Effective airport project delivery, leadership and culture

Deteriorating infrastructure at many US airports has prompted the need for major redevelopment projects across the country and the world. Industry leaders believe that failing to modernise our inventory of airports threatens to impede customer service and hinder economic growth. To meet the growing demand for rebuilding projects, the airport design/construction industry must find ways to be more efficient while cutting costs and retaining high quality. It also means that the way we assemble and lead project teams must also evolve. To optimise outcomes, airports must consider new project delivery methods beyond the traditional ‘design-bid-build’ model. For example, the design-build method has one contract for both design and construction, reducing risk to the owner. Another innovation is the public-private partnership, or P3. The P3 model is most commonly used to build infrastructure such as highways and transit. But in recent years, we are starting to see more airport P3s come online, as airports learn about the benefits of this delivery model. This paper posits that, no matter what project delivery method is used, the success or failure of a project often comes down to three questions: (1) Do you have a clear mission? (2) Do you have the right team? and (3) Is your team in alignment with your vision? Project delivery has been evolving to keep pace with the ever-changing built-environment and technological advancements. Airports learn from each other, and with every new project, we evolve to the next level.