LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS DEVELOPS GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE AIRPORT PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF ALL ITS PROJECTS

             (Los Angeles, California – September 23, 2008)  A comprehensive set of guidelines is being used by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to implement sustainable airport planning, design and construction of all its airport projects.  

The guidelines are contained in a new 288-page workbook called SustainableAirport Planning, Design and Construction Guidelines.  They were developed to facilitate integration of these concepts and practices into all projects at its four airports.  A “sustainable project” is one that focuses on environmental stewardship as well as economic growth and social responsibility.

“While initial costs for a sustainable project are usually more, the resulting benefits realized by the expenditure in terms of a better environment are greater,” said Roger Johnson, LAWA’s Deputy Executive Director responsible for Development, Facilities, Planning and Environment, and one of the book’s editors.     

            “These are applicable performance standards that can be utilized to integrate sustainable practices into all airport projects,”   Johnson said. “In fact, we are already receiving questions from other airport representatives about how to use our guidelines for their planned projects.”

            The guidelines combine newly-created, airport-specific sustainability performance standards with existing standards, guidelines and tools that have been modified for applicability to airport projects.

All activities involving general construction and maintenance, such as buildings and other facilities, roads, runways, taxiways, infrastructure and other civil projects, are covered by the guidelines.  The requirements are also incorporated in all LAWA’s bid documents, design specifications and construction contracts.

The guidelines include performance standards for each phase of a project - planning, design and construction.  Planning and design guidelines range from conducting sustainability planning meetings to site protection and restoration, water and wastewater reuse, and vegetation and wildlife management. 

The construction phase includes information on sustainable construction training, providing a final sustainable construction project report, implementing a sustainability inspection program, and construction scheduling and sequencings.

 “Project managers will find the guidelines helpful because they detail the benefits, required actions and targets, and the required documentation and strategies that need to be taken,”  Johnson said.  A rating system is used to measure and document a project’s success in achieving the performance standards.  The system tracks progress and documents achievements in implementing the sustainable planning, design and construction practices.

Johnson said the guidelines were subjected to extensive internal and external reviews throughout the preparation stage and “numerous comments and input were received and incorporated into the final product.”

Participants in the process included LAWA staff, other City of Los Angeles departments, architectural firms and contractors.  A portion of the guidelines are based on the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating systems, which were  created to guide development of high performance, healthy, durable, affordable and environmentally sound buildings.

LEED rating systems are used to certify the design, construction and renovation of a building as “green,” one that emphasizes environmental stewardship.

For additional information regarding LAWA’s Sustainable Airport Planning and Construction Guidelines workbook, call (310) 417-0693.   Electronic copies of the guidelines are available on LAWA’s web site athttp://www.lawa.org/sustainability.cfm.