SQEP Environmental & Sustainability expert, Ella Flanagan, focused on the environmental footprint of airfield operations when she presented to the Supply Chain Partner forum last week. Ella was invited to present as part of the Equinox Sustainable by Design workshop.
SQEP Environmental & Sustainability expert, Ella Flanagan, focused on the environmental footprint of airfield operations when she presented to the Supply Chain Partner forum last week. Ella was invited to present as part of the Equinox Sustainable by Design workshop.
“The RAF’s footprint across the UK is both significant and complex. I wanted to give the audience a holistic insight to where environmental impacts are derived, and how improvements are being, or can be, made,” Ella commented.
“Sources of environmental impact – or ‘Environmental Aspects’ – of airfields include ‘Embodied’ (oils, fuels, gases, paints, building and maintenance materials, fire extinguishers); ‘Operational’ (the activities of air and land vehicles); and ‘Infrastructure’ (energy and water consumption, general waste etc.).
“The environmental impacts of these are wide ranging, include the release of GHGs, VOCs and particulates into the atmosphere; compaction and contamination of land; run-off pollution and water depletion; and noise, vibration and land pollution.
The MOD contributes around 50% of all governmental department emissions. Of that, 35% is produced by defence aviation, which also accounts for two thirds of UK defence fuel consumption.
“But changes are coming,” Ella continued. “Synthetic oils and lubricants, chrome-free or low-VOC paints and non-halon fire suppression systems all contribute to reduce the breadth of ‘embodied’ environmental aspects. Operational mitigations are coming along, including fully electric or hydrogen powered aircraft and zero-petroleum fuels. And in terms of infrastructure, on-site initiatives such as water collection and energy generation as well as increasing use of sustainable building materials.
“These will all deliver cumulative transformation in time, but only if we work together to embed sustainability and environmental protection into the culture of people responsible for or living and working within airfield estates.”
The MOD contributes around 50% of all governmental department emissions. Of that, 35% is produced by defence aviation, which also accounts for two thirds of UK defence fuel consumption. Clearly, targeting the sustainability of airfield operations has the potential to return huge benefits for both the MOD and the UK as a whole.
At SQEP we are seeing increasing demand for our expertise in environmental and sustainability expertise for both military and civil concerns. Watch this space and follow us for news about forthcoming opportunities to join the team.
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