Tampa International Airport LEAF program wins environmental award

(February 29, 2016) Tampa International Airport in recent years made significant strides in its commitment toward sustainability, launching a sustainable management program last year to focus on people, the planet and the prosperity of the Airport and its surrounding community.

This week, that program was recognized by Airports Council International-North America, which selected TPA as the winner of the 2016 Environmental Achievement Award for the Environmental Management category. 

ACI-NA CEO and President Kevin Burke praised TPA in a letter for its Legacy of Environmental Actions for our Future (LEAF) program, which he said “will serve as an example for other airports to follow when taking on planning projects of their own.”

In October 2014, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved the program’s plan which set forth a balance of priorities from strengthening community partnerships to reducing waste and energy consumption at both TPA and its general aviation airports, Peter O. Knight Airport, Tampa Executive Airport and Plant City Airport.

This includes the 1,100 tons of waste recycled annually from Tampa International’s Main Terminal, the 21,363 tons of construction-related materials salvaged during TPA’s historic expansion and the 15 electric vehicle charging stations TPA installed last year.

The airport is building a consolidated rental car facility and an automated people mover connecting it to the Main Terminal, which is expected to remove 2.7 million vehicles from the airport roadways annually, resulting in an annual reduction in carbon emissions of 1,617 tons.

A representative from TPA will collect the award at the ACI-NA “Airports@Work” Conference in Austin on April 20.

“This is truly an award for everyone at the airport, including our tenants and contractors, in taking ownership of our commitment to people, planet and prosperity,” Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano said. “Our goal is for TPA to be an industry leader in sustainability and it’s wonderful to be recognized for the steps we’ve already taken to get there.”