Denver International Airport Continues National Leadership in Reducing Environmental Footprint
DENVER – Oct. 11, 2017 – For its continuing work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest for sustainability throughout its operations, Denver International Airport (DEN) has once again been recognized as a certified airport in the prestigious international Airport Carbon Accreditation program.
Airport Carbon Accreditation is an independent program launched by Airports Council International-Europe in 2009 to provide a common framework for airports to reduce their climate change impacts, which can also reduce operational costs and improve efficiency. The program became available to North American airports for the first time in 2014, and DEN was among the first airports in North America to obtain certification under this internationally recognized program in 2015.
DEN has been re-certified at “level 2” of the program, which means that the airport has completed a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, had its carbon reduction targets verified by a third-party auditor, developed a carbon management program and demonstrated an emissions reduction of 4.7 percent (19.4 million pounds of CO2e) from 2015 to 2016. Some of the airport’s recent “green” projects include: significant upgrades to the central utility plant that provides the heating and cooling for the terminal, concourses and hotel. The airport has replaced boilers with higher efficiency models, and made electrical upgrades that include higher efficiency pumping systems. DEN has also retrofitted older lighting technology to LEDs throughout the facility and reduced the fuel consumption of its fleet vehicles.
“Denver International Airport’s emissions reduction program is a great example of our strategic commitment to invest for sustainability,” said Ken Greene, DEN’s chief operating officer. “We continue to demonstrate that the airport can reduce its environmental footprint, save money, and be a good community partner as we continue to grow.”