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INTECO audit shows AERIS’ commitment to energy efficiency

Juan Santamaría Airport achieves improved energy savings with the replacement of 1,200 lights with LED technology. 

• The lights were replaced in the boarding lounges, restrooms, corridors, immigration areas of the arrivals area and baggage claim of the country’s main air terminal.
• In the first half of the year, the reduction in electricity consumption reached 347,120 kWh, equivalent to the monthly electricity consumption of some 1,611 homes.

September, 2023. In its commitment to promote a sustainable airport operation, AERIS, interested manager of the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), achieved a new advance in energy savings during the first half of 2023 due to the change of 1,200 lights to LED technology.

The replacement of lighting fixtures, carried out between August last year and January 2023, in the boarding lounges, restrooms, corridors, Migration areas of the arrivals area and baggage claim has ensured greater savings, as well as a lower environmental impact by reducing the carbon footprint.

This is what the report of the recent audit of the Technical Standards Institute of Costa Rica (INTECO) states, which indicates that the system of the country’s main air terminal shows a “clear trend of improvement” by reporting an accumulated 347,120 kilowatt hours (kWh), an amount of reduction equivalent to the monthly electricity consumption of about 1,611 homes in Costa Rica, according to AERIS calculations based on the National Energy Balance 2020.

“From AERIS we welcome the result of this audit conducted by INTECO, which allows us to successfully maintain the certification of our Energy Management System based on the INTE/ISO 50001:2018 standard. The sustainability of airport operations is the goal we have set for ourselves, and energy efficiency is a fundamental pillar of this strategy,” said Ricardo Hernández, executive director of AERIS. 

Another action that contributed to energy savings was to make an adjustment in the equipment that is responsible for supplying chilled water to the air conditioning at AIJS, in order to optimize its operation.

The audit report also highlights the high level of involvement of all AERIS management levels with respect to the Energy Management System and the improvement of energy performance.

“For this year we will also implement the installation of variable frequency drives (VFD) in the fans of the handlers, which are the ducts where the air conditioning is distributed. In 2024 we will continue with the change of lighting in the main ramp, the use of VFD in electromechanical stairs and the project to automatically turn off LED lights in the lobby, in order to continue generating energy savings,” said Adriana Bejarano, head of Environment, Health and Safety at AERIS.

The variable frequency drives save energy by adjusting the speed of the electric motors to adapt to the demand of the application and improve the efficiency of the system.

Key certification

With INTE/ISO 50001, AERIS is continuing to improve its energy performance. The goal is to accumulate savings of 4.6% between January 2003 and December 2024 compared to the results obtained in 2022. This improvement consists of reducing the electricity consumption of the AIJS main meter by approximately 1,180,000 kWh during the defined period.

“The implementation of an energy management system generates energy efficiency with which decreases greenhouse gas emissions, in addition, the company by consuming fewer resources contributes to reduce the carbon footprint. This commitment to the environment is always noteworthy. We congratulate AERIS for fostering internal communication and awareness, promoting a culture of efficient energy use,” said Manuel Gonzalez, technical coordinator at INTECO.

The AIJS is the first airport of the CCR Group to obtain the INTE/ISO 50001 Energy Management certification by INTECO, and is also one of the pioneer airports in the Latin American and Caribbean region to obtain the recognition, thus contributing to the country’s competitiveness.

This certification represents one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gases, promote the care of natural resources and boost the economy’s productivity.

INTECO performs the conformity assessment of the Energy Management System once a year since 2021, when AERIS obtained the certification for the first time. The certification renewal will take place in 2024.

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.