AeroVironment has announced that its Architectural Wind system has been installed at Boston's Logan International Airport Office Center as part of a project commissioned by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

The installation comprises 20 five-bladed wind turbines and ties in with a comprehensive energy management plan that Massport has established for all its facilities.

"At Massport, we are continually striving to improve our facilities - making them more energy efficient as well as environmentally and user friendly," said Project Manager Terry Civic.

"The installation of the Architectural Wind turbines at Logan Airport is one of the many initiatives underway designed to exceed national standards for energy efficiency, and we look forward to significant energy-saving results."

Logan International is home to the nation's first airport terminal awarded Gold Level certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) by the U.S. Green Building Council.

AV's Architectural Wind is a small, modular building-integrated wind turbine system. It is designed for quick and easy installation onto the parapet of a concrete tilt-up, pre-cast, or other low-profile building. Installation results in little or no structural impact and tall support towers are not required.

For the Logan Airport installation, AV worked closely with Massport to incorporate the turbines on their building without any occupancy disruptions.

The patented design and positioning of the system on a building takes advantage of the natural acceleration in wind speed resulting from the building's aerodynamic properties.

This increased wind speed can increase the turbines' electrical power generation by more than 50% compared to the power generation that would result from systems located outside of the acceleration zone.

Architectural Wind systems have been installed on buildings throughout the country - including the new Kettle Foods potato chip factory in Beloit, Wis.; Laughlin Air Force Base near Del Rio, Texas; and the St. Louis County Government Service Center - providing not only reliable, non-polluting, renewable energy, but also a visual demonstration of customers' commitment to clean energy.

AV's sleek-looking wind turbine recently won the Red Dot International Design award (for design concept in the "green" category) and the Annual Design Review award (in the equipment category) from I.D., The International Design Magazine.