Pittsburgh International Breaks Ground on $1.4 Billion Terminal

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s airport of the future is underway as officials broke ground on a new, 700,000-square-foot terminal project, officially the first terminal in the country to be built from the ground up in a post-pandemic world. Focused on public health and technology, the new facility will include clean air technology, space for social distancing and 90,000 square feet of outdoor terrace space pre- and post-security.

The Airport Authority will implement new industry-leading standards to break down barriers and increase equal opportunities for small businesses, women and people of color. Additionally, the new terminal will be among the most sustainable in the industry and will be built to Leed-certified silver standards or beyond. The airport’s microgrid, fueled by 10,000 solar panels and five natural gas generators, will power the new terminal. As construction progresses, a minimum 75 percent of waste generated will be recycled or reused, alongside rainwater harvesting and other water conservation efforts.

The project is expected to generate some $2.5 billion in economic impact and 14,500 direct and indirect jobs. Among the largest infrastructure projects in Pittsburgh’s history, the airport hopes to locally source most of the 12,000 tons of steel; 94,000 tons of concrete; and more than 354,000 square feet of wood materials.

The airport also announced a first-of-its-kind regional partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Authority to proactively reduce construction site hazards and serious injuries, increase sustainability and advance an overall safer and greener site. The new terminal’s consolidated operations, such as tickets and baggage claim, will improve the passenger experience, reducing passenger travel time by 50 percent to get from curb to airside. The project will introduce a new 3,300-space parking garage, rental car facilities and entrance roadways. The new facilities are scheduled to open in 2025.