ACRP IdeaHub Search Ideas

Research Field: Maintenance

Allocation: $300,000

Budget resources at small airports are typically limited, and are often not be able to support full-time electricians, leaving the maintenance of airfield lighting to other airport staff. A small airfield lighting issue may then result in significant operational impacts if a repair cannot be made quickly.

The objective of this research is to develop basic electrical... more »

Research Field: Design

Allocation: $500,000

ACRP Report 25: Airport Passenger Terminal Planning and Design comprises a guidebook, spreadsheet models, and a user's guide in two volumes and a CD-ROM. These products provide guidance in planning and developing airport passenger terminals. Since its publication in 2010, Report 25 has been the most downloaded ACRP publication. Over the last 10 years, significant changes in... more »

Research Field: Security

Allocation: $600,000

Airports rely on a significant amount of electronic information and technology in their day-to-day operations, and the amount of electronic data airports collect, store, and use continues to grow. Yet the risk of adverse cybersecurity events appears to be increasing at an even more rapid rate. These events can be significant and debilitating to operations, affect numerous... more »

Research Field: Policy & Planning

Allocation: $400,000

Airports can benefit significantly by integrating standard business planning with all aspects of resiliency planning (e.g., business continuity plans, continuity of operations plans, airport emergency plans, recovery plans, and resiliency plans). However, because of limited resources and expertise, small airports often have challenges in plan integration. Recent... more »

Research Field: Policy & Planning

Allocation: $400,000

Peer-to-peer car sharing companies allow individuals to make their personal vehicles available for rent by others through an app. Peer-to-peer car sharing activity continues to grow across the US, but there is little data on how much of this activity occurs at airports. It is a potential concern for airports, as it may result in lost revenue, and may impact airport... more »

Research Field: Policy & Planning

Allocation: $350,000

Decision making in an airport environment is often complex and time consuming. Many decisions involve numerous stakeholders and considerable resources and can include an element of unanticipated adverse impacts if a less-than-optimal decision is made. "Digital twins" are detailed virtual representations of a facility or system that are kept up to date with real-time... more »

Research Field: Policy & Planning

Allocation: $500,000

Since its inception, ACRP has produced hundreds of research reports, tools, databases, and other products. Recognizing the dynamic nature of the airport industry and the need to ensure that the program's products reflect the latest in practice, the program developed a systematic process to identify the products most in need of updating. To date, this process has... more »

Research Field: Environment

Allocation: $400,000

ACRP Report 132: The Role of U.S. Airports in the National Economy (2015) demonstrated that the nation's airport system provides essential transportation services for millions of travelers and shippers of goods. Public use airports also contribute $1.6 trillion to the economy annually when considering direct, indirect, and induced economic effects. Yet as communities... more »

Research Field: Environment

Allocation: $400,000

Airport environmental issues can be complex, occur at airports of all sizes, and are often costly if not managed properly. It is therefore important for airport employees, particularly new employees or those without a technical environmental background, to understand the requirements and environmental programs at the airport. Airport environmental achievement and sustainability... more »

Research Field: Environment

Allocation: $600,000

In the summer of 2021, the members of the Airports Council International committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. ACRP Research Report 220: Guidebook for Developing a Zero- or Low-Emissions Roadmap at Airports provides the information and resources needed for airports to create a zero or low emissions roadmap and addresses making the business case and... more »

Research Field: Environment

Allocation: $400,000

Historically, environmental justice has focused on ensuring that disadvantaged populations do not bear a disproportionate burden of the negative environmental impacts of projects, and that these communities are meaningfully included in planning and public outreach. While these goals remain important, there is increased emphasis on ensuring that infrastructure investments,... more »

Research Field: Environment

Allocation: $1,200,000

Airports are facing increasing challenges and opportunities as they strive to achieve environmental goals, increase energy resiliency, and meet the quickly evolving energy needs of their customers. For example, gas-fired central utility plants typically create the majority of greenhouse gas emissions under an airport's control, and some airports are exploring converting... more »

Research Field: Environment

Allocation: $650,000

Airports face significant and evolving environmental issues, and nearly one third of ACRP's research has been related to the topic. To ensure that ACRP's environmental products reflect changes in technology, regulations, and practice, the program undertook a systematic product review to identify those most in need of updating. Among those listed, the following products... more »

Research Field: Administration

Allocation: $690,000

U.S. airports provide safe and reliable facilities for aircraft operations and contribute significant benefits to the economy. Aviation demand continues to grow; technology continues to advance at an increasingly rapid pace; aging infrastructure needs to be replaced and upgraded; and new safety and security protocols need to be incorporated. Yet the funding mechanisms... more »

Research Field: Administration

Allocation: $400,000

Airports have a desire to increase diversity among their concessionaires and other contractors, and U.S. DOT's Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) regulations, as described in 49 CFR Part 23, require many airports to set ACDBE participation goals. Interstate certification regulations as described in 49 CFR Part 26.85 are designed to reduce... more »