airport employees in the sustainable design process, such as using alternate fuel vehicles or establishing a green housekeeping program.