VINCI Airports' commitment to the international ACA programme

As a mark of their long-term commitment to reducing their carbon footprint, VINCI Airports is the first international contributor to the ACI’s ACA programme, with 51 accredited airports, including 4 at the maximum level, ACA 5, in Portugal and France.

Reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions

With an eye to reducing energy consumption, VINCI Airports conducts energy audits that identify potential savings. Consumption-monitoring indicators are also used in order to assess the effectiveness of any measures implemented. Concrete actions have already been taken, including putting LED lighting in the terminal buildings and the airport apron, lighting automation (timeclocks, movement detectors, optimizing lighting with brightness sensors, and ensuring operators have detailed control over heating and air conditioning systems.

These energy-saving measures will also cut the airports’ greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce its carbon footprints, VINCI Airports uses alternative energy by developing, for example, photovoltaic power stations at some airports.

The ACA accreditation


 

Airport Carbon Accreditation  is the only institutionally-endorsed, global carbon management certification programme for airports. It independently assesses and recognises the efforts of airports to manage and reduce their carbon emissions through 7 levels of certification: ‘Mapping’, ‘Reduction’, ‘Optimisation’, ‘Neutrality’, ‘Transformation’, ‘Transition’ and ‘Level 5’, the topmost level in Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.
 
Through its 7 levels of certification, Airport Carbon Accreditation  acknowledges that airports are at different stages in their journey towards comprehensive carbon management. It is a programme for airports of all sizes, extending beyond hubs and regional airports with scheduled passenger traffic, to include general aviation and freight-focused airports. 
pensation for residual em

  • Mapping: recognizes the carbon footprint measurement of an entity on the basis of an international protocol and its verification by an independent third party.

  • Reduction: certifies the carbon footprint reduction achieved in the direct activities of an airport averaged over 3 years.

  • Optimisation: requires the scope of carbon footprint measurement to be extended to include third parties, and more specifically: airlines in terms of their LTO (Landing/Take-Off) cycles and passengers and the method of transport used to travel to the airport.

  • Neutrality: is the level that requires neutralising remaining direct carbon emissions by offsetting.

  • Transformation: Transforming airport operations and those of its business partners to achieve absolute emissions reductions

  • Transition: Compensation for residual emissions with reliable offsets

  • Level 5: This new level certifies that an airport has reached and is maintaining a Net Zero carbon balance on Scopes 1 and 2, and has addressed Scope 3 emissions sources that it can significantly influence on the pathway to Net Zero.issios with reli