DEN Celebrates Earth Day with Sustainability Accomplishments

DENVER – April 21, 2023 – Two years ago, Denver International Airport (DEN) announced a number of initiatives to help reduce the environmental impacts of airport operations over the next five years. Since then, “sustainability and resiliency” has been weaved into all aspects of DEN’s operations as a guiding principle within our Vision 100 strategic plan. With a goal to become one of the greenest airports in the world, DEN has already made significant progress toward this community commitment.

“DEN’s sustainability efforts are not just checking a box for us,” said DEN CEO Phil Washington. “We understand that in order to grow while still supporting the communities we serve and improving our economic competitiveness, sustainability must be a priority. The initiatives we’ve accomplished are only the beginning of a continuous stride to lead the aviation industry forward in a sustainable way.”

On Feb. 1, DEN launched a sustainability campaign to create awareness and educate employees, passengers and the greater public about DEN’s sustainability efforts. The campaign is future-focused and addresses the actions DEN is taking today to become one of the world’s greenest airports.

DEN has made great strides toward becoming a sustainability leader in the aviation industry. The following are a few of the projects we have implemented in the last two years:

Building Green

In November of last year, DEN celebrated the completion of the Gate Expansion Program with the opening of new gates on Concourses A and B. The first-to-open B-West project has been certified to the LEED Gold standard, and the remaining three expansions are also tracking LEED Gold. The new facilities all include sustainability features such as low-flow water fixtures, toilets and urinals. They also include energy-efficient design and rooftop solar systems that reduce the energy and water use of the facilities by more than 30% over conventional design.

Oil & Gas Wells

In 2021, DEN began to accelerate existing plans to permanently cease oil and gas operations at the airport by plugging the wells that have been inactive since 2018. DEN is proud to say that we have permanently plugged 48 of our 64 wells and are on track for a full closure this summer.

Energy Performance Contract

Last year, DEN embarked on the largest Energy Performance Contract (EPC) ever performed in the state of Colorado. DEN will implement various deep energy and water efficiency measures that will significantly reduce energy and water use throughout the airport while reducing our carbon footprint. Construction activities kicked off last fall following a multi-year year energy audit that covered over eight million square feet of the airport.

The scope of the project includes replacing and optimizing energy control systems throughout the airport, converting over 38,000 lights to energy-saving LED bulbs and improving the water efficiency within DEN restrooms.

The EPC, due to be completed by the end of 2025, is projected to reduce utilities costs by more than $4,000,000 each year, while providing a guaranteed 20% energy savings, 28% water savings, and 30,000 metric ton annual CO2e reduction. Additionally, the project includes an 18% minority- and women-owned business (M/WBE) goal that will put a minimum of $17 million back into the Denver M/WBE contracting community.

Energizing DEN

DEN is leading the industry in airport renewable energy development. We have one of the largest and most diverse solar photovoltaic (PV) programs of any airport in the world, with more arrays to be constructed later this year. Since we made our commitment to become the greenest airport in the world in 2021, DEN has added the two largest solar arrays in Denver, energizing our airport and beyond. DEN’s solar portfolio across over 150 acres includes community solar gardens that generate power used at DEN and other community sites, rooftop solar arrays and a solar canopy on a DEN-owned parking lot. During peak production hours, the arrays can produce more electricity than the airport consumes.

Green Fleet

DEN’s Fleet Team was recognized as the #4 Green Fleet in the country by the National Fleet Association in 2022. The Green Fleet Awards recognize various government and commercial fleet organizations in North America that execute groundbreaking and ingenious green initiatives. DEN has been in the top 30 for eight out of the last nine years.

Waste Reduction and Diversion

We take waste reduction and diversion very seriously at DEN. In 2022, we were proud to keep our core diversion programs going strong, including single-stream recycling, luggage donation and wooden pallet and plastic film recycling. DEN re-established programs that had been impacted by the pandemic including compost collection and food donation. Our airport concessionaire compost collection program reached pre-pandemic levels of almost 20 tons per month, which resulted in the highest landfill waste diversion rate in DEN’s history.

Glycol recycling

DEN maintains an industry-leading stormwater management system that collects an average of 70% of the deicing fluid applied to aircraft during each winter season. Although we have operated an on-site glycol reclamation plant since the airport opened in 1995, we are building a new system that will recycle spent glycol to a level to allow deicing fluid to be remanufactured and reapplied to aircraft in a closed loop. What otherwise would have become waste product will help offset the demand for new glycol – significantly reducing the environmental impacts associated with transporting the fluid, localizing the supply chain, and reducing costs for DEN’s business partners.

DEN is committed to supporting the City and County of Denver’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goals – a science-based target to reduce emissions 65% by 2030 and a 2040 net zero emissions goal. We have started work on an emissions reduction plan to support these goals, and to ensure that the energy that powers DEN’s growth is low-carbon, cost-effective, reliable and resilient.

Click here to learn more about DEN’s sustainability program.

Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $33 billion for the region annually. For more information visit www.FlyDenver.com, check us out on YouTube and Instagram, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for DEN’s monthly newsletter Nonstop News.

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