Never has sustainability been a more prominent priority for airports across the world. The rising severity of the climate change may be the main driver that’s prompting ecological sustainability in an industry with a heavy carbon footprint, but the ongoing impact of the pandemic also necessitates a change towards long-term economic sustainability too.
Put simply: airports have to change the way they build, develop and operate, and they have to do it quickly. But how? What are some of the leading strategies being put into place in airports around the world to safeguard their long-term financial viability while minimising their impact on the environment?
1: Energy production and usage – keeping it clean, efficient and renewable
The majority of carbon emissions from the aviation industry are due to the planes being flown, but airports’ ground operations still contribute. While airlines switch to cleaner aviation fuels, airports need to maximise the sustainability of their energy consumption on the ground. Renewable energy production – through on-site energy solar, wind, biomass and hydrogen installations – are a vital first step. Equally important are investments in energy efficiency improvements across all airport facilities and operations. Smarter equipment from Saudi Airport Exhibition exhibitors like BERDS can streamline operations and reduce energy consumption too. Using less energy is as useful in reducing emissions as generating it cleanly.
Exemplar: San Francisco International (SFO)
SFO has had a zero net energy (ZNE) strategy in place since 2016. The plan’s steady implementation calls for the use of renewable energy on site with distributed energy resources (solar power and battery storage), and the airport’s 100+ buildings have been meticulously analysed for suitable energy efficiency improvements. A key element of the strategy is the use of a campus-wide energy management control system, which utilised centralised controls, smart metres, and a fully integrated networking data management platform for accurate reporting.
2: Physical infrastructure and assets – Synthetic materials and processes
Expansion and renovation works are always on the minds of major airport operators. When these works are carried out, they need to be done with sustainability as a central pillar of the process. This should be done holistically, where every physical part of the airport should become integrated into a circular economy – an approach taken by leading contractors like ICAD, who will be exhibiting at Saudi Airport Exhibition. Recyclable and/or natural building materials, waste reduction methods, working with the site’s natural features – these are all essential elements in the push for sustainable airport operations and development.
Exemplar: Dubai International Airport (DXB)
DXB is consistently setting the standard for sustainable airport operations. Not only does it embrace solar energy generation and energy saving features, it utilises the latest green construction methods in its development plans, and even sculpts palm trees directly into passenger-facing areas of its terminals. DXB is also rapidly replacing its fleet of ground operations vehicles with pure electric or hybrid ones.
3: Monitoring – Measuring success is the key to securing more
Every major industry recognises the vital importance of leveraging its own operational data to discover weaknesses and areas for improvement. The complex nature of airports and their highly interconnected operational setups means this is even more of a necessity. Monitoring and data analytics platforms from Saudi Airport Exhibition exhibitors like eSolutions and ADB Safegate can make the difference between making sustainability strides and missing them entirely.
Exemplar: London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
LHR’s Net Zero Plan calls for a wholesale modernisation of its infrastructure, ground operations and airspace, a goal made possible using the latest in aviation-based data analytics and management technology. Through a data-driven approach, Heathrow aims to cut carbon emissions from its infrastructure by 39%, from passenger surface access elements by 49% and from supply chain elements by 35%, all by 2030.
