LAWA adopted two Sustainable Design and Construction Policies on September 7, 2017: 1) A policy that requires new building construction and renovation projects at LAX and VNY airports be designed to achieve the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification or higher and 2) A new set of requirements that apply sustainability measures to airport-related construction/non-building projects.
Sustainability at LAWA
Sustainability Mission Statement
As the international gateway in our region, Los Angeles World Airports is committed to setting the global airport standard for customer satisfaction and security, regional economic leadership and organizational performance. Building on our core values, we will engage our employees, tenants, customers, and communities in an effort to continually improve our environmental, economic and social performance.
Please let us know your thoughts and ideas about how we can improve LAWA’s sustainability performance.
Message from the Chief Executive Officer
I am pleased to share with you the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) 2021 Sustainability Report for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY). This Annual Report summarizes LAWA’s continuous efforts to embed sustainability in all aspects of our planning, development, and operations.
Sustainability 2021 Report
LEED Certification Starter Kit
The LEED Certification Starter Kit serves as a document to streamline the LEED certification process for LAWA new construction projects that are required to achieve LEED Silver or better.
LAWA EV Purchasing Policy
LAWA adopted its first electric vehicle purchasing policy (EVPP) on June 15, 2017. The EVPP will improve air quality in and around LAX and VNY as LAWA gradually increases the percentage of all-electric vehicle purchases to 100 percent by 2035.
LAX Food Donation Policy
The LAX Food Donation Policy requires businesses that sell or distribute food at LAX to implement a surplus edible food recovery strategy and report to LAWA annually the quantity of food donated via that strategy. *Policy updated in September 2022*.
LAWA Single-use Plastic Water Bottle Phase-out Policy
Effective June 30, 2023, single-use plastic water bottles cannot be sold or distributed at LAX or VNY. Acceptable materials are aluminum, glass or certified compostable plastic. This policy aims to reduce plastic waste generated at LAWA facilities.
Mayor’s Sustainable City pLAn
On April 8, 2015, Mayor Eric Garcetti released L.A.’s first-ever Sustainable City pLAn. The pLAn is a roadmap to achieve back to basics short-term results while setting the path to strengthen and transform our City in the decades to come. In 2019, the Mayor launched Los Angeles' Green New Deal, an ambitious update to the 2015 Sustainable City pLAn.
Message from the CEO
LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS - LAWA
Dear Readers,
I am pleased to share with you the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) 2021 Sustainability Report for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY). This Annual Report summarizes LAWA’s continuous efforts to embed sustainability in all aspects of our planning, development, and operations.
While LAWA weathered a challenging year during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our airports experienced growth throughout 2021 with increasing operations and passenger levels. Modernization efforts continued as many construction projects were completed and others commenced. LAWA has continued to prioritize sustainability throughout the pandemic, and we continue to make great strides in our sustainability accomplishments.
The focus of the 2021 Sustainability Report is to highlight our achievements and provide updates on LAWA’s Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) targets developed in 2019. Some key highlights of LAWA’s sustainability performance in 2021 include:
›› Developed Zero Waste Plan (SAP Goal Completed June 2021)
›› Launched Smart Parking Technology which helps reduce idling and improve air quality
›› Enhanced employee and passenger health and safety, including on-site rapid COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites
›› Adopted a campus-wide Single-Use Plastic Water Bottle Phase-out Policy
›› Provided additional Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers for a total of 265 EV chargers in the Central Terminal Area (CTA)
›› Delivered new facilities that were certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver or LEED Gold
In 2021, we celebrated several project milestones, including the completion of the West Gates at Tom Bradley International Terminal, LAX Economy Parking structure, the Airport Police Facility, and Terminal 1.5. LAWA’s success is attributed to our commitment to our employees and tenants and our partnerships and support from local agencies, organizations, and business partners. I want to take this time to extend a special thank you to all of LAWA’s employees and partners who have contributed to our success in meeting our sustainability goals and objectives.
We will continue to focus on the future of our airports and our efforts to be a sustainable leader in the aviation industry.
THANK YOU
