Porter Aviation Holdings Inc. has built two massive aircraft hangars at the Ottawa International Airport. At 150,000+ square feet and $65 million, the project was designed by Scott Associates Architects. PCL served as construction manager together with Span Construction & Engineering. HH Angus provided mechanical and electrical engineering to the project, as well as ICAT and security design.

The Porter hangars were constructed in two phases - the first was completed in late 2023, and the second in 2024 Q1. The complex is part of a series of projects to revitalize the Ottawa Airport to accommodate increased air travel demand in the National Capital Region, and will serve as a primary maintenance base, with 200 local hires, including 160 aircraft maintenance engineers, shop technicians and administrative support staff.

The hangars span approximately 86 metres, and house up to eight aircraft, along with various repair and parts modification shops.

One of the project’s key design criteria was to exceed current energy efficiency standards, in line with the airport’s commitment to net-zero operations by 2040 or sooner.  The hangars were designed with sustainability in mind; for example, some of the important features include:

• A predominantly electric fleet of vehicles for towing and servicing aircraft, as well as ground support
• Design criteria exceeding current energy efficiency standards
• Constructed with approximately 35% recycled steel that can be recycled at the facility’s end of life
• Constructed from materials with 28% lower embodied carbon than conventional tilt-up assemblies
• City fire hydrant system is fully supplemented by an onsite underground water storage tank capturing approximately 1.2 million litres of excess rain/stormwater to avoid overstressing existing city mains.

HH Angus is also working with Scott Associates Architects on Porter Aviation's Saint-Hubert Airport Terminal project, a new zero-carbon terminal that will serve an estimated four million passengers annually. We were also involved with the original revitalization of the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport that was completed in 2011, as well as its further expansion in 2014, and have been working with Porter Aviation since its inception.  

Click here for a one-minute video of the hangar topping off.