Minas Gerais terminal receives, for the second consecutive year, the Green Airport recognition

Belo Horizonte International Airport was evaluated by ACI – Airports Council International and recognized for its socio-environmental practices

Belo Horizonte International Airport takes another step towards consolidating itself as the most sustainable in the country. The Minas Gerais terminal received, for the second consecutive year, the Green Airport Recognition during the Annual Assembly Conference & Exhibition ACI-LAC 2022, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Reform of the Cold Water Plant was a highlight during the event and also received an honorable mention as a sustainable project in the areas of Energy Efficiency, Water Reuse and Maintenance Cost.

The CEO of BH Airport, Kleber Meira, was present at the event and highlights the honor of seeing the airport once again at the top when it comes to sustainability. “Environmental practices are a reality at the airport, just as sustainability is an important strategic pillar. Our happiness is redoubled by the recognition as a Green Airport and by the honorable mention, both related to the project that stands out for meeting the criteria established by the ACI-LAC Green Airport 2022 program”, he celebrates referring to the Reform of the Cold Water Plant. “Alongside our carbon emissions reduction accreditation (level 2 migrating to level 3), the ICA recognition is unequivocal proof of our commitment to building a greener and more sustainable world”, he reinforces.

The ACI-LAC Assembly Annual Conference and Exhibition is one of the most relevant events for the airport market in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this edition, the conference brought together, from October 2nd to 4th, the region’s top aviation leaders and experts to drive the industry’s progress towards sustainable development and share solutions for future challenges.

The reduction of environmental impacts, the application of the most advanced technological and digital innovation resources, the air mobility scenarios, the perspectives of diversity and inclusion, in addition to the most effective communication tools for the aviation industry were guided as essential themes for the sustainable development of airport business.

Innovation of the HVAC System
An environmentally sustainable project aligned with energy, economic and operational efficiency. This is the current air conditioning system at BH International Airport, which underwent an innovative renovation and was recognized as a highlight during the 2022 ACI-LAC Assembly Annual Conference and Exhibition. cooling by up to 30% and a reduction in the energy consumption of the Chilled Water Central, at peak hours, by up to 70%. The system is also synonymous with savings in water consumption, as it is linked to the rainwater reuse set, which has an installed capacity of 2,352 m3 of rainwater, which can be used as a replacement for the air conditioning system.

The new infrastructure consists of two Chilled Water Plants (CAG 1 and CAG 2), installed in Passenger Terminal 1 and Passenger Terminal 2, equipped with large thermoaccumulation reservoirs capable of storing a total of 4,002,000 liters of water. ice, for use at times of higher electricity consumption, enabling electric motors to be turned off. The installation of more efficient equipment, such as chillers, valves, pipes, electrical panels, compressors, electric motors and thermal blankets also contributes to promoting sustainable climate control.

This system is linked to another important project, implemented at Passenger Terminal 2, which enables the reuse of rainwater. The volume is directed to underground reservoirs and then to the elevated reuse water reservoir. “We innovated both in renovating the Cold Water Central and in connecting the project to the rainwater harvesting system, which can be used as a replacement for the air conditioning system”, emphasizes Kleber Meira. “We achieved energy efficiency in terms of electricity consumption equal to 12.5%, which means a total value of 1,419 Kw/h per year”, she says.

About BH Airport
BH Airport, concessionaire of Belo Horizonte International Airport, is a Special Purpose Company (SPE) formed by Grupo CCR, one of the largest infrastructure concession companies in Latin America, and by Zurich Airport, operator of Zurich Airport, the Switzerland’s main air hub and considered one of the best airports in the world, in addition to Infraero, a state-owned company with more than 40 years of experience in managing airports in Brazil, which has a 49% share.