Reconciling Thermal Comfort, Carbon Reduction, and Climate Resilience in Aviation Infrastructure: Emerging Integrative Strategies for Airports
Presentation Type
Long presentation (faculty/staff) 15-20 minutes
In Person or Zoom Presentation
In-Person
Campus
Worldwide
Status
Faculty
Faculty/Staff Department
Aeronautical Science
Presentation Description/Abstract
Airports are among the most energy-intensive and operationally constrained assets in the built environment, operating under stringent safety, security, and comfort requirements. Large-volume terminals, complex systems, and critical infrastructure result in high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while limiting conventional energy management flexibility. Yet, airports represent opportunities for integrated decarbonization and climate resilience at scale. This paper examines emerging tools on how airports can align three interdependent objectives: carbon reduction, climate resilience, and occupant thermal comfort. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature and case evidence, it conceptualizes airports as socio-technical systems requiring coordinated interventions across building envelope performance, HVAC systems, hybrid energy infrastructure, digital optimization, and governance frameworks. Strategies such as high-performance façades, passive load reduction, radiant and displacement ventilation, occupancy-based controls, and on-site renewable integration are evaluated for their dual mitigation–comfort benefits. The paper analyzes hybrid architectures including photovoltaics, battery storage, combined heat and power, and thermal energy storage as mechanisms to couple emissions reduction with operational continuity during grid disruptions. Artificial intelligence-enabled building management systems and predictive analytics are highlighted for their capacity to optimize energy with indoor environmental quality. The study demonstrates how design, resilient systems, and formal governance commitments can operationalize a holistic sustainability framework for airport infrastructure.
Keywords
Aviation infrastructure; Airports; Carbon Reduction; Climate Resilience, Thermal comfort, hybrid energy, microgrids, AI, sustainability
Reconciling Thermal Comfort, Carbon Reduction, and Climate Resilience in Aviation Infrastructure: Emerging Integrative Strategies for Airports
Airports are among the most energy-intensive and operationally constrained assets in the built environment, operating under stringent safety, security, and comfort requirements. Large-volume terminals, complex systems, and critical infrastructure result in high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while limiting conventional energy management flexibility. Yet, airports represent opportunities for integrated decarbonization and climate resilience at scale. This paper examines emerging tools on how airports can align three interdependent objectives: carbon reduction, climate resilience, and occupant thermal comfort. Drawing on interdisciplinary literature and case evidence, it conceptualizes airports as socio-technical systems requiring coordinated interventions across building envelope performance, HVAC systems, hybrid energy infrastructure, digital optimization, and governance frameworks. Strategies such as high-performance façades, passive load reduction, radiant and displacement ventilation, occupancy-based controls, and on-site renewable integration are evaluated for their dual mitigation–comfort benefits. The paper analyzes hybrid architectures including photovoltaics, battery storage, combined heat and power, and thermal energy storage as mechanisms to couple emissions reduction with operational continuity during grid disruptions. Artificial intelligence-enabled building management systems and predictive analytics are highlighted for their capacity to optimize energy with indoor environmental quality. The study demonstrates how design, resilient systems, and formal governance commitments can operationalize a holistic sustainability framework for airport infrastructure.