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In celebration of Earth Day – the Comox Valley Airport is pleased to announce that the civilian terminal at YQQ is now Carbon Neutral!
The Comox Valley Airport’s commitment to environmental sustainability is highlighted in our Green House Gas Reduction Strategy and Path to Carbon Zero. Our Sustainability Team recently completed a comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) audit to quantify the airport’s carbon footprint and certification as a Climate Smart business was granted in March 2022.
Our journey to net zero is well underway. Lights throughout the terminal, apron and parking areas have been retrofitted to LED to reduce electrical usage. Exterior outlets are being increased to provide ground power for airlines in place of diesel-powered generators. We are in the process of changing over the majority of our gas-powered equipment to electric, further reducing our demand for fossil fuels. However, while significant gains are being made, the terminal was not designed to current passive standards and our largest source of carbon emissions remains our heating system. To mitigate the emissions that cannot currently be eliminated, the Comox Valley Airport has invested in carbon credits from Ostrom Climate, purchasing 150 tons of GHG credits in support of the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project.
“We are proud to support this landmark project with credits staying in BC to support the preservation of the sacred Great Bear Rainforest. While we celebrate achieving Carbon Neutral status this Earth Day, our work to reduce our impact on the environment and increase our positive contributions to the community continue to evolve,” said Airport CEO Mike Atkins.
CVAC will continue down the path to net-zero emissions, and has joined the Airport Council International (ACI’s) Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program, a global, airport-specific carbon standard – providing the framework to guide our efforts for the future well-being and prosperity of our community.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Comox Valley Airport.
