Electrifying Montreal International Airport: A Living Lab Demonstrating Stakeholder-Driven Pathways to Decarbonization of Major Infrastructure
Summary
Montréal International Airport, one of Canada’s busiest, has significant opportunities to reduce its carbon footprint and increase electrification. Currently relying on energy-intensive systems, the airport aims to integrate sustainable solutions into its operations to support electrification and decarbonization efforts, while improving the experience for passengers and employees.
The project will focus on five key objectives: developing measurement protocols to track energy use and emissions, optimizing building operations, designing alternative energy sources, creating energy flexibility and resilience solutions, and exploring financing models for implementation. With the airport undergoing a multibillion-dollar expansion under ACCESS 2030, there’s a unique opportunity to integrate the research directly into real-world infrastructure.
By working toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, this project will provide scalable, stakeholder-driven solutions that can be applied to airports and large buildings across Canada. The project will deliver economic, social, and environmental benefits, lowering energy costs, improving comfort, and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future.
Key details
| Principal investigator | Mohamed Ouf, Concordia University |
| Co-principal investigators | Andreas Athienitis, Concordia University Ahmad Hammami, Concordia University Helen Stopps, Toronto Metropolitan University Radu Zmeureanu, Concordia University |
| Areas of Research | Modelling and Design Technologies, Control, Systems, and Access Technologies, Building and Building Envelope Technologies, Infrastructure/Utility Technologies, Battery and Energy Storage Technologies, Knowledge Mobilization of Decarbonization and Electrification Processes |
| Non-academic partners | Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), NRC, CanmetENERGY, Delta Controls Inc, Carleton University, Bentley Systems |
Publications:
H. Karimian, R. Muhammad, M. M. Ouf, and S. Goubran, “Investigating the dynamics of thermal perception, physiological responses, and task performance in office environments,” Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 111, p. 113164, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2025.113164.
M. Bavaresco et al., “A dataset from a coordinated multi-site laboratory study investigating the Hue-Heat-Hypothesis,” Sci Data, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 1549, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.1038/s41597-025-05962-1.
S. Sleiman and M. Ouf, “A review on energy practices and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of airports,” Building and Environment, vol. 278, p. 112965, June 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112965.
A. Hassan, B. Gunay, M. M. Ouf, A. Chong, and A. A. Markus, “Nudging window use behaviour through algorithmic setpoint adjustments,” Building and Environment, vol. 275, p. 112810, May 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112810.
A. Doma, M. M. Ouf, F. Amara, N. Morovat, and A. K. Athienitis, “Occupancy-informed predictive control strategies for enhancing the energy flexibility of grid-interactive buildings,” Energy and Buildings, vol. 332, p. 115388, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115388.
Accepted publications in national and international conferences:
I. Ben Sassi, A. Athienitis, and M. Ouf, “Visual Comfort Control Strategy for an Advanced Fenestration in an Office Space,” in Multiphysics and Multiscale Building Physics, U. Berardi, Ed., in Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol. 555. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, 2025, pp. 292–297. doi: 10.1007/978-981-97-8317-5_43.
Reports:
M. Ouf, “Obsolescence Study and Analysis of the Building Systems of the Aeroquai at the Montreal International Airport,” Apr. 2025.
M. Ouf, “CFD-Based IAQ Assessment Aeroquai Building (Montreal Airport),” Apr. 2025.
Funding
Volt-Age is funded by a $123-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
