First LEED-Certified Airport Terminal – Boston

The new Delta Air Lines ‘Terminal A’ at Logan International Airport in Boston has achieved an environmental milestone as the world’s first air terminal to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The terminal, the first to be built since 9/11, was designed by architecture firm HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum), using Massport’s 2001 guidelines for sustainable airport construction. The facility maximizes sustainable building methods and technologies, overcoming the significant obstacles inherent in bringing green design to airports. To combat the accelerated heat island effect and stormwater runoff issues typically caused by impervious surfaces on runways, parking lots and large roofs areas, for example, Terminal A features a roofing membrane and paving designed to reflect heat from the building and special stormwater filtration devices to remove suspended solids and total phosphorous.

Some of the project’s other sustainable strategies include: water-efficient plumbing and irrigation; extensive daylighting and high-insulation glass; energy-efficient electric lighting; construction waste recycling; and the use of recycled, local materials. These approaches take on particular significance when considering the large scale of the facility, which encompasses more than 640,000 square feet. With 10% of all materials on the job coming from recycled sources and 75% of construction waste being reused, recycled or otherwise diverted from area landfills, the project has saved many thousands of tons of raw materials.

Designed to be a national model for passenger-friendly and environmentally responsible airport facilities, the terminal pays particular attention to indoor environmental quality. Daylight is a primary focus of the terminal’s design, striking a careful balance between the benefits of exterior light and undesirable glare. Special measures were taken to control construction contaminates from adversely affecting the indoor environment. Adhesives, sealants, paints and carpets were specified to have very limited or no volatile organic compounds.

The terminal also integrates the latest government-mandated screening systems, with 100 percent of outbound baggage screened and a single central passenger security checkpoint to reinforce clarity in passenger movement and to optimize security procedures.

Kent Turner, HOK New York’s Director of Transportation, states, “This project represented a wonderful opportunity to design a world-class, highly functional new facility at Logan. As the first sustainable structure there, it establishes a new standard for architecture at the airport. We commend Delta and MassPort for their vision in taking this step.”

HOK is a global architectural firm that is long known for its emphasis on sustainable design.