As airports continue to expand and modify their infrastructure to meet the growing demand for air travel, they need to configure their growth within environmental constraints. Airport projects that rely on federal funding are required to have National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)-supporting studies conducted to assess the environmental impacts of these projects. Many airport projects require construction to deal with additions or changes to runways, taxiways, aprons, terminal buildings, and parking facilities. Although emissions from construction equipment and associated activities are temporary in nature, they must be accounted for along with other applicable sources to meet regulatory requirements. While the understanding of emissions from various airport sources is improving, the methodology for calculating construction emissions remains highly variable. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS)/Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) currently does not explicitly account for construction emissions, and few resources offer guidance for estimating such emissions. As such, there is inconsistency in developing estimated emission levels based on what emission factors are used, how the equipment is characterized, and what activity data are used.

The objective of this research was to develop a guidance document and interactive electronic tool to assist airports, consultants, and other stakeholders in accurately and consistently estimating airport construction emissions.

STATUS
This research has been published as Report 102. The Contractor' Final Report has more information on the background of the project.