Overview

San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) Harvey Milk Terminal 1 Boarding Area B (BAB) is a state-of-the-art facility featuring 25 gates for domestic and international flights.

Spanning 619,150 square feet, the terminal offers natural light-filled spaces with panoramic views of airfield activity and the bay. Designed to embody the excitement of air travel while prioritizing sustainability, it earned the distinction of being the world's first LEED Platinum v4-certified terminal. BAB also enhances the passenger experience with a galleria-like environment featuring art installations, retail, dining, and a museum exhibit, alongside a regional landmark-inspired children's play area and a mezzanine for airline clubs and international connections.

Our Approach

Our scope of work included engineering and constructing mechanical systems designed for high performance and energy efficiency. These systems included displacement ventilation and radiant ceiling panels, which provided optimized heating and cooling while significantly reducing energy use. Approximately 35,000 square feet of radiant panels were integrated into the ceiling system, serving gate hold rooms and public areas. The design model reached LOD 500 BIM upon completion, thanks to seamless collaboration between our design and constructability teams. Construction was phased to ensure continuous airport operations, accommodating 6.8 million annual passengers without disrupting their travel experience.

Result

The new Boarding Area B transformed SFO Terminal 1 into a flexible, future-ready facility capable of handling international flights and accommodating larger aircraft. With its innovative systems, the terminal achieved a substantial reduction in Energy Use Intensity (EUI), supporting SFO's broader goal of becoming a net-zero campus. The project also set a benchmark for aviation sustainability as the first LEED Platinum-certified terminal in the industry. Through thoughtful design, advanced construction practices, and a focus on collaboration, BAB successfully redefined the standard for modern airport terminals, creating an efficient, sustainable, and passenger-centric environment.