UC Berkeley

The airport infrastructure system, which is comprised of runways, taxiways, aprons, and terminal buildings, air traffic control/surveillance, maintenance, and parking facilities, supports the global movement of passengers and goods. Although sustaining a vital mode of transportation, the system enacts a strain on Earth’s resources and emits pollutants that directly contribute to impacts on climate, human health, and ecosystems. This dissertation explores both impacts from and potential mitigation opportunities for the construction and operation of the airport infrastructure system. Opportunities for minimizing system impacts, such as electrification, are inspired by actions undertaken by existing airports and by the building sector. Integrative life-cycle methods are employed to comprehensively assess the scope of impacts from the airport infrastructure system.

A detailed review is conducted of the metrics and methods found in academic literature and used by industry professionals to assess the environmental sustainability of airports. Articles are grouped according to the six categories (Energy and Atmosphere, Comfort and Health, Water and Wastewater, Site and Habitat, Material and Resources, Multidimensional) of an existing airport sustainability assessment framework. A case study application of the framework is evaluated for its efficacy in yielding performance objectives, finding that an objective, evidence-based, quantitative framework is necessary. Prominent research themes include analyzing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from airfield pavements and energy management strategies for airport buildings. Research on water conservation, climate change resilience, and waste management is more limited, indicating that airport environmental accounting requires more analysis. A disconnect exists between research efforts and practices implemented by airports. Effective practices such as sourcing low-emission electricity and electrifying ground transportation and gate equipment can in the short-term aid airports in moving towards sustainability goals. Future research must emphasize stakeholder involvement, life-cycle assessment, linking environmental impacts with operational outcomes, and global challenges (e.g., resilience, climate change adaptation, mitigation of infectious diseases).

The scope of annual, life-cycle GHG emission savings associated with gate electrification is quantified for commercial airports at two scales: (1) the 24 busiest airports by aircraft movements and (2) the 2,354 airports that provide most of the commercial service in the world. Complete electrification could yield GHG reductions of 63%–97% per gate operation relative to current practice, with greater reductions correlated with low-carbon electricity. Economic payback periods average just 1–2 years. Shifting to complete gate electrification could save a high-traffic airport an average of $5–6 million in annual climate economic damages relative to estimates of current practice. 10–12 million metric tons of annual GHG emissions could be saved if most airports in the world electrified gate operations, costing the 24 busiest global airports on average $25–30, United States airports $60–70, and non-United States airports $80–90 per metric ton of CO2 mitigated, in some cases comparable to carbon-market prices. Annual GHG savings are on the order of 34 million metric tons relative to a worst-case scenario where all gate operations are powered by fossil fuel-combusting equipment. Environmental benefits depend primarily upon electricity sources and operational parameters such as aircraft fleet composition.

A novel decision-support tool is created that is intended to provide insight into the climate change and human health impacts from airport terminal and ancillary structure construction and operation. The tool, known as Airport Terminal Environmental Support Tool (ATEST), incorporates user input, default data, and life-cycle methods to estimate annual baseline and mitigated GHG and criteria air pollutant emissions for four modules. The modules are: (1) building/structure materials; (2) operational energy; (3) water and wastewater; and (4) solid waste management. Emissions are related to climate change and human health indicators, using the Tool for Reduction and Assessment of Chemicals and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) impact factors. Annual operating costs and monetized climate change damages are also calculated for each module. The tool is tested on various hub airports in the United States to assess its efficacy in yielding varying results.

This dissertation adds to the wider body of knowledge on sustainability of infrastructure systems by incorporating life-cycle methods to assess environmental and economic impacts from the construction and operation of airports. Evidence-based frameworks and holistic analysis will support and improve the decision making for airport environmental management, sustainability, and facility planning teams, as well as for other stakeholders including airlines, transportation planners, and regulators. Improved insight will allow for stakeholders to make decisions that will result in less energy- and emissions-intensive airports.