The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates MSP, has been investing in energy efficiency and emissions reduction for decades. Since 1998, its multi-phase Energy Conservation Program has reduced energy consumption at MSP by 30%, saving more than 40,000 megawatt hours of electrical usage. In 2020, the MAC board adopted formal 2030 sustainability goals targeting an 80% reduction in emissions from a 2014/15 baseline, with net-zero operations as the long-term target by 2050.
Airports are complex, high-demand environments where energy systems must perform reliably around the clock under conditions that range from extreme Minnesota winters to peak summer cooling loads. Any new technology introduced to an airport campus needs to prove its performance and operational compatibility before being considered for larger-scale deployment. The security gate pilot project was designed to do exactly that.
MSP’s sustainability agenda has long prioritized on-site renewable energy alongside operational efficiency measures. The airport has invested in one of the largest rooftop solar arrays in Minnesota, LED lighting campus-wide, and energy management systems spanning multiple terminals. Geothermal was an obvious next frontier, but introducing it at airport scale required evidence of performance in the specific conditions and constraints of an active airfield environment.
The perimeter security gate presented a suitable context for a pilot installation. The checkpoint required year-round heating and cooling, operated continuously, and sat in a location where a compact single-well system could be installed and monitored without disrupting airfield operations. Darcy was selected based on its ability to deliver high thermal capacity from a minimal above-grade footprint, which was a critical requirement in a security-sensitive, operationally constrained environment where site disruption had to be kept to an absolute minimum.
The system consists of a single groundwater well delivering 10 tons of cooling and 81 MBH of heating to the security checkpoint facility. The well was sited in tight quarters adjacent to the checkpoint, demonstrating that Darcy’s compact approach could perform effectively even in the most space-constrained airport settings.
Since installation, the system has operated reliably through multiple Minnesota seasonal cycles, providing the MAC with real performance data from an active airfield context.
The security gate project’s success contributed directly to Darcy’s selection for a far larger opportunity at MSP: a four-well groundwater geothermal system as part of the $263 million Terminal 2 north expansion, expected to be complete in 2027. That project is designed to reduce overall energy demand for heating and cooling in the expanded terminal by 19%, and the MAC is pursuing LEED Gold certification for the expansion. The Terminal 2 system represents one of the most significant geothermal installations at any airport in the United States.
The arc from a single well at a perimeter security gate to a four-well system serving a major terminal expansion is a clear illustration of how Darcy’s approach works in practice, demonstrating performance at a scale that fits the moment and then growing with the client as confidence builds and ambition expands.
Jackson Hole Airport operates under a unique set of obligations that few airports in the world share. Located seven miles north of Jackson, WY, entirely within Grand Teton National Park, the airport operates under a Use Agreement with the U.S. Department of Interior, making environmental stewardship not just a value but a condition of operation. Every building decision, infrastructure investment, and operational policy is evaluated against its impact on the extraordinary landscape, wildlife, and ecosystem of one of America’s most iconic national parks.
For years, the airport’s Fixed Base Operator facilities were housed in structures more than 30 years old, with administrative offices located in a temporary trailer. As the airport’s operational needs grew and its sustainability commitments deepened, a new purpose-built facility became both a practical necessity and an opportunity to demonstrate what responsible aviation infrastructure can look like inside a national park.
The new Administration and FBO Building spans 21,000 square feet across two levels and a full basement, consolidating administrative offices and FBO terminal operations in a permanent facility designed for long-term efficiency and visual integration with the natural environment. The building was designed by CLB Architects, the airport’s longstanding design partner through eight consecutive collaborations, with an emphasis on reducing environmental footprint and blending into the surrounding landscape with natural materials and low-impact systems.
The Jackson Hole Airport Board has pursued environmental leadership across its operations for decades. The airport runs on 100% green power through Lower Valley Energy, operates an all-electric maintenance vehicle fleet with a company-wide anti-idling policy, holds Business Emerald Sustainability Tier certification, has adopted a DarkSky-compliant lighting plan to protect the night sky over Grand Teton National Park, and partners with The Good Traveler program to help offset carbon associated with passenger travel.
Extending that commitment to building mechanical systems meant pursuing all-electric HVAC for the new Administration and FBO Building. Geothermal was the logical choice, as it eliminates combustion, operates efficiently at the high altitude and extreme seasonal temperature swings of the Greater Yellowstone region, and requires a minimal above-grade footprint that preserves the visual integrity of the national park setting.
Darcy was selected based on its ability to deliver high thermal capacity from a single compact well, which minimizes site disturbance while delivering the performance the building requires.
“Our focus on environmental sensitivity will be evident as our offices and the FBO terminal will be the most energy efficient building we have built to date,” said Airport Board President Ed Liebzeit. “We continue to prioritize not encouraging additional flights and collaborating closely with Grand Teton National Park.”
The Phase 1 installation consists of a single groundwater well delivering 125 tons of cooling and 423 MBH of heating to the new facility, integrated with the building’s all-electric mechanical system alongside triple-glazed windows, overhangs, a white roofing membrane, LED lighting, and other energy reduction features. The open-loop geothermal system efficiently manages waste heat while operating cleanly within the constraints of the national park environment.
The project was funded with revenue bonds to be paid off through FBO user revenues, with financial projections indicating full payoff within five years, reflecting the airport’s long-standing commitment to responsible investment in its own infrastructure without relying on public subsidies.
The Administration and FBO Building represents Phase 1 of a broader all-electric HVAC conversion program at Jackson Hole Airport. Future phases are planned to extend geothermal systems to additional airport facilities, including Hangar 3, which is currently being redesigned as a high-performance all-electric building. Each phase builds on the proven performance of the installed systems and advances the airport’s goal of eliminating fossil fuel combustion from its building operations entirely.
For an airport that answers to a national park, that goal is an ongoing commitment to the landscape, wildlife, and community that make Jackson Hole one of the most extraordinary places in the United States.
