Outcomes of Green Initiatives: Large Airport Experience (2014)

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61 ACRP SyntheSiS S13-02-10: OutCOmeS Of GReen initiAtiveS At AiRPORtS The 15 airports indicated in the survey that they have: • Improvements, • Successes, and • Future plans. The airports were asked open-ended questions about these areas, and the responses are shown here. imPROvementS The 15 airports were asked the open-ended question, “What would you do differently in terms of your sustainability practices?” The airports had various responses that focused on policy, goals, plan- ning, organizational structure, budgeting, monitoring and measurement, tenants and stakeholders, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation. The airports’ responses are: • Establish the sustainability policy earlier. • Establish an airport EcoDistrict. • Enhance work with the tenants and airlines to create an airportwide sustainability management plan. • Establish a sustainability budget to fund certain projects. • Move sustainability position to a higher reporting in management. • Engage more heavily in climate change mitigation and adaptation dialogue with constituents. • Incorporate a more formal planning and collaboration process with clear lines of accountability for meeting well-established sustainability goals across the organization. • Try harder to portray the benefits of sustainability initiatives. • Build stronger organizational structure around sustainability. • Engaging with tenants and other stakeholders is a top priority; so far our efforts have been largely internal. Eventually, we would like to move away from a stand-alone initiative and integrate sustainability principles into the short- and long-term strategic and business planning process. • Continuing to refine goals (including monitoring and measuring associated metrics). • Seek support from the other stakeholders (and most importantly other departments within the company). • Have people understand that sustainability is not just environmental issues but part of an air- port’s strategic long-term planning. How do I put more planes over the community and have them thank me for it? • Do more checking in and measuring progress more frequently. • Establish a sustainable management plan immediately after adoption of a sustainability policy. • I would have every job description include sustainability responsibilities. SuCCeSSeS The airports were asked the open-ended question, “What has been your greatest success?” The responses provided topics and discussion points for the in-depth interviews for the case examples. Some responses pointed to the successful implementation of a particular practice: • Creation of the green construction and green procurement manuals. • Upcoming completion of the implementation of the organics composting program. • Development of ongoing working groups. APPendix B OPen-ended QueStiOnS

62 • Energy projects are by far the easiest to sell. • The new thermal plant achieved a 70% energy efficiency improvement. This project resulted in the transaction of carbon credits on the voluntary market. • Noise and stormwater runoff quality. • Over 50% conversion of entire airport taxi fleet to meet Low Carbon Fuel Standard within a 9-month period. Others focused on developing processes that underlie the development of sustainable practices with answers such as: • Green construction/LEED classes for staff/energy savings from this. • Fast implementation. • Sustainability management plan. • Education of the staff on the importance of sustainability practices and making sustainability a normal part of our daily jobs. • Airport deicing fluid collection, communication of processes. Other airports focused on perceptions resulting from the implementation of practices. These responses included: • Building internal support and showing that the airport can be a leader in sustainability practices (LEED, among first to install EV chargers, lead on energy issues, etc.). • Ability to maintain leadership position in industry. • Airport held up to community as model. futuRe PlAnS The survey asked, “How do you hope to improve in your sustainability practices over the next 5 years?” All of the airports have significant plans. All the responses focused on the development of processes and structures that will support sustainability practices rather than specific new initiatives. The airports responded: • Continue to integrate triple-bottom-line sustainability into airportwide operations and culture. Working collaboratively with all of the airport users, tenants, airlines, concession, to create one plan and one implementation strategy to meet the agreed to goals and initiatives. • Establish 5-year stretch goals and end-of-year objectives. • Processes that incorporate the tools developed into specs, etc., so that there are “no questions,” better communications. • Pursue GRI. • Establish reporting dashboard. • Set aggressive long-term goals. • Implement our ongoing sustainability initiatives for planning, design and construction; build- ing automation; and environmental management systems. • Develop initiatives for zero waste generation, further greenhouse gas emission reduction, and climate change adaptation. • Improve policy development, planning, implementation, and reporting. • Implement sustainability action plan that requires the participation of external stakeholders (concessionaires, tenants, taxi drivers, etc.). • Address waste and recycling issues on a broader level and creating a framework for tenant and stakeholder participation. • Continue to refine goals (including monitoring and measuring associated metrics). • Integrate 20-year strategic plan into the 5-year plan. • Get more support from upper management. • Develop and implement a sustainability master plan.