By ISSA and R.V. Baugus
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport outside of Dallas and Fort Worth is the first airport in the world to earn GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation from The Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. The airport is joined by 25 additional newly accredited facilities, including Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio, McCormick Place in Chicago, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, and more.
“We are thrilled to welcome the first group of airports to the growing list of GBAC STAR accredited facilities, as well as other landmark facilities across the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe, and South America,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “Accreditation demonstrates to facility visitors and employees that an organization prioritizes occupant safety and has the necessary steps in place to handle biorisks like the novel coronavirus.”
One of the busiest airports in the world, DFW International Airport features more than 160 aircraft gates and welcomed nearly 75 million passengers in 2019. It is home to the largest American Airlines hub and will have a GBAC STAR-accredited American Airlines lounge in the near future as part of the airline’s commitment to GBAC STAR for its entire fleet and lounges. John Glenn Columbus International Airport served more than 8.5 million passengers in 2019 while the Palm Beach International Airport is an award-winning facility that has a 600,000 square foot terminal.
The following facilities have earned GBAC STAR accreditation this week:
Convention Centers
Beanfield Centre in Toronto
Better Living Centre in Toronto
Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Ala.
Enercare Centre in Toronto
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio
La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wisc.
Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas
McCormick Place in Chicago
Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla.
Queen Elizabeth Exhibit Hall in Toronto
Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn.
Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Ga.
Theater
Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles
Airports
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport in Texas
John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus, Ohio
Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Hotels
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in Hong Kong
Hyatt Place Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Hyatt Regency Chongqing in Chongqing, China
Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove, Calif.
Hyatt Regency Saipan in Saipan, Mariana Islands
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
Thompson Washington D.C. in Washington, D.C.
Hotel Santa Caterina in Amalfi, Italy, a Leading Hotels of the World member hotel
Commercial Office
Servimeters S.A.S in Bogota, Colombia
“While nearly every organization can claim that they’ve improved their approach to cleaning in the wake of the pandemic, those that have earned GBAC STAR accreditation have the added credibility of independent validation,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “GBAC’s experts review each facility’s plans for cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention to ensure the approach is effective and sustainable.”
To review a full list of GBAC STAR accredited facilities, committed facilities, and industry supporters, visit https://gbac.issa.com/gbac-star-facilities-and-supporters/. Additionally, hear from leaders of GBAC STAR-accredited facilities in the GBAC STAR Experience video series, available at https://gbac.issa.com/media/.
To apply for GBAC STAR facility accreditation, visit gbac.org/star.
