New eco-friendly terminal opens

GREENVILLE -- Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and Stevens Aviation last week celebrated the opening of the new $1.5 million, 4,864-square-foot general aviation terminal, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design project.

"We are starting a new industrial revolution, one based on energy efficiency and water efficiency," said Jeff Ross-Bain, the airport's sustainability consultant.

The building, which is seeking LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, was designed to incorporate sustainability features, he said, including large glass windows, which allow the building to be lit by daylight, he said. Lighting is about 30 percent of a building's energy bill.

Also, the building uses 70 percent less water and 30 percent less energy than a traditional building.

The building harvests rainwater from the roof, storing it in a 1,500-gallon tank and using it to flush toilets, said Larry Holcombe, GSP manager. The system also collects condensation from the air conditioning system and is backed up by city water. A fourth of an inch of rain will fill the storage tank, with overflow running off as it does any roof.

About half of the building materials were either recycled or obtained locally, Ross-Bain said.

Also, John Hetrick, with JonScoT General Contractors, said one of the responsibilities of a contractor building a sustainable building is to divert waste from landfills. By the time he's finished with the general aviation terminal, he expects to have diverted at least 95 percent of the waste.

"This building is an early adopter of new technology," Ross-Bain said.

Holcombe said that the cost is about 2 percent more than traditional construction. The Federal Aviation Administration provided $1.25 million, and the South Carolina Division of Aeronautics and GSP each provided $170,000.

"It's a wonderful first impression of Greenville, Spartanburg and the whole Upstate," said Minor Shaw, vice chairman of the GSP board.

Neil McGrail, chief operating officer of Stevens Aviation, which will operate the terminal, said the company is celebrating its 60th year in Greenville and its 48th year at GSP in 2010. The terminal reflects and enhances Stevens' reputation for technology advances.

Roger Milliken, GSP board chairman, said a study is underway to see how the main terminal can be updated, preferably to be a more sustainable building.

"I think this is going to grow all over the country," he said of green building.

The study is expected to be completed in June, said Dave Edwards, GSP executive director.