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Aviation Sustainability and the Environment, CAPA 14-Jan-2020

Analysis

Headlines

Etihad Airways operates eco-flight to Brussels to celebrate Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020

Air New Zealand incoming CEO vision to make the carrier 'something that other airlines aspire to be'

Heathrow commits to growth aligned with the net zero 2050 emission target (extracts from London Heathrow report)

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport terminal achieves LEED environmental certification

Etihad Airways operates eco-flight to Brussels to celebrate Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 (Etihad Airways report)

Etihad Airways will mark Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 by operating a special 'eco-flight' from Abu Dhabi to Brussels, featuring a range of initiatives designed to illustrate the airline's broad commitment to sustainable practices in the air and on the ground.

Flight EY 57, departing at 2.20am on Monday 13 January, will be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, the newest and most efficient type in the Etihad fleet, which consumes at least 15 per cent less fuel than any aircraft type previously flown by the airline.

The aircraft will follow an optimised flight route facilitated by the European airspace navigation service provider Eurocontrol to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

A range of other initiatives will be undertaken before, during and after the flight to highlight incremental opportunities to reduce the airline's impact on the environment.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: "Sustainable practice is a critical and continuing challenge for the air transport industry, which is striving to reduce carbon emissions and waste, while meeting soaring demand for air travel. It is also a key priority for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in which Etihad is a critical driver of both social and economic development.

"This year's national theme of the United Arab Emirates is '2020: Towards the next 50'. Etihad is committed to working continuously with a range of partners as part of a broader national focus on environmental sustainability."

At the core of its commitment to sustainable flying, Etihad Airways continues to invest in the latest generation, most fuel-efficient aircraft, increasing its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and preparing to induct three new types, the wide-bodied Airbus 350-1000 and Boeing 777-9, and the narrow-bodied Airbus A321neo.

Etihad Airways recently partnered with First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Global Markets to become the first airline to secure commercial funding conditional upon compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and is exploring options for similar funding of other initiatives.

The airline has announced the Etihad Greenliner Programme, through which its entire fleet of Boeing 787s will be used as flying testbeds for a range of sustainability initiatives by Etihad and its industry partners. The first such partner is Boeing, which will join Etihad in a comprehensive research programme, beginning next week with delivery of a new 'signature' Boeing 787, specially-themed to highlight the sustainability partnership of the two companies.

Etihad is also a strong supporter of sustainable aviation fuels and continues to partner with providers including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Tadweer (Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre) on future fuel initiatives.

In addition to the optimised flight route, initiatives to support tomorrow's Brussels 'Ecoflight' also include:

  • Minimal single-use plastics on board, including removal of plastic wrapping from blankets, headsets wrapped in paper (Economy) and velvet bags (Business), plastic-free amenity kits; lightweight metal cutlery (Sola Cutlery the Netherlands), meals served in aluminium dishes, water served in recyclable tetra-pak boxes, and hot beverage cups to be replaced with recyclable cups (Butterfly Cup);
  • Innovative wheat-based plates (Biotrem) for on-demand meals in Business;
  • Electric tractors to help ferry freight and luggage between the terminal and the aircraft in Abu Dhabi. The airline has just received the first 10 of 94 such vehicles, to be introduced during 2020;
  • Expedited taxi time from the Abu Dhabi terminal to the runway, to minimise or eliminate holding time with engines running;
  • En-route use of a range of fuel optimisation techniques, and;
  • The use of ground power at both Abu Dhabi and Brussels airport terminals instead of the aircraft's own fuel-powered auxiliary power unit.
  • Brussels Airport is 'climate neutral' in its own carbon emissions through extensive initiatives including the use of electric buses for passenger transport and compressed natural gas for its own service vehicles, and is exploring options including the use of electric vehicles for aircraft push-back and taxi-out.
  • Etihad is also implementing or considering sustainability initiatives including:
  • Waterless cleaning of aircraft exteriors, improving presentation and removing grease and dirt to 'smooth' the fuselage and minimise aerodynamic 'drag';
  • 'Eco-wash' cleaning of aircraft engines to help improve fuel efficiency and minimise emissions;
  • Other on-board initiatives designed to reduce aircraft weight or optimise performance, resulting in lower fuel consumption and emissions, and;
  • Reduction of single use plastics by 80 per cent by 2022.

Air New Zealand incoming CEO vision to make the carrier 'something that other airlines aspire to be'

Air New Zealand's incoming CEO, Greg Foran, reported his "vision for Air New Zealand would be to make it something that other airlines aspire to be across all dimensions" and not just operational metrics but also sustainability (Stuff, 14-Jan-2020). Mr Foran reported it is "vitally important" for the company to lead sustainability efforts "not just in New Zealand" but also "around the world in what we can accomplish".

Heathrow commits to growth aligned with the net zero 2050 emission target (extracts from London Heathrow report)

Over the past 10 years the groundwork was laid for the airport's environmental goals, with the unveiling of Heathrow 2.0, its sustainability strategy in 2017 and £100 million of investment which funded the airport's pledge to 'Go Electric' with the EU's biggest electric fleet, the peatland restoration carbon offsetting project and the centre of excellence for sustainability. Our Fly Quiet and Green league tables revealed that more airlines are operating ultra-quiet and green 787s and A350s, partly in response to environmental pricing incentives...

In June, the airport unveiled its preferred masterplan for expansion. The plan sets out how the expanded airport will be operated and provided local residents with information on new measures to reduce congestion and emissions as well as a ban on scheduled night flights...

Heathrow announced tough new measures to protect local air quality and reduce congestion in preparation for expansion. The airport will be launching a new Ultra-Low Emission Zone targeting older, more polluting passenger cars and private hire vehicles from 2022, before a wider Vehicle Access Charge (VAC) is introduced for all passenger cars, taxis and private hire vehicles when the new runway opens.​​​..

Heathrow submitted an Initial Business Plan to the CAA showing how the airport will deliver expansion and connect all of Britain to global growth. The plan will mean lower fares for passengers with new capacity and shows how expansion is sustainable, affordable, financeable and deliverable.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:

"The past decade has been transformational for Heathrow and the investments that we've made in our infrastructure, our people and our processes are paying off for passengers. But it doesn't end there. By the end of this new decade of delivery, a third runway will have given Britain more hub capacity than our rivals in France or Germany, making this country a winner and the best-connected country in the world. Regular, direct flights to all the major cities in the US, India and China - the great economies of the 21st Century - will put all of Britain at the heart of global trade and we look forward to delivering this economic growth in a way that aligns with the Committee on Climate Change's net zero 2050 target."

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport terminal achieves LEED environmental certification (Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport report)

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport announced (13-Jan-2020) its international terminal received LEED certification by the US Green Building Council. The accreditation evaluates criteria such as environmentally friendly applications, comfortable indoor conditions and high rates of energy, water and raw material saving and efficiency.

CEO Ersel Göral commented: "With this certificate, we aim to achieve a 30% increase in energy efficiency and a 30% reduction in natural gas use and carbon emissions. We also have a 25% target in water-saving, and will increase our targets in the future"

(Original)

İSTANBUL SABİHA GÖKÇEN ULUSLARARASI HAVALİMANI TERMİNAL BİNASINA, ABD'DEN "YEŞİL BİNA SERTİFİKASI" V

İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Uluslararası Havalimanı terminal binası, Amerikan Yeşil Binalar Konseyi (U.S. Green Building Council - USGBC) tarafından verilen LEED sertifikasını Gold (Altın) seviyesinde almaya hak kazandı. Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı böylece en çok tercih edilen yeşil bina sertifikasyon sistemi LEED'e sahip olan dünyadaki sayılı havalimanlarından biri oldu.

31 Ekim 2009 tarihinde hizmete giren ve bu yıl yaklaşık 36 milyon yolcuyu ağırlayan İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Uluslararası Havalimanı terminal binası, 1998 yılından bu yana Amerikan Yeşil Binalar Konseyi (USGBC) tarafından verilen LEED sertifikasının sahibi oldu. Çevre dostu uygulamalar, konforlu iç mekan koşulları ve yüksek oranlarda enerji, su ve hammadde tasarrufu gibi kriterleri değerlendiren LEED Sertifikasyon Sistemi, İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Terminal Binası'nın toplu taşıma ulaşımını özendirerek karbon salınımının düşürülmesine destek vermesi, enerji verimliliğini artırması ve günışığından faydalanması gibi özelliklerine vurgu yaparak LEED Sertifikasının Gold kategorisinde verilmesine karar verdi.

Konuyla ilgili değerlendirmede bulunan Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı terminal işletmecisi İSG'nin CEO'su Ersel Göral şunları söyledi:
"İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Uluslararası Havalimanı olarak 7/24 yaşayan bir yapıya sahibiz. Yaptığımız işlerin ve verdiğimiz hizmetlerin temelinde, insana, topluma ve doğaya dair "iyi olanı ortaya koymak" yatıyor. Terminal binamızdaki çevre dostu uygulamalar, doğaya saygılı ve enerji tasarruflu yürüttüğümüz operasyon ve konforlu iç mekan koşullarımızla dünyada en çok tercih edilen LEED sertifikasyonuna dahil olduk. Ve bu sertifikayı başvurduğumuz ilk yılda Gold kategorisinde alarak önemli bir başarıya imza attık. Bu sertifikaya sahip olarak, enerji verimliliğinde yüzde 30 artış hedeflerken, doğalgaz kullanımında ve karbon emisyon salınımında ise yüzde 30 azalma gerçekleştirmeyi amaçlıyoruz. Ayrıca su tasarrufunda da yüzde 25 oranında bir hedefimiz var. Bundan sonraki süreçte de tasarruf hedeflerimizi artırarak sürdüreceğiz. 2020 yılının ilk çeyreğinde temelini atacağımız yeni terminal binamızı da yine bu hedeflere uygun bir şekilde inşa edeceğiz."

İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı terminal binasına verilen LEED sertifikasını dünyada New York JFK (ABD), New York La Guardia (ABD) , San Diego (ABD), Cidde Kral Abdülaziz (Suudi Arabistan), Zagreb (Hırvatistan) havalimanlarının yanı sıra Türkiye'den de İzmir Adnan Menderes Havalimanı daha önce almaya kazanmıştı.

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