AIRPORT COMMISSIONERS ADOPT ‘SUSTAINABILITY VISION AND PRINCIPLES’

(Los Angeles, California—August 6, 2007) The Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) today unanimously adopted a sustainability vision and principles relating to its commitment to efficient and environmentally sound operations at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

The set of principles includes a commitment to setting airport standards for environmental performance, customer satisfaction and security, regional economic leadership and organizational performance.

"LAWA, as the international gateway and economic engine to this region, is committed to work continuously to improve our economic performance, environmental stewardship and social responsibly performance in keeping with our position as a global aviation leader," said Alan Rothenberg, BOAC President. "These principles affirm LAWA’s leadership role in these areas."

Specifically, the principles call for LAWA:

• Becoming an innovative and national model in implementing environmental solutions.
• Taking responsibility for improving national operational sustainability.
• Increasing LAWA business value through improved sustainable performance.
• Engaging stakeholders to better understand and address their concerns.
• Incorporating sustainability design and construction practices in the development of its airport system.
• Monitoring and measuring progress through LAWA’s sustainability performance improvement management system.

"By building on our core business model and values, we will engage our employees, tenants, customers and communities in an effort to continually improve our environmental, economic and social performance. This policy recognizes LAWA’s significance as one of the most important economic engines in the Southern California region, while also recognizing our need to mitigate the impacts of our operations on our neighbors and the environment," Rothenberg said

"LAWA will foster stewardship and continual performance improvements at all levels by complying with applicable requirements, integrating sustainable practices into our operations and administrative processes, communicating our endeavors and following those principles adopted today by the BOAC," said Roger Johnson, LAWA Deputy Executive Director for Environmental Services.  "This policy is being adopted in response to the Mayor’s Executive Directive No. 10 “Sustainable Practices in the City of Los Angeles” and Green LA plan, and the Los Angeles City Council Greening LAX Motion,"  Johnson said. 

The BOAC in January adopted a policy requiring new remodeling and tenant improvement construction projects at LAWA facilities to include design and contributive elements that comply with or are substantially consistent with the highest possible Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, or their practical equivalents.

Additionally the BOAC required that, should the U.S. Green Building Council standards specifically applicable to airport facilities, LAWA would formally pursue the highest practical LEED certification for all projects planned and built after adoption of those standards.

In addition, LAWA staff was directed to develop a comprehensive sustainability program that addresses all environmental aspects of LAWA’s operations. The Sustainability Vision and Principles adopted today address  that BOAC policy.

LAWA is the City department that owns and operates four Southern California airports; Los Angeles International, LA/Ontario International, LA/Palmdale Regional and Van Nuys airports.