IMPs, Modular Construction Support Sustainable Solutions for Airport Terminals

Thanks to more than $8O million passengers annually, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is one of the busiest in the world. To accommodate growth, regional leaders undertook a major expansion project to improve services.

A key component of the expansion investment was the addition of four replacement gates in Terminal C, known as the High C Gates, a $115-million undertaking for DFW Airport.

When it came time to specify the exterior cladding for the expansion, designers turned to the expertise of CENTRIA for insulated metal panels that delivered on all fronts – aesthetics, sustainability, and efficiency.

Modular Construction: Keeping the Taxiways Clear

Construction of the 80,000-square-foot terminal needed to take place without disrupting airline operations and compromising passenger experience. To expedite the schedule, the design-build team completed the project through modular construction. For the first time at a U.S airport, six modules were fully constructed offsite and then moved a mile across the airfield to the new terminal.

To support this process, crews selected insulated metal panels from CENTRIA for the exterior, which can be easily transported and assembled on-site, delivering a durable and sustainable solution.

Modern and Sophisticated

An airport often creates a first impression in the minds of visitors as the travel into and out of a city. Designers and planners knew that the look and feel of the High C gates needed to be modern and sophisticated. CENTRIA’s IMPs contributed to such a design intent, giving the terminal a forward-looking, progressive appeal that was perfect for opening the airport’s next chapter.

“It looks clean and unique, which is exactly what you want for an airport,” said Ben Bearden, district sales manager, CENTRIA. “With our solution we were able to provide an all- in-one component that outperforms a traditional assembly, meaning it will last for several decades.”

A Picture-Perfect Landing

Crews installed 27,000 square feet of CENTRIA’s Formawall Dimension Series panels in Granite and Pewter. Formawall Dimension Series is an all-in-one system, combining six wall components into a singular product. Formawall panels integrate with Formavue windows and CS louver systems to provide superior thermal performance, enhancing sustainability and reducing energy costs.

The steel in CENTRIA’s Formawall panels are produced in a low-emissions, circular-making process, resulting in the cleanest steel in the industry because its 100% recyclable at the end of its useful life. Delivering unmatched performance, Formawall is comprised of 56.3% average recycled steel content, guaranteeing a sustainable cladding solution.

“CENTRIA’s always been the leading edge of sustainability and recyclability with a high recycled steel content, so CENTRIA was able to check a lot of boxes,” said Bill Wade, president, Wade Architectural Systems, CENTRIA’s dealer on the project.

Time for Takeoff   

Terminal C gates at DFW Airport opened in June 2022.