FedEx Express has opened a new parcel sorting centre at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airportwith the largest ‘green roof’ at any airport in the USA.
The recently-opened facility is also the largest green roof on a freestanding building in thegreater Chicago area. The continuous vegetated roof has an area of 16,258 sqm which is the size ofthree football fields.
Green roofs at FedEx and elsewhere at O’Hare airport benefit the environment by reducing airpollution and storm water runoff, extending the average life of a roof from 15-20 years to 40-50years, lowering energy costs by 35% a year and reducing airport noise.
The FedEx Express facility is the latest of many initiatives to make the Chicago airportgreener. These include LEED certified airport facilities, recycling construction materials on theairfield, clean emission vehicles and construction equipment and energy efficient lighting, amongothers.
“The cooperative effort between FedEx and the Chicago Department of Aviation’s O’HareModernization Program (OMP) is a prime example of how to immediately reduce the environmentalimpact of airports and create value for business and for the community,” said Don Colvin, vicepresident, Properties and Facilities at FedEx Express.
“We have integrated responsible environmental practices into our daily operations, and wecontinuously work toward goals that challenge us to increase efficiencies, reduce waste andemissions and provide innovative solutions for our customers,“ he added.
FedEx and the OMP are also pursuing LEED Gold certification for the facility as part of thecompany’s ambition announced earlier this year to obtain LEED certifications for new US FedExExpress properties.
