Burbank Airport Unveils First LEED-Certified Hangar

This story was posted on the San Fernando Valley Business Journal website on Dec. 9, 2008. Photo is courtesy of the Los Angeles Times, photo credit goes to Scott Firestone.

Solar power, drought-resistant plants and recycled materials all contribute to Hangar 25 at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, what its builder is calling the most sustainable aircraft hangar in the world.

The hangar built by Shangri-La Construction was given Platinum LEED Certification, the highest rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building, which is powered by a solar array on the roof, plugs the aviation industry into the green market, said John Picard, a consultant on the project.

“The doors have opened to the industry and now can ask, ‘What can we do next?’” Picard said.

The building has a concrete floor that uses no chemical polymers, a hi-fog fire suppression system that reduces water usage and minimizes waste from fire damage, and bicycle racks to encourage employees to not drive to work.

Shangri-La is in negotiations to construct a similar facility for Maguire Aviation at Van Nuys Airport.

Way back in April of 2007, the City of Burbank City Council passed a resolution to put a project in motion to bring hydrogen-powered buses to Burbank. The bus, when it goes into use in March of 2009, will be the first kind in Southern California.


The Burbank Leader reports that $2 million dollar project was paid for predominately by the State of California, though the city partnered with private developers to make up around $600,000 not covered by state funding. The bus, which will be fueled by hydrogen stations being built into city infrastructure. The bus's only emissions are water, and in addition to its positive impact on city pollution it will be significantly cheaper to run as far as day to day costs once the project is completed. Burbank plans to add more such buses as time goes on.

Image credit City of Burbank Press Release