The Airports Council International (ACI) has awarded the UK’s Bristol Airport a second level reduction status after the facility achieved a 28% cut in carbon emissions per passenger between 2014 and 2017.

Bristol achieved the second level of accreditation under the ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, which includes four tiers and is aimed at helping airports reduce CO₂ footprints.

The voluntary programme is independently administered for ACI Europe.

The achievement comes after consumption of energy was measured for more than nine-year period and committing to a Carbon Management Plan to cut carbon emissions across its 196ha site.

To achieve this, the airport installed solar photovoltaic panels on the terminal. Air source heat pumps were used to heat the building, and LED lighting were installed across the facility.

Bristol Airport sustainability head James Shearman said: “Achieving level two accreditation demonstrates our continued commitment to reducing Bristol Airport’s carbon footprint. It is an important step on the journey towards carbon neutrality, which is our ultimate long-term goal.”

The next level of accreditation includes a four-stage process of optimisation that requires airports to widen the scope of their carbon footprint reduction to include third-party emissions such as those generated in the landing and take-off cycle of aircraft.

In the accreditation process, the final stage is carbon neutrality, which Bristol Airport aims to achieve by 2030.

A consultation was part of Bristol Airport’s Master Plan until 6 July. The airport has set out a charter for future growth, which includes commitments to publish a sustainable growth strategy with detailed objectives, targets, as well as an action plan.