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OPERATIONS  
October 2026      AirportImprovement.com
IAH
For Houston’s George Bush 
Intercontinental Airport (IAH), 
the objective was clear: Unite 
separate safety, security and emergency 
management departments into one facility 
to improve situational awareness, event 
coordination and response—and fill it with 
state-of-the-art technology. 
The result is a $7.3 million command 
post dubbed the Integrated Coordination 
Center (ICC). The 9,300-square-foot 
facility not only operates 24/7 to help the 
airport handle routine operations and blips 
like weather delays and traffic surges; 
it is also capable of sheltering critical 
personnel for extended periods during 
more serious and protracted situations. 
Functions/groups housed in the ICC 
include:
• Airport Operations Center 
• Emergency Operations Center
• TSA Security Operations Center 
• Houston Police Department 
• Aircraft Gate Control 
• Facilities Maintenance Dispatch 
• Terminal Operations
The multi-disciplinary nerve center, 
which opened on Aug. 25, 2025, was five 
years in development. Planning included a 
project team from IAH studying and visiting 
other hub airports to better understand 
the options available, and then considering 
what features would work best in Houston. 
RDLR Architects served as the prime 
architecture and engineering consultant. 
Opening the ICC required the airport 
to relocate its Airside Operations Center 
and Emergency Operations Center from 
Terminal A to the new facility outside the 
terminal complex—an undertaking in itself 
that required extensive pre-move planning 
to ensure the transitions occurred on time, 
on budget and without coverage gaps. 
Scope and Scale
Last year, IAH served more than 48.7 million 
passengers on a campus with five terminals, 
five runways and 11,000 acres of land. As 
the largest property in the three-location 
Houston Airport System, it presents unique 
challenges for coordinating personnel. 
“Several of our work groups were 
spread out,” explains Houston Airports 
George Bush Intercontinental Creates 
24/7 Integrated Coordination Center 
FACTS&FIGURES 
Project: Integrated Coordination Center 
Location: George Bush Intercontinental Airport, 
in Houston, TX
Key Components: Airport Operations Center; Emergency 
Operations Center; TSA Security Operations Center; Houston 
Police Dept.; Aircraft Gate Control; Facilities Maintenance 
Dispatch; Terminal Operations
Key Benefits: Centralizes security/safety, airfield control 
& terminal operation functions; enhances everyday efficiency; 
monitors customer comfort & satisfaction; streamlines 
communication & speeds response during emergencies 
Cost: $7.3 million
Funding: Airports Improvement Fund
Project Timeline: Pre-bid conference Sept.21, 2023; 
construction started June 2024; official opening Aug. 25, 2025
Facility Size: 9,300 sq. ft.
Operator Consoles: 18
Prime Architecture & Engineering Consultant: 
RDLR Architects
General Contractor: Morganti Texas
Security & Access Control Software Platform: 
Honeywell Pro-Watch
Cameras: Honeywell
Surface Management & Collaborative 
Decision-making Suite: Saab Aerobahn 
Radios: Motorola
Digital Wall: Haivision 

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