Nashville Airport Authority keeps sustainability a top priority

Green efforts at Nashville International Airport (BNA) keep getting greener by the year as the airport continues to expand its programs, even being selected by the Federal Aviation Administration for a sustainability pilot program. In 2011, Nashville International Airport (BNA) recycled nearly 190 tons—or 380,000 lbs.—of general waste material, which was a nearly 11 percent increase from 2010. Year-to-date, BNA has recycled more than 45 tons and is on track for another record year of recycling.

“Sustainability is crucial to our airports’ success, and as we plan for the future we are committed to using the most sustainable features and processes possible,” said Raul Regalado, MNAA’s President and CEO. “We are ensuring a better future for the next generation, and that’s creating a great Nashville Airports Experience for our passengers, business partners and employees.”

Here are a few of our other environmentally sustainable efforts:

FAA Sustainability Pilot Program

In 2011, BNA was selected as one of 12 airports nationwide to participate in a Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Sustainability Pilot Program. As MNAA revises the BNA master plan, the sustainability study is being conducted in parallel with the master plan team, incorporating sustainability into the planning documents. As the FAA wrote, “Knowledge gained through the pilot program will show us how we can achieve an airport’s forecasted demand while achieving aviation standards, and reducing an airport’s environmental impact. The pilot program will also help us develop program guidance in this area of growing interest to airports.”

Conserving with Consolidated Rental Car Facility Construction

BNA’s rental car facility, which opened in November 2011, includes numerous environmentally sustainable features: the use of reclaimed water for washing rental cars, a lighting-management system to adjust lighting levels based on natural lighting, and a greenscreen wall covered in vegetation. In addition, the facility saves approximately 800,000 miles of driving per year and reduces auto emissions, since rental cars are no longer being sent off-site for washing and refueling. The consolidated facility has also improved the efficiency of the rental car brands, adding to their bottom line.

Recycling a Runway

In 2010, MNAA rehabilitated a portion of Runway 2L/20R, BNA’s oldest runway, using a unique process of converting old concrete into usable aggregate—a more cost-effective and environmentally conscious method. Approximately 87,435 tons of concrete pavement were recycled, including the steel dowel and reinforcement bars. Additionally, MNAA recycled 27,000 tons of asphalt during the project.

Making Sustainable Facility Improvements

The MNAA continues to make sustainable facility improvements, such as:

• Replacing terminal lobby glass with more energy-efficient glass. To date, more than 20 tons of window glass have been recycled.
• Recycling more than 7 tons of scrap metal, to date, during the replacement of the terminal building escalators.
• Installing more energy-efficient lighting with new bulbs and/or fixtures throughout the terminal building and other MNAA-owned buildings, reducing BNA’s annual energy usage by more than 3 million kWh.
• Recycling more than 9,000 light bulbs and 13,000 ballasts during the lighting replacement project.