Travelers using LaGuardia Airport have been tormented by severe traffic delays with congestion backing up onto the Grand Central Parkway in recent weeks. Wild weather has caused delays and cancellations while the massive renovation project continues into its third year.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for the nation’s 21st busiest airport. The LaGuardia Airport Terminal B redevelopment project was awarded the Envision Platinum award, recognizing the project for its industry leading approach to sustainability and resilience.
The award is the highest level of recognition within The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) awards program. Projects are evaluated based on a robust set of criteria, including traditional factors, such as reducing emissions, recycling materials and using renewable energy sources, as well as more holistic indicators of social and economical sustainability such as minimizing construction impacts, providing employment opportunities for local residents, resilient design and improving mobility and access.
“We are honored to receive the Envision Platinum awards for our work in redesigning Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport,” LaGuardia Gateway Partners CEO Stewart Steeves said. “Since day one, our priority has been building a terminal that offers a first-class guest experience and has a minimal environmental footprint. We’ve worked closely with Skanska-Walsh to create a design and construction approach that allows us to revamp Terminal B is a sustainable fashion, and this award demonstrates our overall commitment to this goal.”
LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the private entity operating and redeveloping the $4 billion Terminal B construction project, brought on Skanska-Walsh on the design build joint venture. The project is the first to receive The Envision Platinum recognition from ISI under its newly updated Envision V3 framework.
“This recognition reflects the passion and commitment of the Port Authority, LaGuardia Gateway Partners and the entire team to deliver an instant landmark and an intelligent investment,” Skanska USA Chief Sustainability Officer Beth Heider said. “As both a construction and long-term development partner, Skanska is proud of Envision’s verification that this project is bringing measurable, long-term benefit to those who frequent Terminal B, and to the planet at large.”
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey selected LaGuardia Gateway Partners to deliver the redevelopment project.
“As the first transportation agency to embrace the Paris Climate Agreement, the Port Authority is committed to best practices in reducing its carbon footprint at the brand-new LaGuardia Airport as well as our other facilities,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “Sustainable design and construction are critically important in our work to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases. We are delighted with this recognition of the high bar the Port Authority has set for its sustainability efforts.”
