GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL), which operates Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad has been awarded Gold in the prestigious ‘ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2018’ in the 5-15 Million Passengers Per Annum category. Mr. SGK Kishore, CEO, GHIAL received the award during the Green Airports Recognition Ceremony 2018 organised today at the Airports Council International’s (ACI) Asia Pacific Regional Assembly in Narita, Japan.
The evaluation was carried out amongst 19 eligible submissions. The review panel has praised the Hyderabad Airport’s project on “Innovation and Technology in Waste Minimisation Project at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad”. Hyderabad Airport has a captive composting plant for processing all food waste. The organic manure from the composting plant are extensively used in maintaining the sprawling green cover, which also acts as a natural sink of the carbon emissions, absorbing about 240 tonnes of CO2 / annum.
Commenting on the development, Mr. SGK Kishore, CEO, GHIAL said, “We are pleased to receive this coveted recognition from ACI. Environmental Sustainability has been a key theme in the development of the Hyderabad Airport, and it permeates every aspect of the airport’s infrastructure and operations to this day.”
Hyderabad Airport has a ‘green’ passenger terminal building with the ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’ (LEED) Silver certification by the US Green Building Council. The entire airport has a well-planned and maintained greenbelt and landscaping, which has won laurels for its beauty and pleasing ambience. Hyderabad Airport also has the distinction of being amongst the first airports to have converted a significant portion of its lighting requirements to the environment friendly LED systems. Further, with a 10 MW captive solar power plant, the airport is meeting its day time energy requirements through ‘Green Power’. Hyderabad Airport’s continued commitment to sustainability has helped it continue its carbon neutrality status as being Level 3+/Carbon-neutral as recognized under ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. As part of its environmental policy, GHIAL practices water conservation through minimization of water use, recycling of waste water and harvesting the rainwater run-off that have helped in recharging the ground water in the area.