Indy Airport Executive to Speak at United Nations Event
Indy airport selected to speak based on its sustainability initiatives, IND Solar Farm
INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 29, 2017) – Mario Rodriguez, executive director of the Indianapolis Airport Authority, will serve as a panelist speaker today at the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization Seminar on Green Airports at their headquarters in Montreal, Canada. The discussion will center around green-energy initiatives, in which Rodriguez will focus on the Indianapolis International Airport’s span of carbon-reducing efforts.
“We have an excellent story to tell the world,” said Rodriguez. “Our decisions and efforts are a testament to our commitment to environmental stewardship, and how to integrate that into an airport operation and traveler experience that increases the value of an airport as a public asset.”
The Indy airport was selected to participate in the panel discussion because of the variety of initiatives it has implemented over the years – and the global and national recognition it has received for its sustainability achievements and commitments.
Those achievements begin with the construction of the new terminal in 2008, by which the Indy airport became the first LEED certified airport campus in the United States. Recently the Airports Council International – North America’s Airport Carbon Accreditation Program announced that the Indy airport had reached their Level 2 Reduction designation for reducing carbon emissions throughout the airport’s operations. In all, these steps have resulted in emissions reductions equal to removing 5,720 vehicles from the road, to date.
One of the key topics to be discussed during the event is solar energy, and Rodriguez will have a strong story to share regarding the airport’s solar farm initiative – the largest solar-energy generating operation on airport property in the world. The solar farm generates electricity to power 3,675 average American homes per year. The solar farm was noted as a significant contribution to Indianapolis being named in the Shining Cities Report from Environment America, and awarded the 2015 Indianapolis Sustainability Award from SustainIndy.
Rodriguez also will discuss the airport’s recent launch of the nation’s largest airport electric shuttle bus fleet, funded by the largest federal Zero Emissions Grant awarded in 2016, and an additional ZEV grant awarded to the airport this year. The fleet will grow to five buses in January 2018, and will expand to a nine-bus fleet in 2019. The electric buses reduce IND’s carbon footprint by 15 million pounds.
A range of other sustainable initiatives will also be part of Rodriguez’s presentation to the UN ICAO, including the airport’s BlueIndy electric car-sharing service that was implemented in 2016, which produces no direct carbon emissions, no noise pollution or odor. He will also discuss the bee apiary the Indy airport established with White Lick Beekeeper’s Association to support community education and beekeeping training to preserve the endangered Indiana honey bee. The apiary earned the airport the 2017 Airports Council International-North America’s Environmental Achievement Award for Outreach, Education and Community Involvement.
While Rodriguez will focus on the larger initiatives at the UN ICAO meeting today, the Indy airport’s sustainability efforts also include water-bottle refilling stations for passengers traveling through the airport, and human-powered mobile-device charging bikes that require no electricity usage and help promote fitness.
In leaving for his trip, Rodriguez said he plans to leave the UN ICAO with one clear message: “An airport is a tremendous asset to its community; IND connects us to the world and does so in a world-class way that protects our environment.”
Along with Rodriguez from the Indianapolis International Airport, representatives from the San Diego International Airport, the San Francisco International Airport, Aéroports de Paris, Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Airports of Thailand, Federal Aviation Administration, Airports Council International – World and the U.S. Green Building Council, among others, will also be participating in the event.