RC121 NovDec 2025 - Magazine - Page 18
AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION
KEEPING CANADA’S AIRPORTS
RUNNING DURING CONSTRUCTION
Building airport infrastructure is a balance of expansion,
safety, and the passenger experience
by John Tenpenny
IRPORTS NEVER SLEEP. They are among the most complex and highly regulated construction environments in the country, with aircraft movements,
passenger 昀氀ows, and security requirements all dictating how projects can be executed. For owners,
contractors, and designers alike, the challenge is
simple in theory but di昀케cult in practice: how do you build
for the future without disrupting today’s operations?
That was the central theme of ReNew Canada’s recent
webinar sponsored by PCL Construction. A panel of experts discussed how to deliver complex airport infrastructure projects ahead of schedule while minimizing ongoing
operations and all without disrupting the passengers who
depend on a smooth and e昀케cient travel experience.
A
“Coordination is the key amongst all parties. Before we
onboard a designer or a constructor we make sure we’ve
met with all the regulators and airport stakeholders”
“It is imperative for us to identify our stakeholders’ requirements adequately to the design team. If passengers
are kept at the forefront during your requirements phase,
your design phase, your construction phase and commissioning phase, then half the battle is won.”
Brent Kelley, Aviation Sector Leader and Managing
Principal at Corgan reminded the audience that few
projects involve entirely new airports. Most must be built
within or adjacent to active facilities.
“Very, very seldom do you get the opportunity to just
build a whole brand new airport you are always looking
at how you keep operations going. It’s not just a matter
of drawing up a set of plans. It’s really understanding
not only what the design is but how it needs and can be
constructed.”
Coordination and safety
At an airport, no construction activity happens in isolation. Every move must be coordinated across multiple
stakeholders, explained Jog.
THE PANEL:
ADITI JOG,
John Tenpenny is the
Editor of ReNew Canada.
Designing with operations in mind
When asked how airport infrastructure must be designed
and constructed to account for aircraft operations, Dean
Xuereb, Field Operations Manager with PCL Construction
emphasized sequencing.
“One of the key elements of building a design is understanding, 昀椀rst of all, what is the operational sequence?
Phasing really matters on an airport and what gets activated 昀椀rst. I can’t stress enough about how the relationship
between design team and the constructor is vital from the
very beginning.”
Aditi Jog, Project Manager with Edmonton International Airport underscored the importance of requirements
gathering from the owner’s perspective.
18—RENEW CANADA –NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025
Project Manager,
Edmonton International
Airport
BRENT KELLEY,
Aviation Sector Leader
– Managing Principal,
Corgan
DEAN XUEREB,
Field Operations
Manager,
PCL Construction
RENEWCANADA.NET
