Environmental impact need to be factored in airports development

The UAE is committed to implementing environmental legislation in tandem with the development of its aviation infrastructure to ensure the crucial sector's sustainability, with a national study, commissioned by the UAE National Environment Working Group, currently awaiting an approval of its recommendations, according to an expert.

She noted that airports were the life blood of the economy, impacting growth, nature conservation, and the lives of those living around the airports - all of which constitute the environment.

"We need to take care of the environmental concerns during the design stage. We need to bridge the gap between the design team and the operational team of airports to save money, effort and get immediate results on the ground. Abu Dhabi has started to put together elements for a green airport. Other airports in the UAE are also working towards reducing the environmental impact. We have been working towards this initiative for the last three years as per the ICAO guidelines, and also at a Federal level," she said.

P. S. Nair, Chief Executive Officer, GMR Airports Limited, recounted the India experience, and said that as most of the airports had been designed relatively recently, it had been possible to use technology and airport analytics to identify and set the right environmental impact as and when it happened.

He urged senior airport management - including CEOs and CFOs - to remain vigilant and, with the help of analytics, monitor the effectiveness of each system and practice and thereby saving resources, time and energy and considerably increasing profits in the long run.

He also suggested airport operators demarcate clearly what they wanted to achieve and then use business intelligence solutions and analytics to improve the air traffic management and reduce noise levels, with minimal human intervention.

Also endorsing involvement of all stakeholders in implementing sustainability at the airports, Benito De Leon, Director, Office of Airport Planning and Programming at the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), noted that the regulatory body was taking a closer look at sustainable practices in the airports, factoring into account the size, climate, susceptibility to climate changes, among other things.

It is aimed at sharing the best sustainable initiatives across all the airports, looking at introducing LED lighting and solar panels where possible in public areas, signages and runways. It is also partnering with educational institutions and the US Department of Energy to implement solutions for zero emissions. The FAA guidelines also incorporated recycling into the national policy in tandem with the Department of Energy.

De Leon did not rule out implementing an Environment Tax, as a good punitive measure, if airports did not adhere to their responsibilities willingly.

Bo Redeborn, Principal Director ATM at Eurocontrol, said Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) had helped in saving Euro2.5m in German airports like Brandenburg and Frankfurt, with nearly 200 airports in the EU region set to abide by the environmental legislation in 2014. He noted that Collaborative Environment Management was the way forward.

Michael Schneider, Chief Executive Officer, Siemens, said that suppliers, contractors, operators all needed to be on the same page about implementing best environment practices, starting from baggage handling and scanning baggage at airports, which could be made more efficient. He averred that health checks and conserving energy at airports could result in huge savings for world's hub airports like Heathrow and Dubai, educate people and make them more environmentally conscious human beings.

Also speaking at the event, Richard de Cani, Director of Transport Strategy & Policy Transport for the City of London, made a case for political will to empower the expansion of venerable hub airports like Heathrow, which, working to 99% capacity, were being severely challenged for their leading spot at receiving the maximum number of passengers each year.

Note to Editors: About Airport Show: Now in its 13th successful year, the Airport Show is the premier airport event for the Middle East, North Africa and Indian subcontinent region. Co-located with the 'Global Airport Leaders' Forum', an industry meeting to generate solutions for airport leaders from around the world to overcome their common challenges and 'Airport Passenger Experience', a unique platform visualizing the future of airport terminals and technologies, Airport Show is the largest gathering of airport decision makers, experts and suppliers in the region.