Airport solar farm announced

In September, the IAA announced plans for the development of a solar farm on IND property. The facility, which will be one of the largest airport-based solar farms in North America, is expected to become operational starting in mid-2012. It will include more than 41,000 solar panels and is projected to each year produce enough electricity to power more than 1,200 average American homes and prevent approximately 10,700 tons of CO2 from being released into the environment.

IvyTech at IND Aerotropolis to launch in 2012

The IAA and Ivy Tech Community College have announced a lease agreement under which Ivy Tech will launch its newest location, "Ivy Tech at IND Aerotropolis," on IAA property near IND. Ivy Tech will lease space in one of the buildings formerly occupied by ATA, with options to lease additional space as buildings become available.

Current plans call for the building to have eight classrooms, a wet lab, two computer labs, and administrative space. The Ivy Tech facility will be the first tenant in the Logistics Center of Excellence, a key feature of the airport's land-use plan to support IND Aerotropolis. Ivy Tech will begin offering classes in spring 2012, starting with general education courses and followed by logistical and business courses in the summer and fall of 2012.

IND honors 9/11

In observance of the tenth anniversary of 9/11, a section of World Trade Center steel recovered from Ground Zero was placed on public display in  Civic Plaza. The artifact was presented to the IND fire department by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to honor local public safety responders, including airport employees, who deployed to the attack sites. The steel artifact is approximately 12" x 12" x 6" and weighs about 40 pounds. It will remain on public display at IND's fire station 1.

IAA executives honored.

Meanwhile, IAA CFO Marsha Stone was named to the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series, joining Class XXXVI. The Series is a highly competitive program that seeks to expand the ranks of community leaders by recruiting young professionals who have demonstrated an interest in community issues, a record of participation and achievement in voluntary community activities, and a willingness to expand their leadership role in the community.

IAA retrofits lighting systems to cut energy use, CO2 emissions, and costs

How many light bulbs does it take to change your carbon footprint by more than 5,200 metric tons per year for the better? In September, the IAA finished the last of more than 2,800 lamp replacements in the IND parking garage and Indianapolis Maintenance Center (IMC), resulting in a reduction of 5,233 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

The improvement in CO2 output created by the replacement lights is equivalent to removing more than 1,000 cars from the city's roads annually. The two projects will also produce combined annual savings for the IAA of more than $250,000, driven by the lower energy usage and reduced replacement costs of the longer lasting new bulbs.