GrADE - Green Airport Design Evaluation. Methods and tools for the environmental sustainability appraisal at the early stage of international civil airport design

The research is focused on the evaluation process of airport project compliance with green building requirements during preliminary stages of project design. The primary aim of the research was to develop method and tools to check and evaluate the sustainability design performances since the early stage of project development. Airports can be constrained by environmental issues which restrict current operations and limit future potential growth. It is necessary to consider all the specific factors involved in airport design that can have an influence upon the environmental consequences of its subsequent operations and therefore impact upon integrated sustainability strategies. Life cycle and long-term planning of airport infrastructures demand a systemic approach to meet the need for change through better definition of the design process and compliance with green building requirements. The research defined specific method and tools enabling both design project control and sustainability appraisal. The method is based on systematic process, linked to the development of sustainability indicators that would inform a site-wide approach to the design of airport infrastructure. GrADE method and tools will contribute in achieving the goal of sustainable development of airport infrastructure providing a methodological framework to measure and monitor environmental sustainability performance and creating new opportunities for the aviation regulatory organisations and airport operators to define architectural and technological strategies to enhance sustainable airport infrastructure design.