How innovation and infrastructure are reshaping airport construction
BY KATIE KUEHNER-HEBERT
As air travel rebounds with full force, so does the demand for smarter, more sustainable and passenger-friendly airport terminals. Leading this charge is Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — a $2.4 billion, multiphase redevelopment project that’s not just raising the bar but rewriting the playbook.
Hensel Phelps was one of the general contractors on the project, and Rosendin Electric was the technology systems design-builder and systems integrator.
The project is notable not only for its size and complexity but for its groundbreaking results. The newly completed terminal is poised to accommodate a 70% increase in passenger traffic while slashing energy use and carbon emissions by more than 75%. It is also the first airport terminal in the world to receive a prestigious Fitwel® certification, a science-based, cost-effective framework to integrate health into global real estate and investment strategies.
But it’s far from an isolated case. Across the country, airports are undergoing massive overhauls and reimaginings, driven by surging passenger demand, evolving technology and a renewed emphasis on efficiency, connectivity and comfort.
Designing for Experience and Efficiency
Gone are the days when airports were merely utilitarian spaces. Today, they’re becoming destinations in their own right.
“Airports are keen to the passenger experience, ensuring that the airport itself is as exciting as the destination,” said Dustin Cognetti, operations manager at Rosendin Electric, a member of multiple AGC chapters. “Immersive displays and museum-quality exhibits enhance the experience. Large hold rooms and boarding areas are adorned with beautiful artwork and views.”
Amenities like high-end dining and retail provide a sense of luxury and comfort, easing the stress of travel.
This shift toward experience-led design is paired with cutting-edge technology behind the scenes. Rosendin’s integrated design team has engineered and built up to 32 special systems includinghigh-speed, high-density Wi-Fi systems massive overhauls and reimaginings, driven by surging passenger demand, evolving technology and a renewed emphasis on efficiency, connectivity and comfort.
Outside the facility, says Cognetti, technology plays a key role in the passenger boarding bridges so they can safely dock to the planes.
“We’ve installed visual docking guidance systems to assist airplanes while they are docking, ramp information displays so pilots know which gate to go to and high-density Wi-Fi and CCTV cameras to improve airport operations,” he said.
Modular Construction: Building Smarter, Not Bigger
With most major airports operating within tight spatial constraints, modular construction is emerging as a gamechanging solution.
“Modular construction can reduce the operational impact on an airport by reducing the footprint of the construction, the workforce required on the project site and the need for added security around the site,” explained Jeff Brunswig, operations manager at Hensel Phelps, a member of multiple AGC chapters.
As airports look to expand without compromising current operations, modular strategies offer a flexible, efficient path forward.
Fueling the Future: FAA Investment and Growth
AGC of America advocated for increased funding for airport infrastructure and, earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a $332 million commitment for 171 grants across 32 states to modernize airports. This investment in aviation infrastructure is expected to provide a strong tailwind for future airport development.
“Airports’ main focus is the safety and security of passengers and employees,” said Cognetti. “This package will help with security improvements, the renovation of aging infrastructure and the modernization of boarding areas and passenger processing systems. Future projects will include the implementation of advanced camera systems like radar and LiDAR to detect items on the runway and biometric devices to facilitate passenger screening and the boarding process.”
Mark Rothman, director of design and sustainability at Hensel Phelps, sees sustained momentum.
“Growth in passenger traffic is the catalyst that drives the industry, and it appears that Americans have put the early part of the decade behind them and are traveling at rates equal to or above those of the previous decade,” he said.
“We anticipate a potential shift as citizens who relocated to different areas during the COVID era may now require enhancements to medium and small hubs. As we look at the intermediate future, the medium and small hubs will be a focus for the construction industry.”
Budget Pressure and Workforce Shortages
Despite the optimism, the airport construction sector is not without its challenges. “The challenges facing the airport construction sector in 2025 continue to be the project budgets,” said Brunswig.
“The time between budget approval and project completion can be lengthy. Combined with economic volatility, this makes it difficult to provide cost certainty.”
Airports rely on their partners, he continues, to maintain the project budget from award to completion, which presents an ongoing challenge.
“When taking on a larger airport project,” Brunswig said, “the team, including all stakeholders and the construction partner, must be willing to think outside the traditional building techniques to deliver a project within a set budget.”
Cognetti adds that logistics – getting material to the project safely and working around airport operations – is challenging.
“Scheduling and the timing of projects is the most challenging,” he said. “We’re still building projects that were delayed due to the pandemic and now running into our timeline for other projects.”
It’s important to ensure construction teams have enough resources and trained personnel to build these projects with high quality.
Workforce woes are another concern. “The workforce is not growing at the rate he industry is building,” said Brunswig. “A workforce shortage can potentially impact a project’s schedule, quality and/or safety.”
To combat this issue, Hensel Phelps pushes the limits of technology in the field and continues to focus on training craft workers to eliminate fatigue.
Rosendin, for its part, works closely with union partners and apprenticeship programs to build a pipeline of skilled labor.
“Most of our locations across the country have done a really good job of building up the trades group, helping programs in colleges to bring people to the industry and really show everyone that you can make a good living as a tradesperson,” said Cognetti.
A High-Tech Horizon
Technology’s role in airport construction is only getting bigger. From Building Information Modeling (BIM) to drone mapping and AI-powered project management tools, tech is transforming how terminals are designed and delivered.
“BIM allows us to take measurements and then prefabricate all the conduit runs,” said Cognetti. “Doing this offsite helps to alleviate some of the logistical and storage constraints on the jobsite. We also leverage tablets and 360-degree cameras to capture and document our work progress.”
Rothman sees this as just the beginning. “The evolution of construction technology has been steadily increasing, and the pace of new technology, the introduction of new materials and the focus on decarbonization will only continue to escalate the pace of change. We must lean into the emerging technological advances for the construction industry to help resolve issues such as limited workforce availability, increased focus on sustainability and decarbonization.”
Robotics, drones and AI, he says, are already enhancing productivity and safety.
What’s Next?
Even with the change in the presidential administration, most experts agree the outlook for aviation construction remains solid.
“While federal funding is critical,” Rothman said, “it primarily funds infrastructure upgrades. Most money for passenger experience and facility expansion projects comes from user fees.”
As long as passenger traffic remains strong, he says, so will the sector.
Cognetti is hopeful that the future will also bring regulatory clarity.
“We want to build projects properly and safely,” he said, “but there’s a lot of red tape that I hope would get cleaned up.”
Rosendin supports initiatives like ‘Buy American,’ but many tech components are still made overseas.
“Potential tariffs and taxes could have impacts on product availability or pricing,” he said.
At airports across the nation, the next decade will be defined by growth — not just in passenger numbers, but in ambition, innovation and resilience. Thanks to projects like Harvey Milk Terminal 1, the runway for the future has already been paved.