3 Sustainable Airports Across Europe That Are Changing the Game
Sustainability has become a major consideration for airports all around the globe. With efforts prioritising net-zero goals, a seamless travel experience for passengers, and saving up on costs, the need to step up becomes inevitable.
Airports around Europe are a testament to this development, setting a prime example for other hubs to emulate. From employing the use of renewable energy to leveraging technology and intentional airport design, find out how these three airports are reshaping the sector.
In this article
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (The Netherlands)
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the 13th busiest hub in the world. It started employing sustainable efforts to achieve its ambitious plans of being emission-free and zero-waste by 2030 and operating as the most sustainable airport by 2050.
With its goal of becoming a circular and energy-positive company, the airport harnesses Dutch wind power for day-to-day operations, employs the use of LED lighting and electronic vehicles, and takes advantage of cogeneration plants.
Schiphol has already secured the highest level of classification–ACA Level 5–from the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) for reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 90% versus its 2010 numbers.
With its €6 billion budget for improvements, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol aims to fully operate on renewable energy and give away the surplus of produced energy to other consumers, fully exhaust the lifetime of assets, and provide more vegan options in their hubs for passengers.
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Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
The Frankfurt Airport hopes to cut down on one-third of its CO₂ emissions by 2030 and all of it by 2050. The terminal itself embraces:
- optimum thermal insulation,
- windows with UV protection (lessening the required power to cool the building),
- resourceful use of daylight & installation of LED luminaries,
- and photovoltaic solutions and sustainable water systems and facilities.
They’re also leveraging predictive AI to automatically control temperature and air conditioning in the terminal; ensuring optimal power use, reducing 1,900 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
The hub is set to unveil its new terminal 3 by 2026, showcasing its strong commitment to sustainability with large pane-glass windows that reduce the need for artificial lighting and minimal heating requirements backed by energy-efficient designs.
Athens International Airport (Greece)
Athens International Airport (AIA) is one of the few airports that earned an accreditation from the ACA when it first launched in 2009 and remains the only airport with a neutral carbon balance in Greece since 2016.
In 2019, the airport shared its ambitious Route 2025 Initiative, where they aim to achieve zero-carbon footprint by 2025.
As part of this, AIA relied on two photovoltaic energy sources. First was the 8 megawatt (MW) solar park that’s been in operation since 2011, and second was the newly operational 16 MW in 2023.
The latter was created to serve as a ‘self-production-self-consumption' site, currently producing 45% of the hub’s total energy consumption and predicted to avert 71,500 tonnes of CO₂ by 2046.
Learning Through Example
These three airports across Europe have proven that achieving sustainability is possible in an industry otherwise reliant on fossil fuels. Leveraging intuitive and purposive airport designs, along with technology and energy developments, is key to resolving climate challenges and excessive carbon emissions.
Taking these hubs as prime examples in the game and learning through their best practices is a commitment that airports worldwide can benefit from.
With these sustainable airports already in play, the future of aviation is definitely looking brighter and greener, encouraging more and more hubs to aspire to the level of commitment and achievement that they have accomplished.
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