The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected a sustainable design for new air traffic control towers that will be used primarily at municipal and smaller airports in the US.
The design – by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) of New York – meets key sustainability requirements and means that the tower height can be adjusted to meet each airport’s traffic and sightline requirements, while also reducing construction and operational costs.
Key sustainability elements incorporated in the design include:
- All-electric building systems
- Materials and products free from chemicals known to pose health risks
- A thermally efficient façade
- High-recycled steel and metal products
- Use of renewable mass timber where possible
- Ground-source heating and cooling in some environments.
“These new air traffic control towers will mean that smaller airports can handle more flights, more sustainably and more affordably,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “I look forward to seeing this design go from the drawing board to construction sites across the country, helping our nation’s airports support more travellers, grow their local economies and prepare for the future of low-carbon aviation.”
The FAA’s specifications for the design included standardised elements to reduce construction and operational costs while allowing the building to be tailored to local climate and location issues such as very high and very low temperatures, wet and dry environments, and high winds.
The initial set of 31 control towers will replace towers that are functioning beyond their intended design life. The new towers will range in height from 60 to 119ft. The FAA has set aside more than $500m from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support site evaluation, preparation, and early construction activities.
The first groundbreaking could begin in 2024.
Images: Federal Aviation Administration
