Sustainability


Our sustainability mission is to provide a world-class travel experience to our customers while being mindful of the challenges that our city, region and planet are facing as we grow and expand our functions. We believe that a focus on sustainability is crucial to airport operations and that with the help of our community, customers and team members, we will overcome our challenges and continue to operate efficiently and successfully in the future. The world is moving toward a zero-emissions economy to mitigate the effects of climate change. We fully recognize that as a major player in the travel and tourism economy, and as a gateway to the desert southwest, it is our duty to join this movement and take the necessary steps to reduce our impacts on the environment. The Clark County Department of Aviation manages five local airports and other support facilities in and around the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area. Guiding our sustainability efforts throughout our organization are five core focus areas:

Please join us as we continue our legacy of sustainable operations. Our sustainability team is working hard to deliver a new, more efficient and high performing program to our customers, airlines, employees and community. We believe that combining sustainability with outstanding customer service is what sets LAS apart from the rest.


LAS Carbon Emissions Reduction Policy


Electric Ground Service Equipment

Water Bottle Filling Stations

LED Lighting

Energy Efficient Cooling



Five Core Focus Areas

Water Management

At LAS, we take water conservation seriously. We realize that we live in a very dry part of the country and that our fresh water source, the Colorado River, is under pressure. Therefore, we are implementing measures to use the least amount of water as operationally possible. A few of these water conservation measures are as follows:

  • Landscaping: Over the last decade, LAS has completed a project to replace its decorative turf grass with drought tolerant xeriscaping and desert landscaping. LAS does not currently have any grass on property, instead it has beautiful desert landscaping which reflects the biodiversity of the Mojave Desert. This measure alone has saved thousands of gallons of fresh water per year.
  • Low-flow fixtures: Sinks and toilets in our restrooms have been retrofitted with low-flow and motion-sensor technology to prevent needless water waste. All newly designed projects implement these fixtures during construction.
  • Reclaimed water: Hundreds of cars are washed each day at our car rental and bus maintenance facilities, using thousands of gallons of water annually. However, LAS has implemented a system that uses a majority of reclaimed water instead of fresh water. This innovative system saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per year.


Energy & Emissions

We are a large user of energy at LAS, but with the help of a team of dedicated operators, consultants and advanced technology, we are actively measuring and managing our energy consumption and seeking out projects that lower our overall energy footprint. Such projects include:

  • Central plant upgrades: Creating comfortable, temperature-controlled spaces inside our terminals and offices is what makes up the bulk of our energy consumption. To lower energy costs and consumption, we have installed variable frequency drives (VFDs) on some of our largest chillers. VFDs allow the chiller motors to run at different speeds which conserves energy and increases the life of the motor. Our central plants are also equipped with sophisticated building management systems and have gone through extensive commissioning projects to optimize operations.
  • Lighting retrofit projects: Our older terminals, office spaces and parking garages have been retrofitted with new, high efficiency LED lighting. At our newer facilities, LED is the standard during design and construction.
  • Renewable energy: While we do not currently have any renewable energy at any of our facilities, we are actively researching renewable energy projects, such as solar PV, to see if it is a fit for our operations.
  • Greenhouse Gas (GHG) calculations: The Department of Aviation uses a utility management software called EnergyCAP to track all utility bills including electricity, gas, water and waste for all of its airports in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, including LAS.
  • PowerShift by NV Energy: Our energy utility, NV Energy, offers rebates on completed energy efficient projects. LAS has been participating in the program since 2012 and has completed 49 projects that qualify for NV Energy PowerShift rebates. The total cumulative savings of these projects is 138,200,000 kWh.
  • Electric Buses: A total of 20 electric buses and supporting charging stations were purchased in part through Federal Aviation Administration, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, and NV Energy grants. The first four have already been delivered and are on the road, while the remaining 16 are expected to arrive summer 2024. Long-term plans include purchasing an additional 30 electric buses to completely replace the fleet that services the Airport Rent-A-Car Center.
  • Airport Carbon Accreditation: On February 14, 2023, ACI-Europe awarded Harry Reid International Airport with ACA Level 1 Mapping certification for the baseline year of 2021. The certification concludes a six-month project which calculated the airport’s carbon footprint from airport-controlled operations and having the results verified by an independent third-party consultant. The airport will now be able to disclose its carbon footprint publicly and transparently, and promote its sustainable initiatives, strategies and tactics. The total tons of CO2e for LAS in 2021 are: 85,412 tCO2e, or 4.74 lbs CO2e / PAX / year. Learn more.


Efficient Design & Operations

Improving the operational efficiencies of LAS is fiscally and environmentally responsible, and requires constant attention, measurement and management. Whether we are constructing a new facility or renovating an existing one, we know that adopting green building practices will increase the wellness, health and efficiency of the facility for our employees, tenants and guests. Below are some of our most notable highlights.

  • Terminal recycling program: We encourage our guests to participate in our recycling program by providing more than 250 trash/recycle stations across both terminals The mixed recyclables are put into separate compactors and hauled to Republic Services’ recycling center for further sorting. We actively manage and track our waste and recycling data and are always seeking ways to improve our diversion rate.
  • Materials management: One of our best examples of materials reuse is a recent project to reuse the millings from the demolition and grinding of old concrete runways. Instead of hauling the millings to the landfill, we are scattering the ground up concrete across our vacant lots to help with dust control. The heavy millings protect the desert topsoil from blowing away in high winds. The reuse program saves money, mitigates dust, and prevents trips to the landfill.
  • EV charging stations: In 2021, LAS installed 24 electric vehicle charging stations for our customers. The charging stations are located in valet parking areas at both terminals.
  • Carboad recycling program: LAS has several cardboard balers across the property. Our teams make hundreds of cardboard bales each year weighing close to 800 pounds each. In 2022, LAS made 740 cardboard bales weighing a total of 302 tons (604,000 pounds); or the equivalent weight of 200 Chevy Suburbans.


Partners & Suppliers

At LAS our partners and suppliers are a huge part of our sustainability program, and therefore deserve a core focus area dedicated to them. Our partners and suppliers include airlines, retail tenants, food and beverage vendors, service suppliers, contractors and more. Leveraging their commitment to sustainability and innovation, we are finding ways to decrease our impact on the environment as a team.

  • Electric general service equipment (eGSE): One of the best examples of how LAS supports its partners’ sustainability initiatives is how we worked closely with Southwest airlines to transition their diesel-powered general service equipment such as luggage tugs, pushback tractors and belt loaders, into electric general service equipment. Once Southwest made the decision to go all-electric, LAS stepped up to help with design and placement of electric charging stations. The stations are located conveniently under the gates so the equipment can be charged right there and not taken to a distant charging bank.
  • Supporting sustainable aviation fuel research: We will continue to support our airline partners as the industry continues research towards a cleaner burning aviation fuel. At LAS we provide the infrastructure to store and supply aviation fuel for our partners.
  • HMS Host food donation program: HMS is our largest partner and supplier of food and beverage services. HMS has a long tradition of donating unused food items to local food banks and shelters. HMS Host is setting a great example for other food and beverage vendors and we greatly appreciate their service and leadership.
  • FAA software: LAS works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure air traffic control is safe and efficient. The FAA has an office onsite and in the air traffic control tower. In September 2021, the FAA and NASA announced the completion of research and testing on a software capability that calculates gate pushbacks at busy hub airports so that each plane can roll directly to the runway and takeoff. The FAA plans to deploy this capability as part of a larger investment in surface management technology at 27 airports.


Outreach & Education

Communities

  • Electronics donations to Blind Center of Nevada: For years LAS has been donating its used electronics and IT equipment to the Blind Center of Nevada. The Blind Center properly disposes of the equipment on our behalf. The Blind Center helps the local blind community find hope, learn independence and pursue personal greatness.
  • Volunteer activities: Each year LAS offers opportunities for employees and their families to participate in volunteer activities related to sustainability. In 2023, LAS is participating in a cleanup event at Mount Charleston. Mount Charleston is our local 11,915 peak located on the westside of the Las Vegas valley. It’s home to abundant wildlife, dense pine forests, hiking and biking trails, the Lee Canyon Ski Area.
  • Take Your Child to Work Day: Each year in April LAS employees are encouraged to bring their children to the airport for an exciting day of tours and activities. The sustainability team gets to spend thirty minutes with the kids playing a fun game of recycling. The kids split into several teams and race the clock to sort plastic bottles, aluminum cans and cardboard boxes. It’s always a hoot! The kids know already know so much about recycling and sustainability. In every group there are future sustainability professionals out there.

Team Members

  • Salute to former sustainability action committees since 2006
  • New hire orientation: Each month the sustainability team gives our fantastic new hires a brief rundown of our sustainability efforts and initiatives. We give the class tips to be green at work and at home.

Member of All-In Clark County

  • All-In is a countywide planning effort to address climate change impacts in our community and develop solutions in conjunction with local business and industry, municipal governments, community organizations and concerned citizens. LAS is proud to serve on the All-In Advisory Board and be an active voice in the discussions about climate-related issues facing our county and region.