Airports are increasingly being seen as mini-cities, with a trend towards becoming self-sufficient in all aspects of resource use, including energy, water, heating, and cooling.

 

Vivekanandhan Sindhamani came on board IPTS 2025 as our first advisory board member. In the span of almost a year now, we has been instrumental in advising us on how sustainability is such a crucial aspect in the development of airports not only in India but across the globe. 

In an exclusive interview, we speak to him about his journey. 

 

 

1. What inspired you to focus on sustainability in airport operations, and how has your journey in this specialized field unfolded?

My aviation journey began during my studies, primarily focusing on aircraft design. However, when I moved to the Netherlands, I was exposed to the other side of aviation—airports. I started focusing on the key issue of aircraft noise, a significant and persistent challenge over the past decade. Initially seen as an operational challenge, I later delved into the broader world of sustainability, which extends beyond noise challenges. I became interested in areas impacting the environment, such as energy, waste, water, and air quality. I soon realized that addressing these challenges requires early-stage intervention, specifically in the strategy and planning of an airport. This led me to integrate sustainability into airport strategy and planning exercises.

While working on mitigating the environmental impact of airports, I realized that we could reduce the rate of climate change but not stop it entirely. This understanding highlighted the need for airports to adapt to climate change and become resilient to extreme events such as flooding, thunderstorms, lightning, and heatwaves. My focus expanded to include both climate mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, I explored the impact of emerging aircraft technologies, such as e-flight and hydrogen-electric hybrid aircraft, on airport operations. 

This opened the door to further research on how these technologies could be addressed in airport strategy and planning. It has been an exciting journey, starting with noise and expanding into various aspects of sustainability.

2. Can you share a major sustainability initiative or project you’ve worked on in airport/passenger operations and its impact?

In recent years, I have been involved in the early stages of airport development processes, helping to define sustainability strategies and translating those strategies into planning parameters and design requirements.

 One notable project was in Latin America, where we translated the sustainability strategy into operational practices and included relevant conditions in tenant contracts to align with the airport’s strategy. This project also expanded to include social requirements such as diversity, labor conditions, talent management, and passenger experience.

3. What are the most pressing challenges you’ve faced in promoting sustainability in airports, and what lessons have you learned from overcoming them?

One significant challenge is developing a business case for sustainability initiatives. It is always a challenge to balance impact versus return on investment, which varies by airport and region. There is no one-size-fits-all formula, so it is essential to assess an organization’s risk or investment appetite and develop initiatives that are either mid-term or long-term profitable and have a significant impact.

4. How do you see global sustainability trends and innovations shaping the future of airport and terminal operations?

Airports are increasingly being seen as mini-cities, with a trend towards becoming self-sufficient in all aspects of resource use, including energy, water, heating, and cooling. Some airports are even providing energy and water to nearby communities, becoming energy-positive or water-positive. These achievements are often recognized through certifications such as LEED and BREEAM. 

Additionally, airports are experimenting with and preparing for future aviation technologies. A growing trend is to focus on initiatives beyond the environment, including social and governance aspects, to assess airport operations’ performance from a social perspective.

5. What is your favorite sustainable effort that any airport has taken and why?

There are many impressive initiatives, making it hard to choose just one. In India, Delhi and Bangalore airports are known for achieving the highest levels of Airport Carbon Accreditation by reducing their carbon emissions. Cochin Airport is renowned for its self-sufficient energy system powered entirely by solar energy. Mumbai T1 and Bangalore T2 Garden Terminal are celebrated for their state-of-the-art terminal facilities. 

The upcoming Jewar Airport is notable for its integration of a comprehensive water management system. I am excited to see Indian airports taking design and innovation to the next level in the near future.