The ‘Airport Carbon Accreditation’ programme audits and acknowledges the efforts made by participating airports to manage and reduce CO2 emissions. The programme consists of four levels that can each individually be rewarded with a Certificate: Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation & Neutrality. Groningen Airport Eelde successfully reached the first level ‘Mapping’. This level consists of identifying and listing the carbon footprint of the airports own processes. Obtaining this certificate was a perfect round off of the Green Sustainable Airports (GSA) project. A project that was initiated by Groningen Airport Eelde in 2008, together with the province of Drenthe.
Onno de Jong, Airport Manager of Groningen Airport Eelde said: “We are proud to have been recognised by Airport Carbon Accreditation for our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint. The Airport has the ambition to be one of the most inspiring regional airports Europe, in terms of sustainability. This accreditation contributes to that ambition. “
The runway extension project, that was completed in 2013, was such a paragon of sustainability, with a 24% lower carbon footprint in comparison to similar construction projects and with savings of 140,000 tonnes on the use of raw materials. Currently the Twentse Kabel Holding is testing a new sustainable and innovative lighting system on Groningen Airport Eelde. This system makes several elements unnecessary (such as transformers). With this new lighting system the airport will reduce installation- and maintenance costs and energy will be saved drastically.