Siemens: Optimising Qatari Airport’s Energy Efficiency

It takes a lot to be regarded as the world’s best. Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar is upholding the title of the world's best airport and is leading in every area it can.

That extends to its district cooling infrastructure, which it is streamlining with the help of German multinational technology conglomerate Siemens.

The collaboration between the two entities sees Siemens optimise Hamad’s operations to conserve and reduce energy consumption and support the airport’s growth plans. 

Optimising the energy efficiency of the best airport in the world

This collaboration with Siemens is in line with Hamad International Airport’s environmental sustainability goals which includes improving carbon efficiency per passenger by 30% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline. 

Michael McMillan, SVP Facilities Management at Hamad International Airport — home to Qatar Airways — said: said: “As the ‘World’s Best Airport’, Hamad International Airport also needs to be the best airport for the world by growing responsibly.

“This collaboration with Siemens strongly aligns with our environmental sustainability goals by adopting innovative solutions and our commitment to investing in the latest technology that will reduce our environmental footprint.”

The airport, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024, has district cooling infrastructure made up of five district cooling plants, with a production capacity of 62,000 tonnes, to cater to the cooling requirement for the airport. 

To reduce the consumption of electricity required for cooling, Siemens leverages its Demand Flow technology, which enables digital transformation in industry and infrastructure faster and at scale.

Hakan Ozdemir, CEO of Siemens in Qatar, added: “Our smart infrastructure solutions aim to enhance energy efficiency, ensuring real cost savings and environmental advantages. This partnership set a benchmark in energy efficiency, showcasing the pivotal role of innovative technologies and strategic partnerships in realising Qatar’s sustainability goals.”

By working with Siemens, Hamad International Airport has successfully reduced its CO₂ emissions by more than 5,000 metric tonnes since 2021, expected to reach 16,000 tonnes per annum from 2024.

What are Hamad International Airport’s environmental sustainability goals?

Hamad International Airport works in line with the State of Qatar’s 2030 National Vision on climate change. To contribute to global efforts to reduce emissions and tackle climate change, the facility operates around four strategy themes to create a blueprint for its sustainability pathway.

As a result of working with these four themes in mind, Hamad International Airport has celebrated significant milestones in waste management, water conservation and decarbonisation. For example, between April 2023 and March 2024, 81% of the airport's waste was reused, recycled or converted into energy – one of the highest conversion rates in the airport industry.

Other achievements include:

• Carbon reduction efforts: The airport initiated LED lighting initiatives in 2018 where more than 65,000 lighting units were converted to LEDs. The airport saved 3 million kWh of energy in 2023 as a result
• Waste management achievements: By working with the Ministry of Municipality, the airport diverted mixed general waste from landfills to the Domestic Solid Waste Management Centre with a diversion rate of 48%, diverting more than 18,000 tonnes of waste from April 2023 to March 2024. It also actively composts organic waste, transforming food scraps and other organic materials into nutrient-rich fertiliser for landscaping
• Efficiency in water conservation: The airport uses 100% Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) for irrigation, treating more than 3m metres³ of sewage for irrigation through its advanced wastewater treatment plant

Energy efficiency in airports worldwide

Hamad International Airport is not the only committing to energy efficiency. Other airports worldwide have turned to generating energy on-site, installing energy efficiency solutions and adopting eco-conscious design.

For example, Germany’s Munich Airport generates more than half of the power it requires on-site. Its combined heat, power and cooling plant allows the airport to save around 30,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

Stavanger Airport in Norway reduced its energy consumption by 2m kWh per year, or 12.6%, reaching 3.57kWh per passenger and 349kWh/m2 of occupied area.

In South America, El Dorado Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, has installed and utilised more than 11,000 solar panels to generate energy for its operations. Along with the implementation of energy-efficient LED technology, it has significantly improved lighting efficiency and saw a 11.7% reduction in electrical energy consumption.

Down under, Sunshine Coast Airport was the first Australian airport to achieve carbon neutrality under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, which recognises airports worldwide for managing carbon emissions and reducing carbon footprints.

“The team have worked incredibly hard to make Sunshine Coast Airport the most sustainable airport in the country,” Airport General Manager Peter Pallot said.

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