Energy savings at the Juan Santamaría Airport is equivalent to the monthly electricity consumption of more than 1,200 homes.  

• AIJS is a pioneer in Latin America and the Caribbean in international energy efficiency certifications.
• Beyond the certification, other actions are contemplated for 2023, such as the acquisition of 4 electric vehicles.

May, 2023. The commitment of AERIS, the interested manager of the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), to ensure that the country’s main air terminal operates in a sustainable manner resulted in a reported saving in electricity consumption of 263,375 kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2022 with respect to the previous year.

The impact of the reduction is such that this amount of kWh is equivalent to the monthly electricity consumption of about 1,200 homes in Costa Rica, according to AERIS calculations based on the National Energy Balance 2020.

“At AERIS we are committed to making the operation of the country’s main air terminal sustainable, which is why our Energy Management system is aligned with that objective. This consumption reduction result is due to the implementation of a series of actions for environmental sustainability, we are pleased to report that in 2022 we will exceed our energy performance goals,” said Ricardo Hernandez, CEO of AERIS.

The awareness of energy use carries over into innovations at AIJS. For example, the new commercial building was inaugurated last year, and it was planned to minimize its impact on energy consumption as much as possible, so that in the end it did not impact against the reduction goals.

This was made possible by actions such as optimizing the condensing temperature of the chiller located in the powerhouse, changing the lighting in the international terminal rooms, and raising awareness among stakeholders so that they would be responsible consumers of this resource.

This work earned AERIS and AIJS the Green Airport Recognition in 2022 from the Airports Council International – Latin America and Caribbean (ACI-LAC), which validates the commitment of AERIS and AIJS to sustainability and energy efficiency.

Enduring responsibility. The results obtained are intended to be sustainable over time, since as of 2021 Juan Santamaría International Airport is the only airport member of ACI-LAC to hold ISO 50001 certification; a standard that guarantees the organization’s good practices and quality standards achieved in energy management at the airport’s facilities.

In order to prepare itself to reach more milestones, AERIS anticipates that this year it will also work on the installation of sensors in the LED lamps in the Lobby and on changing the lighting fixtures in the main ramp and in the arrivals area.

AERIS Holding Costa Rica constantly analyzes the significant impacts of its operation and focuses resources and efforts to contribute to the achievement of 8 of the 17 SDGs.

These results are tangible evidence of the positive impact of AERIS on Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption and Goal 13: Climate Action. We are not complacent as we aim to have a 3% improvement in energy management by December 2024 and we hope that this will be a source of inspiration at the country level, as we believe that energy efficiency is a key development tool as it not only generates economic savings, but also an environmental and social impact,” said Adriana Bejarano, head of Environment, Health and Safety at AERIS.

Parallel action. In other measures aligned with energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction, the recent acquisition of four electric cars to be used in the Operations, Maintenance and Warehouse areas stands out.

They correspond to the CHOK-G2, a model that, in addition to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, has an electrical consumption of only 13 kWh per 100 km. With respect to the time it takes to fully charge, it is estimated at 8 to 10 hours.

To further measure its carbon footprint, a GPS will be installed in each car to measure its performance, hours of use, and other relevant figures so that, with the results obtained, comparisons can be made of its environmental impact with respect to internal combustion vehicles.

“It is a reflection of the sustainable operating perspective that we have, and that we share with our parent company, Grupo CCR. It represents a solution at the operational level for our AERIS people in the coverage of daily tasks, but also in terms of sustainable mobility, which contributes to energy savings and the environment; the latter goes beyond being a good practice that has been adopted by major airports worldwide, but is also a contribution to the country’s vision of moving towards zero emissions”,

Hernández added.

The vehicles purchased have a range of 100 km per charge and have a capacity for 4 people.

About AERIS Costa Rica

AERIS HOLDING COSTA RICA is a company of the CCR Group, which operates under the management model interested in the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), being in charge of its operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, construction, financing and promotion.

The company seeks to exceed the expectations of its stakeholder management contract in a transversal manner to sustainability, generating social, environmental and economic value. AERIS is committed to providing a “Pura Vida” travel experience for passengers transiting through the main gateway to the country and to generate positive impact to Costa Rica and its stakeholders.

AERIS draws on the experience of its parent companies: HAS Development Corporation and Grupo CCR of Brazil, the latter as the main shareholder and with stakes in the international airports of Quito Ecuador, Curacao and Belo Horizonte in Brazil.

It currently connects Costa Rica with 36 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate in its facilities.

• This figure was identified as part of the 2,150 trips made last year by the AERIS Wildlife Control Program.
• The relocation of fauna is another of the tasks of this specialized team to safeguard the life of the species and the continuity of operations.

May, 2023. A total of 14,539 animals of 65 different species were observed in 2022 as part of the inspections carried out by the wildlife control team, which are distributed in runway inspections, internal and external perimeter inspections, in addition to tours of nearby livestock establishments, these activities are part of the Wildlife Control Program of Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS).

“The Wildlife Control Program has a mobile adapted for the exclusive use of wildlife monitoring in the vicinity of the airport. In the program’s annual report, it was reported that, for example, the species most frequently encountered and relocated are garrobos (Ctenosaura similis) and foxes (Didelphis marsupialis), accounting for more than 50% of the total number of species captured. Raccoons are a species whose captures are decreasing,” commented Juan Belliard, Operations Director of AERIS, the interested manager of Costa Rica’s main air terminal.

Likewise, in 2022, 140 wildlife events were reported, of which 106 were collections and 34 events were reported with aircraft.

Avoiding wildlife in the vicinity of the terminal is vital, since otherwise there is a risk of wildlife colliding with an aircraft, which could cause an accident due to damage to the aircraft, as well as damage to an animal. In order to mitigate these potential impacts and ensure the safety of air operations, AERIS has this robust Wildlife Control Program.

“The team’s tasks consist mainly of monitoring, improvements in areas identified as problematic (including pruning trees, closing burrows, placing spikes to prevent birds from roosting near maneuvering areas, eliminating water bodies, etc.), sightings, laser and pyrotechnics dispersal, as well as trapping and coordination with government agencies to minimize wildlife attraction sites,” Belliard added.Other actions. In order to avoid incidents with different species, fauna is captured and relocated. In 2022, 160 animals were collected and subsequently relocated to points previously coordinated with the competent authorities.

In 2022, a total of 9,169 animals were removed by means of laser and pyrotechnics, primarily species that represent a greater risk due to their weight and possible impact on aircraft.

In addition, inspections were carried out at eight establishments such as slaughterhouses, swine plants, agro-industrial plants and cooperatives, with the aim of minimizing or eliminating wildlife attractants in the vicinity of AIJS.

“We also worked on prevention. We conducted a study of the arthropod communities present in the AIJS, which revealed that some insect groups have a direct relationship with high-risk birds as their food source. With these inputs, we can take eventual measures such as the implementation of environments with good drainage systems to avoid stagnant water and places with high humidity, as well as the elimination of weeds and grasses that attract these insects,” Belliard explained.

Likewise, this is the first air terminal in the country to declare itself “Bee Friendly” in 2021, which implies different actions such as the creation of a temporary shelter for these animals.

In celebration of the 3 years of this declaration and in anticipation of World Bee Day, this past Friday, May 19, an internal activity was held in which participants were given gifts of products based on products from the shelter, such as fizzy nectar with bee honey, lip balm with wax and bee honey, facial moisturizing cream with virgin operculum wax and solid cream with aged wax.

Working together. The success of this program also lies in the coordination with different authorities.  For example, we work with SENASA, the Ministry of Health, municipalities and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for the identification and due process corresponding to clandestine dumps, awareness of waste management in communities and non-compliance with the procedures established by law in establishments near the airport.

We also worked with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, with whom last year, together with a certified beekeeper, 12 swarms of bees were rescued and 3 groups of wasps were removed.

In conjunction with the Asociación Nacional Protectora de Animales, a spay/neuter campaign was carried out in the community of El Coco de Alajuela, in which 83 spay/neuter procedures were performed on dogs and cats. In addition, we organized “Super Dueños Responsables” training for children from the León Cortés Castro school.

About AERIS Costa Rica

AERIS HOLDING COSTA RICA is a company of the CCR Group, which operates under the management model interested in the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), being in charge of its operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, construction, financing and promotion.

The company seeks to exceed the expectations of its stakeholder management contract in a transversal manner to sustainability, generating social, environmental and economic value. AERIS is committed to providing a “Pura Vida” travel experience for passengers transiting through the main gateway to the country and to generate positive impact to Costa Rica and its stakeholders.

AERIS draws on the experience of its parent companies: HAS Development Corporation and Grupo CCR of Brazil, the latter as the main shareholder and with stakes in the international airports of Quito Ecuador, Curacao and Belo Horizonte in Brazil.

It currently connects Costa Rica with 36 destinations around the world, through 25 international commercial airlines and two domestic airlines that operate in its facilities.

MONTREAL, May 19, 2023 – Air Canada Cargo today operated its first cargo flight to San José, Costa Rica, with its Boeing 767. It will operate two flights per week.

“The start of our cargo operations in Costa Rica builds on Air Canada’s passenger service to the country and strengthens our cargo presence in order to provide consistent year-round capacity for our key customers in the region. We are pleased to be able to continue to expand our transportation network as more Boeing 767 aircraft become available to us,” said Matthieu Casey, chief commercial officer, Air Canada Cargo.

“AERIS, manager of Juan Santamaria International Airport, seeks to ensure that it is the gateway to the Pura Vida Experience for all of our stakeholders, including airlines. Such is the case of Air Canada and Air Canada Cargo, whom we thank for their confidence in expanding their operations at the country’s main air terminal, and we also congratulate them for establishing their first cargo flight to San José, Costa Rica,” commented Ricardo Hernández, CEO of AERIS.

Air Canada Cargo’s flights to San José are the latest addition to its global cargo network, following recently launched freight services to Basel, Liège (Belgium), Dallas, Atlanta and Bogotá.

For the latest news from Air Canada Cargo, follow us on Linkedin.

About Air Canada Cargo

Air Canada Cargo is an award-winning provider of air freight services. It is Canada’s largest air cargo provider by cargo capacity, with a presence in more than 50 countries and self-managed hubs in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago, London and Frankfurt. As Air Canada’s specialized air freight division, Air Canada Cargo offers reliable air cargo transportation and connectivity on six continents using Air Canada’s domestic and international cargo and passenger flights, as well as trucking services. For more information, visit: aircanadacargo.com.

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, a national flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides direct scheduled service to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and internationally on six continents. It has a four-star rating from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan initiative is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus a wide range of rewards through merchandise, lodging and car rentals. Its Air Canada Cargo division offers air cargo and connectivity to hundreds of destinations on six continents using Air Canada passenger and cargo aircraft. By 2050, Air Canada is committed to a goal of zero net emissions from its total global operations. Air Canada’s shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OCTQX in the U.S.

For more information on Air Canada’s freight services, visit aircanadacargo.com.

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