Snow removal crews at Austin Straubel International Airport will have a new 64,750-square-foot snow removal equipment building at the airport for winter 2010-2011.Airport officials and dignitaries broke ground on the nearly $8 million construction project Friday afternoon.

The building will replace the existing 18,000-square-foot facility built in 1981. It's expected to be finished by Oct. 1, 2010."(The existing building) was built when the equipment was much smaller and the demands for the preciseness of snow removal needed to safely land a jet were much less," Airport Director Tom Miller said. "We didn't have as much equipment or as much ancillary equipment that goes along with snow removal." The new building features a number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design characteristics such as geothermal heating and air conditioning, cisterns to collect rainwater for washing vehicles and skylights. Miller said employees who will be using the building were involved in the planning process. The building includes a 6,200-square-foot sand and solid de-icer storage area. Brown County Executive Tom Hinz said the county has made a commitment to using LEED certification when erecting new buildings. "This fits that mold," he said. "It also assures our airport will stay open as long as possible in inclement weather." The project is funded by federal, state and airport money. Miron Construction is general contractor for the project. Ltd.