Airport Net Zero: Helping our aviation clients reduce emissions and increase business

Steer and C&S Companies have been working together since 2019 on a variety of client solutions, including the development of airports. Our newest joint initiative is airportnetzero.com, a tool which will aid airports in their missions to meet their Net Zero goals and reduce their environmental impacts.

Globally, airports have signed on to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) goal that the aviation sector will achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. While aircraft emissions will undoubtedly be the most challenging component of achieving the goal, leading airports have already adopted Net Zero goals significantly ahead of 2050. 

Airports’ roles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions are focused on decarbonizing and electrifying the facilities and vehicles they operate. These initiatives include developing new, and retrofitting existing, airport terminals to increase energy efficiency; creating onsite renewables and energy storage; and moving to alternative fuel airport fleets and equipping the airport with electric vehicle charging stations.

For individual airports, use of cleaner energy sources is also correlated with the mix of power drawn from their local grid. Our website, airportnetzero.com, includes each of these factors and provides airports of all sizes and functions with a business as usual vs. projected emissions calculator highlighting their progress against the goal of Net Zero. 

This initial assessment is based on sample airport emissions for each category of airport (as determined by the Federal Aviation Administration). For a tailored Net Zero analysis, airports and their business partners and stakeholders are advised to contact C&S and Steer to help with their assessments and follow-on measures to achieve their goals.

In addition to setting and achieving Net Zero goals, our analyses will help the airport mitigate energy price volatility, prepare for increased regulation of emissions, enhance energy and operational resilience; reduce emissions and air quality impacts, and meet stakeholder and community expectations around sustainable operations. 

If you would like to know more about airports, their roles in meeting Net Zero goals, and the airportnetzero.com website, please contact Steve Van Beek (steve.vanbeek@steergroup.com).

For more information on Steer’s wider sustainability offer, please contact Serbjeet Kohli (serbjeet.kohli@steergroup.com).