January/February 2024 - 39

SUSTAINABILITY
and systems within community facilities,
like airports, to understand how
they're performing and where there's
opportunity for improvement. At this
stage, leaders will gain a better sense of
what's operating efficiently, what's not,
and where to focus their energy. Often,
investments will align with specific goals
the locality is committed to - whether
that's reaching net zero carbon emissions,
saving energy, improving indoor air
quality, providing a best-in-class travel
experience, or any number of other
desired outcomes. Once leaders have a
solid grasp of their current status and
have aligned on their end goals, they can
outline next steps and develop a plan for
progress. Critically, partners are vital at
this stage to help leaders identify what
risks may come up along the way, such
as system downtime or temporarily
displacing travelers while retrofits are
underway, and how to navigate these
obstacles. Additionally, they'll help
match leaders with the right tools for
any given job, drawing from their broad
knowledge of the latest technologies,
efficiencies, and innovative solutions
for various use cases.
Financing
After the assessment period is complete,
local government owners need to determine
how they'll fund these upgrades.
Importantly, and contrary to popular
belief, airports are charged with operating
self-sustainably and often receive
little support from taxpayers, so owners
of these facilities need to find other ways
to fund infrastructure enhancements.
While steep costs are one of the top
deterrents keeping owners from completing
necessary renovations, there are
alternative financing options that minimize
upfront costs and make it possible to
advance green efforts on a tighter budget.
Airport stakeholders don't have to wait
until they have excess capital to dive
into sustainability projects - they can
start improving their space for travelers,
employees, and communities right away
with the help of innovative financing.
For instance, performance contracts
allow building owners to pay
for improvements through operating
budgets or savings generated - particularly
energy savings - typically without
an expensive upfront investment. This
financing model ensures predictability
since the outside partner pays the
difference if guaranteed savings don't
accrue, transferring some of the financial
risk away from local leaders. This
arrangement reduces the burden on
public budgets and helps cities, counties,
and states preserve precious capital.
It also gives local leaders a partner who
can shoulder some of the responsibilities
for decision-making and outcomes.
Contingent payment programs are also
available, in which a government partners
with a private partner who takes
on the risk of financing infrastructure
projects. Upon completion, airports can
make scheduled quarterly payments over
a set term to maintain a flatlined budget.
Public-private partnerships are a third
financing model in which government
leaders can collaborate with private entities
to complete infrastructure upgrades.
Often, private partners will take the lead,
driving projects forward through every
step from design to construction and
beyond. On the financing side, private
entities can help public building owners
decide how best to fund sustainability
projects and take advantage of relevant
tax credits, rebates, and other incentives.
These partnerships accelerate project
success because the two entities can pool
their resources, expertise, and funding
- bringing sustainable community buildings
to life more efficiently.
Implementation/
Maintenance
Once government leaders have assessed
their airport's existing infrastructure,
developed a game plan to tackle upgrades
and locked in financing, what happens
next? Whether the renovations are
geared toward protecting the environment,
improving occupant wellbeing,
reducing safety risks, or anything else
top of mind, partners can help with the
implementation of " analog " measures or
digital technologies to address each of
these categories. They'll also help leaders
get more fidelity from the data they're
collecting to make better decisions for
their communities. Rather than viewing
sustainability projects as " set it and forget
it " activities, leaders also need to use
technology to continuously benchmark
their progress and track against the goals
they established in the assessment phase.
Finally, the last (and ongoing) stage of a
project is to stay on top of maintenance
needs, which will prevent unexpected,
costly repairs in the future and reduce
overall system downtime.
The Denver International Airport
is a prime case study of what's possible
for retrofits, with its integrated, visual
public address (PA) systems that update
passengers on everything from airline,
transportation, baggage, hotel accommodations,
and safety. Advanced technology
and infrastructure allow data
from airport networks to seamlessly
communicate, and its state-of-the-art
central utility plant is saving the airport
electricity and drastically reducing its
carbon output.
Today's local government leaders
have a responsibility to ensure the infrastructure
and systems in publicly owned
buildings, like airports, align with their
mission and operate efficiently. This
is a matter of urgency, since outdated
systems drain economic resources, hike
up costs, and negatively impact occupant
experiences. 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
LISA BROWN
As the Senior Director for
Government Infrastructure
and Smart Communities
at Johnson Controls, Lisa
Brown is responsible
for growth of the local
government & smart
communities market
globally, including the development of strategies,
offerings and innovations for local government
service and systems markets. Brown is a
recognized thought leader in smart buildings.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 \ AVIATIONPROS.COM / 39
http://www.AVIATIONPROS.COM
January/February 2024

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