Quiport and Galapagos, two sustainable projects from Ecuadorian airports, received the Green Airport Recognition. They were awarded by the Airports Council International for Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC), which recognizes airports in the region with good environmental performance.
These are the Compartamos program, developed by Quiport at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), and the sustainable construction project with bioclimatic design implemented by the Galapagos Ecological Airport (GPS), which uses innovative technology to take advantage of the natural resources of the area.
Compartamos program
It is developed by Quiport, the company in charge of managing the airport that serves the country’s capital. This initiative seeks to achieve strategic alliances between the different actors operating at the air station to reduce the environmental impact.
The project succeeded in donating more than US$68,000 in used airport materials and equipment in good condition. Those donations to educational, religious, and community institutions near the airport prevented the emission of around 160 tons of CO2.
Ramón Miró, President and CEO of Corporación Quiport, said: «We developed the Compartamos program as a mechanism that involves the entire Mariscal Sucre International Airport community in the search for opportunities to help solve some of the most pressing needs in the communities, turning the airport into a good neighbor involved in the problems and their solutions».
ECOGAL Project
The initiative developed at Baltra’s Seymour Airport, known as the Ecological Airport of Galapagos, made it possible to build a completely sustainable air station. Thanks to the bioclimatic design, the implementation of recyclable ventilation systems, the use of innovative technologies to take advantage of natural lighting, and the installation of a wastewater treatment plant, operating costs and environmental impact were considerably reduced.
«More than 10 years ago we bet on a radical change. We wanted to demonstrate that it can be sustainable and profitable at the same time, without affecting safety and passenger experience», said Jorge Rosillo, general manager of the Galapagos Ecological Airport, while thanked for the recognition received.
The airport, located on the island of Baltra, became the world’s first green airport in 2014. In November of that year, it obtained LEED Gold Level certification. This is the most prestigious sustainable construction standard in the world, awarded by the American Sustainable Building Council.
In 2018 it became the first carbon-neutral airport on the continent. Currently, ECOGAL is a global benchmark for sustainable construction in the airport sector. It is particularly important, moreover, because it is located in an archipelago with one of the largest biodiversity reserves in the world. The project is in line with the promotion of ecotourism in the region.
