April 2019
O'Hare's South Air Traffic Control Tower achieves LEED Gold certification
CHICAGO 鈥� Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) celebrated Earth Day by joining the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Federal Aviation Administration to receive the award of LEED Gold certification on the South Air Traffic Control Tower at O鈥橦are International Airport. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and provides awards based on a suite of standards for the environmentally sustainable design, construction and operation of buildings.
Built by Walsh Construction and designed by EXP, the South Air Traffic Control Tower is one of the first LEED Gold-certified air traffic control towers in the U.S.
鈥淥n top of Chicago being ranked the nation's greenest city two years in a row, O鈥橦are 鈥攐ur gateway to the world 鈥� is taking active strides to be one of the greenest airports in the world,鈥� said Mayor Emanuel. 鈥淭his tower鈥檚 prestigious LEED Gold certification is further proof of this city's commitment to building a 21st-century economy and fostering opportunities to make sustainability part of the Chicago experience.鈥�
鈥淥鈥橦are鈥檚 South Air Traffic Control Tower is central to our ongoing airfield modernization effort, dedicated to improving the safety, efficiency and connectivity of our leading global hub," said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee.
The $40 million project's sustainable features include:
- Green Roof: One of the newest green roofs in O鈥橦are鈥檚 nearly 12-acre inventory, the vegetated roof on the base building serves to reduce the heating and cooling demand of the facility, reduce the overall urban heat island effect of the airport, and aids in stormwater retention.
- Geothermal System: The geothermal system, the first of its kind at O鈥橦are, utilizes constant temperatures below the earth鈥檚 surface to generate energy and optimize the efficiency of the building鈥檚 heating and cooling systems.
- Locally-sourced Materials: The reinforced concrete structure enabled the materials to be sourced locally, allowing construction to be both cost- and time-efficient, while limiting impacts to the environment that result from material transportation.
- People-first Design: The 鈥渋nverted core鈥� design puts offices, stairs, and the elevator in the perimeter of the building, allowing staff to occupy spaces that gain southern exposure to daylight, further reducing electricity demands during daylight hours, and improving the work environment for staff.
- Reduced Energy and Water Use: All sustainable features combined (geothermal, green roof, low emissivity glass, and low-flow, efficient plumbing) reduced energy usage by 25% and water usage by 40%, as compared to a traditional control tower design.