Arup to develop sustainability masterplan for Mexico City New International Airport

Grupo Aeroportuario de la Ciudad de Mexico (GACM), the state owned company responsible for the development, construction and operation of Mexico City’s new international airport, has appointed design and consulting firm Arup to develop the project’s sustainability masterplan.

Mexico City New International Airport will triple Mexico City’s existing airport capacity and is expected to begin operations by late 2020. It will have the capacity to handle 68 million passengers annually.

GACM’s goal is for the new airport to be environmentally sustainable and to be the first terminal in the world to obtain LEED Platinum certification. GACM will adopt best practices by using renewable energy resources and promoting the use of public transport, as well as developing programs to protect the environment, including water resources, energy efficiency, waste management, and protecting existing wildlife and vegetation.

Pablo Lazo, project director at Arup, said, “Arup has a strong track record in delivering sustainability management plans for complex projects, both in the Americas and around the world. We are honored to take part in GACM’s bold vision and look forward to setting precedents for future airports.”

Sandra González Navarro, deputy director of planning and evaluation, GACM, said, “We are excited about the selection of Arup. They have been involved in this project from the outset and their knowledge and global experience will provide us with a clear roadmap to achieve our goals.”

Arup’s previous work for Mexico City New International Airport involves early masterplanning work and engineering design for the terminal building, including structural, mechanical, acoustic consulting, façade engineering, fire/life safety engineering, geotechnical engineering, seismic engineering, logistics, threat assessment, lighting design, blast analysis, civil engineering, bridge and civil structures, and electrical and plumbing engineering.