Airport sustainability with a positive impact on the bottom line: The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport experience

Airports’ interest in sustainable or green initiatives has grown around the world. An effective approach should include quantifiable onsite environmental enhancements rather than simply focusing on purchasing conservation credits. Done correctly, sustainable projects can benefit the bottom line rather than result in additional costs. Minnesota is located in the upper Midwest region of the USA. Home of the Mississippi River headwaters, it is also known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Public policy has historically favoured protection of natural resources, and it is no accident that this state's largest airport has also had an aggressive focus on environmental issues. The Airports Council International North America defines sustainability as ‘a holistic approach to managing an airport so as to ensure the integrity of the economic viability, operational efficiency, natural resource conservation and social responsibility of the airport’. This philosophy can serve to describe the approach that Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) took to its recent US$3bn expansion programme. Documented air and water quality improvements were made at MSP even as significant infrastructure growth took place. A long-term partnership with local utilities has yielded impressive rebate dollars and resulted in additional efficiencies that now shave US$1.04m from annual electrical and natural gas bills. Further improvements are being considered in the areas of lighting systems, low-emission ground service equipment, power generation and other key areas.