Editor’s Note: A year ago, when San Francisco International Airport announced that it would pursue LEED Gold certification for Terminal 2, Steve Weindel wrote the post outlining our sustainability goals for the project. Today, we’re delighted to say that T2 is the first U.S. airport terminal to become LEED Gold-certified, and our original goals are now reality.

Stories in the The New York Times, Fast Company, Inhabitat and more rave about T2’s unparalleled environment, where travelers actually enjoy spending time at the airport. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group (T2 is home to Virgin America) says it best: “This terminal is beautiful. It’s one of the few terminals in America where you arrive and think it’s going to be a great day.”