The facility, which will open in 2024, won an Energy and Operational Carbon Design Merit award from the US Green Building Council’s Los Angeles chapter (USGBC-LA). Operator Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) coordinated efforts with LAX ConRAC Partners (LAXCP), the project’s design, build, finance, operate and maintain (DBFOM) consortium led by Fengate. Together, they have positively affected the local community by operating sustainably and balancing economic, social and environmental responsibilities. To date, the project has created more than 5,000 jobs and $200m in wages for the local workforce.
The win follows news of the project receiving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold v4 certification from USGBC’s national assembly.
“The US Green Building Council is a global leader in sustainable building design, consistently setting the bar for best practices. To have Council’s national and local chapters recognise LAX’s ConRAC facility with distinctions is incredibly significant and demonstrates that our mission to promote environmental, social and economic sustainability across LAWA is having real positive impact,” said Bea Hsu, interim chief executive officer at LAWA.
The ConRAC facility achieves a 36% energy use reduction and an operational carbon reduction of 1,220,000 pounds per year solely due to efficiency, with additional carbon savings gained through sustainable electrification measures, reduction of heat island effect and alternative transportation options.
By relocating rental car companies into a single location adjacent to the 405 freeway – as well as providing a direct connection to LAX’s Automated People Mover (APM) train system – the ConRAC will eliminate approximately 3,200 daily shuttle trips, alleviating traffic congestion on local streets and around the airport’s Central Terminal Area.
A 4.8MW photovoltaic solar panel array integrated into the ConRAC’s façades, roofs and parking canopies will produce 8,400MWh of electricity annually. This power will be sent directly to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) via the department’s Feed in Tariff (FiT) programme. Additional energy efficiency and carbon footprint reductions are achieved through the building’s envelope design, that reduces cooling loads; an HVAC system that minimises wasted energy; high-efficiency lighting and a unique control system invented specifically for the ConRAC that eliminates miles of wire, plastic and other materials; and a cleaner grid in the site area that facilitates an all-electric project, significantly reducing operational carbon.
