AOA Environmental Guidance Manual
Entec, on behalf of The Airport Operators Association, has written and published the AOA's 2006 Environmental Guidance Manual. The manual is aimed at providing airports with benchmark source material and guidance across a range of relevant environmental aspects to assist them in improving their environmental performance whilst at the same time demonstrating industry intent in terms of environmental performance and corporate social responsiblilty.
The new manual replaces that produced in 2000. This was a paper-based document, endorsed by the Environment Agency, which has since fallen out of regular use as new legislation and techniques have emerged in the intervening six years. With the advent of 'Sustainable Aviation', the AOA recognised that it was an important time to substantially update the manual. It therefore engaged Entec, who wrote the orginal manual, to produce an electronic document to reflect the latest policy and thinking, set benchmarks for airport environmental performance, and reflect the Sustainable Aviation commitments.
Click here to access the manual: http://www.aoa.org.uk/publications/environmental_guidance_manual.asp
It comprises two main elements. The first element provides an overview on key themes that form an integral part of how an airport should interact with its environment. For instance relevant policy, environmental management systems, sustainability, and master planning. The second element comprises a series of technical guidance notes on a wide range of relevant environmental topics including climate change and biodiversity. The work to produce it included consultations with a number of key airport operator groups including BAA, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle.
A key aspect of the new guide is that it is electronic and produced using up-to-date techniques to enable easy navigation around its various components. AOA hope to develop the manual into a more ambitious AOA web-based environmental guidance resource including multimedia resources and training modules for airport members.
The Guide was recently launched on 12th October at the Airport Operators Association Parliamentary Reception held at The House of Commons in the presence of representatives from a number of airport operators and MPs including the Under Secretary of State for Transport, Gillian Merrion, and John Redwood MP who is head of the Conservative economic and environment taskforce. The launch, albeit unitentionally, coincided with voting by The House of Commons on the amended Civil Aviation Bill.
Commenting on the work done for the manual, Entec Transport Sector Developer Rob Whittle said "We were very pleased to have been engaged by the AOA to produce this update of the manual. It not only enabled us to produce a benchmark guide to help airports improve their environmental performance but to also engage in dialogue with a range of airports at a key time in their expansion plans."
The Environmental Guidance Manual is also a main feature at the AOA Annual Conference in London in mid-November. For further information please contact Entec's project manager for the work, Matt Johns on 01454 822028, or Rob Whittle on 01189 036686.
Click here to load the Entec home page