Airport Experience® News - ACDBE 2023

L ATES T BUZ Z

Right: An exterior redesign is part of the $800 million SDF Next program

Left: In 2021, SDF broke ground on a geothermal system. Once completed, the system is expected to cut carbon emissions by 80% and use 40% less energy than the airport’s legacy heating and cooling system

carbon emissions by 80% and use 40% less energy than the airport’s legacy heating and cooling system, saving $400,000 a year in operating costs. “It saves money and cuts emissions,” says Mann, “but it’s also really efficient to maintain the life of the systems longer.”With the completion of the geothermal system, SDF will be able to remove its space-hogging legacy HVAC units and make room for more parking and de-icing facilities, which Mann notes is “a win-win on every level.” Also in progress are customer centric upgrades to the TSA security checkpoint, which include high-tech innovations like electrochromic glass panels that work in tandem with the airport’s geothermal system. The airport is also upgrading restrooms. “That’s a really important space for passengers,” says McClimon, adding, “everybody gets off the plane and that’s where they go first.” Finally, extended runways and taxi areas are also in the works to better serve SDF as the third-busiest cargo hub in the United States. “UPS was really involved in our master planning process,” says Mann, adding that “everything we look at for cargo is about how to become more efficient.”

Louisville landmark photographs. Photos are incorporated into the pedestrian access tunnels to the rental car facility. “One of the college teams came through SDF, and they stopped and hovered around one of the images [we installed],” says Alliiance project designer Michael McClimon. “They were pointing at it and talking about the photo, and I think that’s an example of these really nice moments of we have of connecting with people with Louisville stories.” Mann adds that in looking to distill great travel experiences, SDF andAlliiance also took

inspiration from other airports like Portland International Airport (PDX) for the airport operations command center, as well Boise Airport (BOI), Indianapolis International Airport (IND) and Nashville International Airport (BNA), “and we adopted those lessons to our model,” says Mann. One of the key priorities SDF took from other airports was a focus on upgrading sustainability across facilities, deciding to build a geothermal system of 648 wells as a means for reducing emissions and the hub’s energy spend. Once completed, the geothermal system is expected to cut

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