LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS’ ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER TO PARTICIPATE IN SUSTAINABLE AIRFIELDS WORKSHOP IN ATLANTA

Los Angeles, California (February 22, 2010) - Robert Freeman, manager of the Environmental Services Division at Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), will serve as a   panelist on the Sustainable Airfields workshop during a three-day Planning Design and Construction Symposium in Atlanta.  The symposium, to be held in theOmniCNNCenter on Feb. 24-26, is being sponsored by the America Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and Airports Consultants Council (ACC).

            The symposium will highlight the latest tools, methods, concepts and ideas for airport development and operation.  Five concurrent technical workshops are scheduled under five tracks: planning, terminals/landside, airside/engineering, and construction management/program management, “but this is the first time a track on sustainability will be offered which replaces the former environmental track,” Freeman said.

            Freeman and his fellow workshop participants will exchange ideas and opinions on initiatives that make airfield construction projects more implementable. They will also discuss details of their projects and engage the audience to ask specific questions on how these projects where successfully implemented.

             “In some instances, understanding what did not work is just as valuable of a lesson allowing airport operators, contractors and consultants to plan for future projects to achieve even greater sustainable projects,” Freeman said.

            Each participant will present a case study of a specific airside construction project from different regions of the United States. Presenters will focus on describing the sustainability aspects of these airside construction projects. As part of the discussion, presenters will describe the “low hanging” fruit and how they determined that the project was a sustainable success

            Freeman noted that “LAWA has become an acknowledged leader in the area of sustainable airfields and has developed a comprehensive notebook called ‘Sustainable Airport Planning, Design and Construction Guidelines’ on this very subject.”           

         The guidelines, which serve as a tool for LAWA to successfully carry out its sustainability policy, provide 137 required and optional performance standards – 97 in the planning and design phase and 40 in the construction phase. The guidelines are applicable to all types of airport projects, from general construction and maintenance to buildings.

            Freeman’s LAWA Environmental Services Division is responsible for all environmental issues at LAWA’s three airports, including ensuring compliance with various local, state, and federal environmental regulations pertaining to air quality, water quality and hazardous materials management.  He also manages LAWA’s noise mitigation and monitoring programs.

            Founded in 1928, AAAE is the world's largest professional organization for airport executives, representing thousands of airport management personnel at public-use commercial and general aviation airports.  AAAE's members represent approximately 850 airports and hundreds of companies and organizations that support airports.

            Los Angeles World Airports owns and operates three airports:  Los Angeles International; the sixth busiest airport in the world; and LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys airports.