Bradley Airport In Line Baggage Screening

Project Overview

Windsor Locks, CT –

As part of Bradley International Airport’s $250 million terminal modernization, SES provided MEP and envelope commissioning services for a newly constructed 80,000-square-foot, three-story facility housing a new 3 gate terminal, offices, and an in-line checked baggage screening system. A mile-long conveyor system transports two million checked bags annually from ticket counters to the explosive detection screening facility. The project features a specialized snow melt system using hot water heating beneath exterior baggage tug paths to maintain ice-free operations year-round.

SES performed 39 construction site observation visits to confirm building envelope systems and installations, provided witnessing of air and water infiltration testing on curtain wall windows, and performed pull-off adhesion and bubble testing on spray-applied AVB. On-site observations discovered inconsistencies with roofing TPO and metal cladding installations, which were brought to the team’s attention. Working collaboratively with the architect, roofing installer, and general contractor, SES helped develop solutions to ensure envelope systems performed as intended.

MEP systems commissioned include hot water heating systems with unit heaters and radiant heat, Energy Recovery Units (ERUs) with gas-fired humidifiers and bipolar ionization, glycol makeup systems, pumps, exhaust fans, VAV systems, cooling stations, split AC units, air curtains, emergency generator and switchgear, medium voltage transformers, and site lighting.

The primary challenge discovered during MEP commissioning involved ERUs failing under freeze conditions during Connecticut’s extended cold weather. SES collaborated with design engineers, General Contractor, mechanical contractor, and equipment manufacturer to assess freeze-stat issues and develop multiple solutions. Network communication failures affecting gas humidifiers, split AC units, and lead/follower VAV airflow control were systematically identified and resolved through network wiring replacement and controls programming corrections.

SES facilitated weekly commissioning meetings with the project team to coordinate testing and resolve integration challenges, ensuring optimal system performance for the airport’s expanded operations.