Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), the operator of Hong Kong International Airport in China, has set a new target of reducing the carbon footprint of the airport by 10% by 2020 when compared with 2015 levels.
Last year, the airport surpassed its target of reducing carbon intensity by 25% per workload unit against 2008 levels, achieving a reduction of 25.6% per workload unit.
Since 2010, the airport community has completed more than 400 carbon reduction initiatives to achieve its carbon reduction goal. These include installing more than 100,000 LED lights at the airport and improving cooling systems, as well as introducing electric vehicles and charging facilities. An online carbon audit system has also been developed for AAHK and its participating business partners to monitor and report on progress. In 2013, HKIA received the Airport Carbon Accreditation ‘Optimization’ certificate from the Airports Council International (ACI) in recognition of its carbon emissions management and reduction efforts.
Currently, the number of participating business partners at the airport has increased to more than 50. To achieve the new goal, the AAHK and airport community will implement more measures to enhance energy efficiency, including optimizing the energy consumption of the air-conditioning systems and implementing enhancements to the cooling and lighting systems.
Fred Lam, CEO of the HKAA, said, “Some of the key initiatives include the replacement of over 80,000 LED lights at Terminal 1 to further enhance energy efficiency, optimizing the energy consumption of Midfield Concourse, and the conversion of apron high-mast lighting to LED light sources.
“The authority will also collaborate with local and foreign universities to develop smart and quick charging solutions for electric vehicles, and seek to achieve the best energy efficiency with cloud-based analytic energy management system.
“Meanwhile, business partners of the airport community will optimize energy consumption of the air conditioning system and install energy-efficient lighting to work toward the reduction goal.”
Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, secretary for transport and housing, said, “I would like to call upon all players in the aviation industry to share their experience in carbon reduction, and continue to work hand-in-hand with the AAHK to support and realize the new carbon reduction goal, so that Hong Kong Airport will maintain its pioneering position as the world’s most environmentally friendly and greenest airport.”