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Tribune News Network
Doha
HAMAD International Airport (HIA) announced on Wednesday that it has been rewarded for its environmental protection strategy, by successfully reaching Level 3 'Optimisation' status in the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.
HIA is the first airport in the GCC and only the second in the Middle East and Northern Africa region to reach the Level 3 standing.
The certification was awarded to Engr. Badr Mohammed al Meer, Chief Operating Officer of Hamad International Airport and Special Advisor to the ACI Asia-Pacific Board on April 11, 2017, during the 12th ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly that took place in Doha, Qatar. HIA's achievement comes only 18 months after first initiating its carbon management programme in 2015. The airport has also recorded a 14.2 percent improvement in carbon efficiency (CO2 kg per passenger) in 2016 compared to 2015.
Meer said:"This accreditation acknowledges Hamad International Airport's commitment to tackling climate change, and was achieved by continuing to measure the airport's carbon emissions, implementing airport-wide energy reduction programmes and engaging airport stakeholders to measure and manage third-party emissions associated with the airport. Central to this commitment is HIA's target to improve carbon efficiency per passenger by 30 percent by 2030 against a 2015 baseline."
Patti Chau, Regional Director of ACI Asia-Pacific, said:"I wish to congratulate Hamad International Airport on becoming Airport Carbon Accredited at the Optimisation Level. HIA has earned the level 3 accreditation in recognition of their exemplary work in managing, reducing and engaging other stakeholders on the airport site, in minimising CO2 emissions as part of the airport industry's response to the challenge of Climate Change."
HIA has developed a Carbon Management Strategy that provides the framework for energy reduction initiatives throughout the airport. An Energy Working Group has been created to identify and promote energy saving initiatives across the whole airport. The group has implemented a number of new projects, including modifications to lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems and Optimization of Building Management System (BMS). One such initiative is the installation of air curtains and high speed doors to the numerous entrances and exits around the Passenger Terminal Complex and baggage handling areas, both airside and landside, minimising cooling losses and saving electrical consumption.
A key part of HIA's Carbon Management Plan is the Stakeholder Engagement Plan that encourages the participation of the airport's stakeholders, including passengers, the national carrier Qatar Airways, its subsidiaries including Qatar Duty Free, as well as government stakeholders, private operators and retailers.
The ACI's Airport Carbon Accreditation programme is the world's only institutionally-endorsed, international carbon management programme for airports and offers certification at four levels which reflect incremental challenges in measuring, managing and improving carbon emissions.
