FEATURED SUCCESS STORY

Sustainability takes off at Denver International Airport — ReSource Colorado, Inc. boasts Starnet’s largest carpet reclamation project to date

The statistics and project logistics alone are mind-boggling. Not to mention the added considerations of airport clearance for installers, security tool checks in and out on a daily basis, delivery of materials down airport runways and up escalators, and limited work periods between flights and during overnight hours. All taking place in the largest international airport in the United States (by land size) — and the third largest in the world.

These considerations are just a glimpse of the challenges Starnet member ReSource Colorado, Inc. encountered as they replaced the carpeting in concourses A & C and parts of the main terminal building at Denver International Airport. With 70,000 square yards of carpet reclaimed, it is the largest recovery project performed by a Starnet member to date.

"This has definitely been our most challenging installation to date," says John Stanfield, President of ReSource Colorado, Inc. "From an installer's perspective, things like fingerprinting for security clearance and the logistics of working in a facility that's always very busy aren't normal concerns. None of my guys were certified to drive on an airport runway, but they are now! We've really had to rethink our project management approach."

A total crew of 30, including supply truck drivers, measuring specialists, project managers and 24 full-time installers worked two shifts around the clock to complete the job in the specified timeframe. Each of the crew had to be formally fingerprinted and cleared by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and was issued a photo ID badge in order to work in the facility. A daily check was conducted when bringing installation tools such as carpet knives and razors into the actual airport building. The number of sharp objects was checked in by TSA, recorded onto a log and then checked back out at the end of each shift. The two numbers were required to match.

70,000 square yards of carpet from Starnet Preferred Vendor Bentley Prince Street were installed. Parts of the facility don’t contain freight elevators, so the ReSource Colorado crew had to get creative in transporting the 12-foot long, 650–900-pound rolls of carpet up and down airport escalators. “It’s certainly been a challenge,” says Tanner DeJonge, Project Manager for ReSource Colorado. “Our guys are good and created their own system for transporting the rolls up the escalators.”

The two types of old carpet will all be reclaimed in some manner. The material from Concourse C was manufactured by C&A, who has engineered a reclamation program specifically for their product. The carpet is collected in semi trailers and shipped to C&A's facility in Georgia. The material is processed and lives a second life as backing for new carpet. The carpet from Concourse A and the terminal is a rubber-backed product. ReSource Colorado has contracted with a cement plant in Sugar Creek, Missouri, where the materials will be shipped and burned for fuel. Built in 2007, the $7 million facility was constructed specifically for this purpose and operates under very specific guidelines.

"I was required to send samples of the carpet to the plant so that it could be cleared for acceptance," explains Stanfield. "The material was thoroughly tested according to their specification to be certain it would burn clean and not emit any potentially harmful pollutants."

"I think the biggest thing we've learned during this process is the value of coordination, patience and sound project management skills," says DeJonge. "Coordination with airport management, government security, the mill and the reclamation facility is key to this project's timely success. If we can do this, while saving 70,000 square yards of carpet from the landfill, we can do anything."

Denver International Airport — Environmental Impact of Reclamation vs. Landfill

  • Quantity diverted from landfills: 630,000 sq. feet
  • Equivalent number of pounds reclaimed: 315,000 lbs.
  • Overall cubic yards of landfill saved: 1,556 cu. yd.
  • Average equivalent BTUs saved: 3,150,000,000 BTUs
  • Number of U.S. homes that would supply for 1 year: 18
  • Global warming potential averted (CO2 equivalent lbs.): 2,202,480 lbs.
  • Water saved: 960,750 gal.

 

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