ICT Tools for Green Airport Development

The paper reports the results of a study focused on ICT methods and tools for the evaluation of the project compliance with the green building requirements during all stages of the design process. The application case study is the new Terminal 4 of Leonardo da Vinci airport of Fiumicino. The design of complex infrastructures such as airports points out the need to develop methods and operational ICT tools for project integration. To increase the ability to plan, manage, control and support effectively and efficiently the green goals are to be considered throughout the whole project performance during life. Also the possibility to diminish the resources consumption in the established time frame and to lower costs is to be considered in advance during the design process. The application of procedures and automated tools to validate design in terms of performance, comfort and quality perceived by the users, can improve the overall project performance and reduce the environmental impact of the final product. The study result is the electronic Green Airport Manual which defines ICT methods and tools to comply with the project strategies of green airports and to establish performance targets. The Manual contains Assessment ICT Forms and Automated Checklists: such tools allow a consistent data organization support decision-making process in the design phase (Decision Support Systems - DSS). As a consequence, it is possible to implement the information sharing system of the inventory database, which is the basis of Building Information Modeling and Integrated Project Delivery methods. These tested tools are flexible and upgradeable, can be customized to be implemented, allow the base reduction of errors in design and increase environmental quality. The result is an ICT-supported method which allows the green design by a collaborative management approach and the achievement of feedback throughout the development of an intervention program, both involving the peer-based participation of public clients, users, designers and enterprises even since the early stages of decision-making. Possible future developments of the research are aimed at the improvement of automated performance management in which the indication of functional needs, requirements and specific performance are supported by BIM(M) tools for project integration.