Green Airport. Buone pratiche per l'efficienza energetica delle infrastrutture aeroportuali/Best practices for the energy and ecological efficiency of airport infrastructure

The intention of this study is to define a valid, sustainable design and management framework for Italian airport structures, in which the suggested guidelines contribute to achieving a level of vision of the ecological and energy efficiency connected with an environmentally sustainable conception. This approach highlights the formation of a design process that has been gaining ground in Europe in recent years, and which is able to achieve the goals formulated by the European Community’s SET-PLAN for the 2020-2050 period for dealing with the world climate changes. In fact, the Kyoto Protocol set the general goals for reduction of CO2 and main greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by a minimum of 5.2% in 2010 compared to 1990, and the European Union agreed to make an 8% reduction during the 2008-2012 period. The national obligations deriving from these international agreements (Kyoto Protocol and the recent agreement of 10. December 2008 among the EU countries) basically focus on the following needs: - reduction of energy needs by increasing the efficiency of energy production, distribution and use systems; - reduction of CO2 emissions; - increase in the use of renewable sources in production processes; - reduction of consumption and elimination of energy waste. In this context, in 2008 the ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation Authority) launched a series of initiatives aiming for the development of a new environmental conscience in the cultural approach to the problems of airport development, encouraging the use of the most advanced technologies and scientific knowledge for a preventive modelling definition aiming to increase the energy efficiency of the operations and reduce the effects on the environment when planning infrastructure development. The purpose of this activity is to draft guidelines for the drafting of an “energy business plan” involving the entire system and its connection with the territory through the following approach: - increase in the efficiency of the installations and limitation of energy waste; - reduction of the consumption of primary resources and waste production; - use of new eco-compatible energy sources; - waste and water treatment, recycling, and disposal.