The overall reduction of CO2 emissions is a vital component for eco-efficiency, which is why Airbus and many of its employees are doing their part to reach ambitious targets set for the company’s blue5 environmental initiative.

At Airbus facilities around the world, such emissions are being reduced through new technologies and processes. In Hamburg, Germany, an optimised ventilation system at the A380 paint shop lowers energy consumption by 50,000 kilowatt hours per aircraft – providing considerable fuel savings, as well as a 32-tonne reduction of CO2 emissions during the average 16-day processing time.

In addition, the North Factory in Broughton, Wales is equipped with passive ventilation, air-sourced heat pumps and a bio-mass boiler, which together keep temperatures at adequate levels with significantly lower emission levels.

At Airbus Military’s A400M Final Assembly Line in San Pablo, Spain, 10 per cent of the plant’s total electrical needs are met by 18,000-square metre solar panels. Also in Spain, the Centre for Prototype Aircraft in Getafe utilises pipes that run through thermo-active foundations for geo-thermal heating – eliminating the need for CO2-generating fossil fuels to heat the facility.

Additional examples include the use of electric cars to shuttle employees around different sites at Airbus’ home base in Toulouse, France; as well as the Airbus-sponsored eGenius electrically-powered technology demonstrator – which has a maximum takeoff weight of 850 kg. and can operate over a distance of 400 km. at cruise speeds of up to 235 km. per hour.

Airbus press release