Gresham Smith is pleased to announce that Architect Will Carlson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, will moderate a session at the 2026 Airports Going Green® (AGG) Conference, the aviation industry’s leading forum on sustainability, led by the Chicago Department of Aviation and co-hosted by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). The event will be held Nov. 8-10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
See below for an overview of the presentation.
General Session 8 – From Silos to Synergy — Part 2
Tuesday, Nov. 10 | 9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Moderated by Gresham Smith Architect Will Carlson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, alongside speaker Alicia Barone, C.M., Sustainability Coordinator, Charlotte Douglas International Airport
As airports increasingly look to deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure, the need for close collaboration between airport operations and design teams has become more evident. Operations teams understand the day-to-day realities, pain points, and long-term vulnerabilities of running an airport, while planning and design teams focus on future growth and regulatory requirements — raising the question of how to prevent key decisions from being locked in before all stakeholders are brought into the process.
This session will explore how airports can best bridge the gap between operations and design to accomplish smoother project delivery, stronger partnerships, and outcomes that advance sustainability goals.
