Are airports prepared to meet the challenges of climate change? This important topic will be featured during a session on climate change adaptation at the upcoming Airports Going Green conference.
According to the Transportation Research Board, 70 percent of airport delays are the result of extreme weather, and such weather events are on the increase. To adapt, airports must consider ways to address aviation-related impacts associated with climate change, including the possibility of increased frequency of weather-related delays caused by more intense storm events, heavier rainfall, hotter days, and increased snow and ice. Airports are also facing challenging issues relating to compromised infrastructure due to inundation or melting permafrost.
The "State of the Art Strategies for Climate Change Resilience" session will feature airport panelists that span North America from New York, to Key West, Florida, to San Diego, to Toronto to explore how airports can plan for climate change-related impacts. Hurricane Sandy's effect on the Northeast US in 2012 adds a powerful backdrop to this discussion. Topics may include planning facility needs, integration of airport and regional adaptation efforts, incorporating resiliency within regulatory constraints, and the business case for resiliency and adaptation efforts.
The Airports Going Green Conference is the aviation industry's leading sustainability forum, bringing together sustainability leaders, experts, and innovators from around the world. In addition to climate change adaptation, the 2013 Conference will cover the FAA's sustainability guidance and related initiatives, explore airport business sustainability partnerships, highlight international sustainability perspectives, sustainable water management, discuss tools for evaluating outcomes of sustainability programs, and present a number of case studies and Airport Cooperative Research Program projects to illustrate sustainability successes in the industry. The final day of the conference includes an airfield tour of O'Hare International Airport for attendees to see the CDA's sustainability efforts first-hand. Many sessions will offer Continuing Education Credits to help satisfy LEED continuing education requirements.
Please visit http://events.aaae.org/sites/131108/index.cfm to register. Airports Going Green is jointly hosted by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE).
Take part in this year's opportunity to share your experiences and bring home information applicable to your airport or business. Please visit the Conference website at http://events.aaae.org/sites/131108/index.cfm for the full agenda and more details on registration. Also visit www.airportsgoinggreen.org for updates and information on Airports Going Green.
