Excerpt from the New York Real Estate Journal
https://nyrej.com/project-of-the-month-greater-rochester-international-airport-project
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Project of the Month: Gateway to Monroe County: 
Greater Rochester International Airport Project
​April 2, 2019

New Airport Entrance Canopy
The new Airport Entrance Canopy provides passengers, greeters, and other airport patrons with a safe, comfortable, and convenient facility. In addition, it improves upon the original canopy’s protection and coverage, while adding complimentary systems that serve to improve safety, security, add visual interest, and sustainability to the airport. 

The new terminal entrance canopy between the parking garage and the terminal now provides full coverage of the departures and arrivals roadway at curbside; replacing an old 30,000 s/f canopy that previously only covered the sidewalk and a fraction of the departures roadway.

“With a tremendously unique and innovative design, the new airport canopy is recognized by travelers all across the country,” said Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo. “Not only is the canopy the signature piece of the airport revitalization project, but the BUY AMERICA requirement involved 75 jobs for Americans here in Monroe County and many more elsewhere in the U.S. In times of inclement weather –a given considering the weather in Rochester–the canopy has proven to be a real asset.”

Under its term agreement with Monroe County, Passero Associates was contracted to provide planning, design, bidding, and construction support services for the installation of the canopy structure. 

The 87,000 s/f airport entrance canopy was constructed using over 1,050 tons of U.S. steel and is covered with a PTFE Teflon based tensile membrane fabric. Tensile fabric was chosen over glass because of its durability, strength and water-resistant nature. The material provides a 30-year life expectancy while providing protection from the elements and allowing the structure to be painted in LED lights. 

For instance, the canopy was lit green on St. Patrick’s Day and can be illuminated red, white & blue for Fourth of July, etc. 

The canopy lighting is designed using white LED fixtures aiming downward to illuminate the driving and walking surfaces. Programmable colored LED lights are used to “paint” the underside and top of the canopy and to create a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing appearance to passengers. The canopy can be painted any color the airport chooses to reflect a holiday or season. 
Terminal entrance canopy benefits include reduction of operating and maintenance costs. The canopy saves materials and valuable time by reducing the need for ice control, snow removal, and other maintenance costs related to the project. LED lights and solar panels reduce the energy consumption previously used by the original incandescent lights.
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Another benefit surrounding the airport’s commitment to sustainability is the installation of a pump station to utilize a 40,000-gallon rainwater collection system for landscaping and irrigation on airport property. New landscaping beds have been constructed between the canopy and the parking garage to take advantage of this new system.