Indy Airport Recognized With International Achievement Award

Aug. 20, 2020

Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez shares remarks regarding the Airports Council International-North America 2020 ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Award, and what it means in the grand scheme of the airport’s operations.

“This award is an important recognition in the Indy airport’s larger story about environmental stewardship, and a testament to the dedication and innovative thinking of all who work here. As the best airport in North America, we hold ourselves to a high standard in this area. That dedicated effort involves making sustainability decisions down to the finest details of business operations, such as how to improve energy efficiency, when and where to switch to green energy sources, investing in hybrid or electric-powered service vehicles, and working to reduce runway taxiing times– to name a few.”  – Mario Rodriguez, IAA executive director

AWARD BACKGROUND:  Mitigation Award Category:

Indianapolis Airport Authority recognized for its “Comprehensive & Scalable Sustainability Toolkit.” The airport authority, which owns and operates Indiana’s largest airport system, demonstrated its commitment to sustainability through the development of a first-of-its kind, comprehensive toolkit that can be applied to all aviation projects – from terminal renovations to taxiway and runway reconstructions. The toolkit provides an automated dashboard so staff can clearly track each project’s sustainability progress, easing the burden on project teams tasked with integrating sustainability into design and construction. This program is implemented across the entire airport system, benefitting from the scales and operational environments of its airports. The judges selected this project for the mitigation award appreciating the low cost approach to integrating sustainability into the project planning process. Click here to learn more.

IAA SUSTAINABILITY BACKGROUND: The IAA has long been recognized for its lengthy list of actions and accomplishments in environmental sustainability, including investing millions in federal and state grants into carbon-reduction measures, establishing one of the largest electric airport shuttle bus fleet in the United States, using early adopter sustainability approaches to maintaining runways, and installing environmentally friendly lighting and fueling technology on the aviation field. The electric shuttle buses decrease IND’s carbon footprint by 15 million pounds and will replace 66,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year. The Indianapolis International Airport was the first airport in the country to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for an entire airport terminal campus. It is also home to the largest solar farm of any airport in North America with enough energy to power 3,675 average American homes per year. In 2019, the IAA received Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 3 certification for IND as well as Level 1 ACA certification for each reliever airport, making it the largest accredited airport system in North America.