General information

In balance with the environment

Eindhoven Airport plays an important role in meeting the growing demand for air travel. Society, however, attaches an increasing importance to a green environment and cleaner air.
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While growing as an international airport, Eindhoven Airport aims to attune its operations and development to the interest of all parties, having due regard to the quality of the physical environment in which it is situated. These interests are on the one hand those of international customers and on the other hand those of local residents living near the airport.

An open communication contributes to a mutual understanding for the interests and options of all parties and as such is the first step towards good cooperation.

Policy statement
Eindhoven Airport NV attaches great importance to a good society, and concern for the environment plays a significant role in this respect.

For our policy statement, please click here.

Environment

Environmental management system
Eindhoven Airport NV has an environmental management system that complies with the NEN 14001:2004 standard. Internal and external audits are carried out every year within the framework of continuous improvement and constantly testing our own environmental management system.

Air
TNO (the independent Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) has carried out a number of studies of emissions. These show that emissions from the airport are relatively low. Some of the emissions are caused by aircraft movements, others are caused by ground handling operations.

The vast majority of aircraft movements at Eindhoven Airport are carried out with so-called ‘Chapter 4’ aircrafts. These aircrafts use modern engines that produce less noise. Through the use of modern technology, air pollution is decreased as well.

Soil
Eindhoven Airport has a soil management plan that has been set up to limit and manage the risks of soil contamination due to operational activities.

Waste
Earlier investigations have revealed that the integral waste handling by users of the airport is well-organised. In order to successfully continue the monitoring of the collection and disposal of waste flows, a recycling park has been set up next to the terminal. The park comprises a compactor for non-recyclable waste, underground glass, paper and plastic containers and specific food containers for caterers and for customs.

Energy and water
In order to limit the use of energy in the terminal as much as possible, various investments have been made such as:

• Building management system
  This system makes it possible to monitor energy and water use and to make adaptations where needed.
• Cold and heat storage
  Cold and Heat Storage (CHS) has been installed to control the climate in the terminal. The water is drawn from a depth of 65 meters and connected to the floor heating in the terminal via a heat exchanger and heat pump. The heated water is then stored at a depth of 65 meters. In the summer months this facility provides the necessary cooling. Ground water extraction is minimal because the water is recaptured.
• Grey water system
  A buffer has been installed on the airport site to collect rainwater. The system has been constructed in such a way that the water in the underground storage is also used for flushing toilets and urinals (grey water).
• Double HR++ Glazing in the terminal
  This type of glass results in substantial energy savings and insulates better than standard double glazing.
• LED  verlichting
  The standard lighting armatures of the emergency exits, information signs and car park P5 have been replaced with LED lighting. In the departures lounge and arrivals hall a choice has been made for daylight-dependent lighting. Additionally, presence detection lighting has been placed in the offices and terminal.

Noise

Noise poles
Noise is one the most important environmental aspect of the airport. In order to monitor the noise, Eindhoven Airport has placed nine noise poles in the vicinity of the airport. These poles measure noise continuously and send data to ANOMS daily to be correlated with the flight details of civil air traffic.

Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring System (ANOMS)
The airspace around Eindhoven Airport has approach and departure routes that must be adhered to by regular air traffic. When determining these routes, the location of the living areas that had to be avoided as much as possible in view of noise reduction was taken into consideration. In order to determine the actual routes flown and their corresponding heights, Eindhoven Airport has an Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring System (ANOMS).

This system operates on the basis of flight data and radar images. The Eindhoven Airport noise complaints data file is also linked to ANOMS. The system is able to render the current situation of the airspace above Eindhoven, to replay and analyse a specific situation at a later time, to link data and, finally, to generate reports.

Of all flights that fall within the air traffic control area of Eindhoven, ANOMS registers  routes, heights and aircraft identity data. In case of questions or complaints, the stored data can be queried from the system in order to get a clearer idea of what has happened in the air.

A demonstration of the system can be provided by the Base Information Centre (BIC) at Eindhoven Air Base after a telephone appointment.

For more information please call: +31 (0)40 289 6132

Environmental Hygiene Consultation and Information Committee (COVM)
Eindhoven Air Base has established an Environmental Hygiene Consultation and Information Committee.

The committee is composed of administrative representatives and civilians that have been appointed by the municipal administrations of the municipalities of Eindhoven, Best, Eersel, Oirschot and Veldhoven. Other representatives are from Eindhoven Airport, the airline companies, the Brabant Environmental Federation, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, and the Ministry of Defence. President is the Deputy for the Environment of the Province of North-Brabant.

The tasks of the committee are:

• To ensure that Eindhoven Air Base does not cause more noise pollution than is allowed in the legally established noise zone.
• To provide the Minister of Defence and other representatives with solicited and unsolicited advice on ways to reduce noise pollution in response to, for example, complaints.
• To provide information and to educate the public with regard to aspects of noise and external security that result from the use of the Air Base by both military and civil air traffic.
• To consult about measures or regulations concerning noise pollution, external security and civil co-use.

COVM meets four times per year; these meetings are public. The dates of the COVM meetings are published beforehand in local door-to-door newspapers.

Secretariat COVM: PO Box 412, 5000 AK Tilburg.

Central office for noise complaints
The central office for noise complaints of both military and civil air traffic at Eindhoven can be reached by phone at +31 (0)40 289 6133 or +31 (0)40 289 6144.

You can also use the complaints form of the Ministry of Defence: http://www.defensie.nl/actueel/vliegbewegingen/klachten/ (Dutch)

Sustainability and innovation

ACI accreditation

Eindhoven Airport has expressed the wish to become part of the leading European airports in the field of sustainability. This has been translated into the concrete goal of acquiring ACI Europe’s highest level of accreditation for carbon reduction, which is the level of ‘Airport Carbon Accredited for Carbon Neutrality’, before 2015.

Airport Carbon Accreditation is an independent programme administered by WSP Environment & Energy, an international consultancy appointed by ACI EUROPE to enforce the accreditation criteria for airports on an annual basis. The administration of the programme is overseen by an Advisory Board. Airports must have carbon footprints independently verified in accordance with ISO14064 (Greenhouse Gas Accounting). Evidence of this must be provided to the administrator together with all claims regarding carbon management processes which must also be independently verified.

Recognition of these efforts is ensured by four levels of accreditation. The step-by-step process encourages airports to reduce their carbon emissions with the ultimate goal of a carbon neutral airport. The four levels of accreditation are: Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation and Neutrality.

Level 1:  Mapping required

• Determining the emissions sources within the operational boundaries and control of the airport.
• Calculating the annual carbon emissions.
• Compiling a carbon footprint report.
• Engaging a third party to verify the carbon footprint report.

Level 2:  Reduction required

• Meeting the requirements of level 1 ‘Mapping’.
• Providing evidence of effective carbon management procedures.
• Showing that reduction targets have been achieved.

Level 3:  Optimisation required

• Meeting the requirements of level 1 ‘Mapping and level 2 ‘Reduction’.
• Widen the scope of carbon footprint to include the annual emissions of third parties at and around the airport.
• Engaging these third parties.

Level 3+:  Neutrality required

• Meeting the requirements of level 1 ‘Mapping, level 2 ‘Reduction’ and level 3 ‘Optimisation’.
• Offsetting remaining emissions to achieve a carbon neutral airport for all emissions over which the airport has control.

For more information, please see: http://www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org/

Innovation
One of the ten points of reference that underlie the Alderstafel Advice Eindhoven is to apply the economic and innovative power of the trade and industry as well as the knowledge industry of Brabant to add content to and to advance the sustainability development of Eindhoven Airport. Brainport Foundation plays a leading role in this process. Eindhoven Airport favours an active participation in these so-called innovation clusters and will open up the airport to the development and application of innovations that are developed within these clusters and that fit the ambition of this theme.

D-AIR
D-AIR is a knowledge exchange project in the field of energy and sustainable transport.
D-AIR unites ten regions with 14 partner organisations, consisting of public organisations and airports, all having clear ambitions to significantly reduce carbon emissions linked to airport operations. Eindhoven Airport is one of the 14 partner organisations in this project.

D-AIR makes an important contribution to converting airports into ecologically sustainable transportation hubs. It focuses on two main elements in airport operations that can also fall within the competence of government and public bodies: carbon neutrality of airport operations and a sustainable surface access to the airport. The project pays special attention to optimizing the involvement of business and R&D communities as well as to new innovative products and services.

For more information, please see: http://www.dairproject.eu/