Dive Brief:
- The Port of Seattle has selected Jacobs to oversee a 10-year renovation project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to a release.
- The project will involve modernizing the airport’s 50-year-old S concourse by improving operating systems, scaling up environmental efficiencies and prioritizing seismic updates to strengthen resilience to earthquakes.
- Jacobs and the Port expressed their intent to partner with women- and minority-owned businesses, aiming for 20% participation in the supply chain and over 25% of Jacobs’ services.
Dive Insight:
U.S. airports are experiencing common pain points ranging from outdated conveyor belts and inadequate security checkpoints to long wait times for passengers and old air traffic control towers in need of upgrades.
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration announced nearly $1 billion from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to encourage airports to update their security checkpoints, introduce faster baggage systems and pursue other related construction and renovation activities. The Department of Transportation said the funds, authorized for a five-year period under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, would be distributed among 99 airports across 47 states and two U.S. territories.
With around $15 billion in annual revenue and a workforce of more than 60,000, Jacobs provides consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery services to government and private sector entities.
As part of its partnership with the Port of Seattle, Jacobs is set to render full project management services to help the SeaTac airport meet rising air travel demand. These services include project controls, estimating and scheduling support, enabling facilities that support the construction of utilities at airside and terminal locations, and mapping out a gate utilization strategy. Jacobs is also slated to advise the airport on passenger flow analysis, approaches to strengthening airport and airline tenant engagement.
Airport terminal and concourse projects often have higher footfalls, unique ventilation needs, heavier equipment loads and 24/7 operations, which make it challenging to implement strong efficiency measures.
Renovating 200,000 square feet of space at SeaTac’s S concourse is expected to cost between $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion, according to the Daily Journal of Commerce.
In addition to project management, Jacobs said it will work in concert with SeaTac staff to identify sustainable building opportunities, such as eliminating natural gas use, harvesting rain water and implementing solar installations..
Imad Feghali, senior vice president,People and Places Solutions Americas West Region, at Jacobs, said the plan is to develop a multi-phased approach to the S Concourse project, in order to create long-term benefits for the operation and readiness of systems, equipment, staff and processes.
“We are committed to bringing custom solutions to the airport, and improving transportation connectivity—all through the lens of sustainable development,” he stated in the release.
With the backing of the IIJA, airport renovation projects are ramping up across the nation. Last month, New York’s LaGuardia Airport partnered with Leviton on a six-year renovation project to upgrade its Terminal B facilities. More recently, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport began piloting a suite of robotic landscaping solutions from Robin Autopilot and Graze across 14,000 acres of grass.
