LGA Terminal B Becomes First Airport Project to Receive LEED v4 Gold Certification

New York, N.Y. – July 15, 2021 – Today, LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private entity managing and redeveloping LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, announced that Terminal B has been awarded LEED v4 Gold certification for the completed phases of the new terminal which encompasses the Arrivals & Departures Hall, Eastern Concourse, Eastern Pedestrian Bridge and the Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant.

LaGuardia Terminal B is the first airport project in the world to achieve the stringent LEED v4 Gold certification for building design and construction. The project includes a mix of sustainable strategies which met specific benchmarks provided for energy efficiency, water conservation, site selection, material selection, and waste reduction. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), as developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and has become an international symbol of excellence for projects that achieve a LEED certification.

LaGuardia Gateway Partners along with partners, Vantage Airport Group, Meridiam, Skanska, Walsh Group, HOK and WSP, kept sustainability top of mind in both the design of the terminal and during construction. Following the demolition of the old parking garage, 99 percent of debris was recycled into materials for new construction. To reduce summer cooling loads and greenhouse gas emissions, Terminal B’s roof was covered with a light-colored aluminum membrane that reflects solar heat more effectively than conventional materials. With a technology-based Building Management System, LGP is able to optimize the performance of heating and cooling by supplying the right amount of fresh air when and where it’s needed. Additionally, the baggage handling system moves only when bags are present on the system and goes into ‘sleep mode’ when not in use, saving at least 37 percent of energy compared to airports using older technology.

Rick Cotton, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said, “Achieving LEED v4 Gold status at Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport under the stringent version 4 requirements underscores our commitment to live up to ever higher sustainability targets as we completely transform LaGuardia from the ground up. We committed in 2018 to meet the Paris climate accord standards and we will continue to upgrade our sustainability targets to be consistent with President Biden’s recent enhanced climate goals.”

Magnus Eriksson, Executive Vice President of Skanska Asset Management and Chairman of the Board of Directors of LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said, “Skanska has a long, proud history of leadership in sustainable development and construction. We are honored to have played a significant role in ensuring the new LaGuardia Terminal B serves as a beacon for responsible and sustainable infrastructure, while also providing a world-class passenger experience for the people of New York.”

George Casey, Chair & CEO, Vantage Airport Group and Board Member, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said, “This LEED Gold certification is another important milestone to celebrate in the delivery of the new Terminal B, a world-class airport terminal that offers an exceptional passenger experience and minimizes environmental impacts. Energy-efficient design and construction practices and airport operating procedures are critical components of every Vantage airport project, and we are proud of the commitment to sustainability shared by our partners at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and LGP in our development and management of Terminal B.”

Jane Garvey, Global Chairman, Meridiam and Board Member, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said, “The LEED Gold certification of LaGuardia Terminal B marks an exciting new milestone in the new terminal’s story of innovation and impact, championed into reality by Governor Cuomo and the PANYNJ. Delivering long-term, sustainable infrastructure has been at the heart of Meridiam’s DNA since inception and today’s announcement truly goes to the core of our vision for a 21st-century airport.”

Stewart Steeves, CEO, LaGuardia Gateway Partners, said, “LaGuardia Gateway Partners prioritized
sustainability throughout the redevelopment project by building Terminal B to be as energy-efficient as possible. As the long-term operators of Terminal B, we continue to look for ways to reduce our carbon footprint — most recently by transitioning away from single-use plastic straws. I’m thrilled that we’ve been recognized by the U.S. Green Buildings Council with LEED v4 Gold designation for the project. We’re grateful for our partners at the Port Authority, Vantage Airport Group, Meridiam, and Skanska for their leadership in making this possible.”

In addition to earning the LEED v4 Gold designation, the Terminal B redevelopment project was also
awarded the first Envision Platinum Award for commitment to sustainable practices and resiliency from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) in 2019.

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About LaGuardia Gateway Partners
LaGuardia Gateway Partners was selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to deliver an extensive capital redevelopment project at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B that will provide world-class terminal facilities and operations for passengers and airlines.

LaGuardia Gateway Partners is composed of Vantage Airport Group, Skanska, Meridiam, and JLC
Infrastructure for development and equity investment. Vantage Airport Group leads the redevelopment program and management of Terminal B, with Skanska Walsh as the design-build joint venture and HOK and WSP for design.

LaGuardia Gateway Partners’ members have worked on more than 350 aviation and transportation
projects globally and domestically, including international airports in New York (John F. Kennedy),
Chicago, Doha, Delhi, Los Angeles, Santiago, and Nassau. For more information, visit www.laguardiaB.com or follow on Twitter at @terminalBLGA

About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a healthy, resilient and equitable future for all through the development of green buildings, cities and communities. For more than 20 years, USGBC has been advancing green building practices through the development of LEED, the world’s most widely used green building program. With the support of thousands of members, volunteers and partners, USGBC provides robust green building education courses, a rigorous professional credentialing program, and advocates for effective public policies. It convenes an international network of green building and sustainability leaders through the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, and forward-thinking programs, including the Center for Green Schools. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.