Orlando International Airport (MCO) said this week it plans to target LEED®v4 certification for its upcoming South Terminal C, the highest level of sustainability grade for buildings for energy efficiency, indoor air quality and resiliency.
If successful, the new South Terminal C, which includes the train station, will be one of the first LEED®v4 airport campuses in the world, indicating MCO has achieved certification for resiliency, use of renewables, energy efficiency, water efficiency, emission, materials, indoor air quality and environmental social and governance policy.
“It was critical from the start that however we expanded our footprint we did so in an environmentally-sound way,” said Davin Ruohomaki, senior director of construction and engineering for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), operator of MCO. “Our construction efforts to the south have included targeted steps to align with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED®v4 certification requirements.”
Specific measures implemented include a targeted 35 percent reduction in potable water use through efficient fixtures, faucets, and equipment, a targeted 25 percent reduction in energy costs with focus on the thermal performance of the buildings envelop as well as optimal design in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
The project also utilizes refrigerants that function with minimal to zero global warming potential and ozone depletion potential, and the installation of a floating solar array in the retention pond near the entrance of the nearby parking garage.
