Brussels Airport Leverages Digital Twins to Fast-Track Its Journey to Net Zero

IES,a climate tech company based in the UK,is leveraging its innovative digital twin technology to help Brussels Airport Company aim for net-zero emissions by 2030—an ambitious leap from their original goal of 2050.

The digital twin created by IES represents Brussels Airport, which features three runways and a single terminal. Covering an area of 1,250 hectares,it employs over 24,000 staff and serves more than 26 million passengers along with handling around half a million tonnes of cargo annually (based on pre-pandemic statistics from 2019).

This pioneering initiative is part of the EU-funded Stargate project that received €24.8 million from the European Green Deal. The goal? To develop actionable strategies for enhancing sustainability in airports and aviation sectors. Brussels Airport is at the forefront of this project alongside a consortium that includes partners like Athens, Budapest, and Toulouse airports—all working with IES to create their own digital twins aimed at reducing carbon footprints.

This effort marks a significant evolution in how digital twin technology has been utilized at airports; traditionally focused on optimizing commercial operations rather than environmental impact. The collaboration with Brussels airport through Stargate will be among the first instances where these models are used extensively for decarbonization efforts.

IES has crafted a virtual model of the airport’s top energy-consuming buildings to explore various scenarios such as installing solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations while electrifying heating systems—all aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030.

The modeling process allowed IES to simulate emission reductions across airport facilities through energy-efficient upgrades like replacing gas boilers with heat pumps and adding solar PV installations. Their findings suggest potential CO2 reductions up to an extraordinary 63% compared to baseline figures from 2019. this robust modeling supports Brussels Airport’s commitment to implementing zero-carbon solutions over the next six years while investing in renewable sources like wind and solar power—aiming for complete carbon neutrality by decade’s end.

“Achieving net zero requires us to think holistically,” said Giulia Barbano, R&D Operations Manager at IES. “In our industry specifically, focusing on building decarbonization can led us toward meaningful change.”

“Airports cover vast areas and consume significant energy; any operational adjustments require solid evidence backing them up—that’s where our digital twin tech shines,” she added.

“this initiative sets new standards globally for using digital twins in complex environments like airports,” she continued proudly about their partnership with Brussels Airport aiming for long-term positive impacts.

“Christel Vandenhouten, Head of Sustainable Development at Brussels Airport noted: ‘The biggest hurdle we face today is reaching net-zero emissions.’ With aviation contributing around two percent of global CO2 emissions according to IEA data from last year—keeping those numbers down as travel rebounds post-pandemic is crucial.”

“By integrating zero-carbon technologies into our infrastructure,” vandenhouten emphasized further,” we see promising avenues opening up towards reducing scope one and two emissions.”

“While there’s still much work ahead,” she concluded confidently,” utilizing digital twins allows us not only simulate but also validate various pathways toward achieving our ambitious targets.”

“EU funding has been vital alongside contributions from Stargate partners—it fosters international collaboration tackling sustainable aviation challenges together.”