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• Waste Minimization & Recycling Management

Integrated Waste Management (IWM) at QAIA - particularly Solid Waste Management (SWM) - has improved significantly over the past five years as a result of the continuous enhancement of SWM infrastructure. Controls were placed to oversee waste carriers and producers as per the IWM Plan and the waste sorting and recycling project spanning all AIG ​buildings and facilities. Moreover, new categories were added to the recycling list, such as used tires, oil and batteries.

IWM objectives are summarized as per the below:

1. Upgrading existing solid waste sorting and segregation technologies and equipment.
2. Applying the 4Rs concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover).
3. Distributing recycling bins at offices for the segregation of waste at the source.
4. Involving all employees - including supervisors of cleaning companies - in awareness sessions regarding hazardous waste removal and waste recycling procedures.
5. Increasing the frequency of training and awareness sessions, whilst ensuring the attendance of supervisors and managers.
6. Minimizing the mixing of general waste with hazardous waste (i.e. sweeper operations with vehicle maintenance).
   
   

In 2021, the overall waste quantity generated from Airport International Group operations amounted to 1,585 tons, exceeding 2020 by around 21% due to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the increase in total passengers resulted in a decrease in waste per passenger, reaching 0.15kg/PAX, nearly 75% less than in 2020.

In 2021, greater emphasis was placed on enhancing waste segregation after a year of suspension due to the pandemic. With the support of the nearest waste sorting station, Airport International Group registered a surge of 84% in waste segregation quantities compared to 2020. Meanwhile, carbon emissions from waste treatment dropped by 42% by sending waste to a biogas waste treatment center, and overall hazardous waste quantities rose by 30% due to recovery from the pandemic.

For more details on the SWM structure, please refer to the Solid Waste Management Plan here.

• Energy Management

In 2021, the annual energy consumption across the airport site reached 58.9 GW – up 9% due to operation recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic - while associated CO2 emissions amounted to 34,183.8 tCO2.

In tandem, the annual energy consumption of third parties located on airport premises (such as tenants and concessionaires) that Airport International Group supplies with electricity reached 26.14 GW (up 13% from 2020), comprising nearly 44% of the total energy consumed. Meanwhile, the energy directly consumed by Airport International Group in 2021 settled at 32.8 GW and associated CO2 emissions were 19,017.06 tCO2 for the same period.

In 2015, Airport International Group conducted an Energy Audit to determine opportunities to reduce its energy consumption. Accordingly, several cost-effective and energy-efficient improvements were identified, requiring various no-cost, low-cost, medium-cost and high-cost measures. Over the past four years, most of the recommendations concluded in the 2015 Energy Audit were implemented, namely: 

• Optimizing schedules of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems serving intermittently-occupied buildings, such as the Operations Building and corporate offices.
• Lowering heating set points.
• Installing lighting controls in selected applications to reduce light levels when natural light is sufficient or to switch off or dim lights when areas are unoccupied.
• Installing variable speed drives (VSD) and controls in selected applications, including air handling units (AHU), fan motors and pumps.
• Replacing lighting with LED equivalents in selected applications.
• Decentralizing the Central Utilities Plant, which requires refurbishment and whose load was drastically reduced since the QAIA Old Terminal was demolished.

The quantified energy efficiency measures outlined above reduced both energy consumption and costs. The capital required to achieve these savings was over JOD 1.9 million, with a simple payback period of 1.74 years across all measures. Based on Airport International Group's energy-saving measures between 2014 and 2017, QAIA won the Silver award in the ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2017, which was held under the theme 'Energy Management' - coming in third place in the category of airports serving less than 25 million passengers per year.

In 2020, Airport International Group conducted a second Energy Audit to identify additional opportunities to introduce energy-saving measures.

Accordingly, 21 potential energy-efficiency projects were specified - including, but not limited to:

• Adjusting AC temperature set points in the server rooms to a higher level consistent with IT cooling requirements.
• Installing controls to switch off lighting when daylight is sufficient or rooms are unoccupied.
• Replacing lighting with LED equivalents in selected applications (building on the considerable work done in this area over the past four years).
• Deploying PC power management software to shut down PCs and other equipment when not in use.
• Installing VSD and occupancy-linked (CO2-sensing) controls in air handling units serving the Terminal Building to reduce airflow during less busy periods.
• Changing the way water is stored and pumped for use throughout the terminal.
• Decentralizing the Central Utilities Plant (a project previously identified but not yet completed).

 The above energy efficiency measures can reduce Airport International Group's energy consumption by approximately 18.7% and associated CO2 emissions by approximately 18.6%

• Fuel Management
  

• Water & Wastewater Management

Water management at QAIA may prove more complex after considering the impact of climate change on available water resources. Consequently, prudent management plans must be developed to meet future water demands.

Within this context, systematic actions at QAIA are required to manage both water demand and water supply. On the demand side, the concept of water conservation must be promoted and implemented via the controlled and efficient use and reuse of water, among other measures. For instance, demand management focuses on reducing water consumption by utilizing related smart technologies, such as water-saving devices and air-cooling systems that do not use water cooling towers. The main objective of demand management is to minimize the need for water supply and wastewater treatment. On the other hand, supply management is related to the search for alternative water resources, including rainwater harvesting that may be used for non-potable activities like firefighting, air-cooling systems, fire training and road sweepers.

Airport International Group collaborated with a Jordanian University to conduct an assessment study on current water management schemes to identify the best water management alternatives to ensure smooth operations at QAIA without creating a negative impact, such as groundwater depletion and pollution.

Airport International Group has been implementing numerous actions to reduce water consumption, including:

·        Resizing and replacing water meters.
·        Fixing water leakages in the firefighting water supply network.
·        Replacing nearly 4,000 meters of the old network with polyethylene pipelines.
·        Switching from potable water to reclaimed water for the irrigation of specific areas.
  

This was achieved by focusing on water consumption reduction, water quality improvement and a robust water management strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of water resources. Around 91% of treated wastewater is currently being used in the irrigation system - a percentage that Airport International Group is looking to bolster as a replacement for potable water. The quality of reclaimed wastewater is monitored frequently in coordination with the accreditation laboratory.​