“Our mission to make Philadelphia the greenest big city in America demands real, measurable action from every corner of city government,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker. “Earning this premier designation proves our Department of Aviation isn’t just keeping pace—they are setting the standard for sustainable infrastructure nationwide. I’m incredibly proud of the PHL team for turning our environmental commitments into national leadership."  

PHL has conducted third-party-verified greenhouse gas calculations since 2019 and has participated in the ACA program since 2021. To achieve Level 4, PHL expanded its greenhouse gas inventory to include emissions from aircraft, passengers, concessions, construction projects, employee travel, and goods and services; committed to ambitious absolute reduction targets; collaborated with airlines on emission-reduction initiatives; and demonstrated consistent progress in reducing its environmental impact.   

“This achievement represents a major milestone in our sustainability journey as an airport,” said Department of Aviation Interim CEO Tracy Borda. “It is a great honor to be the only airport on the East Coast to be recognized for this level of environmental commitment.”  

Members of the airport team, including Tracy Borda, Chief Development Officer Api Appulingam, and Airport Sustainability Manager Jessica Noon, accepted the honor at a ceremony at the annual Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) conference on September 16.   

“We are truly setting ourselves apart as a leader in airport sustainability and holding ourselves accountable – ensuring that we walk the talk,” said Noon. “This recognition is a result of the hard work the airport has done over the course of many years to prioritize sustainability in our decision-making and go the extra mile to operate in a cleaner, greener way.”   

Since 2019, Philadelphia International Airport has reduced its carbon emissions by 43 percent through LED lighting replacements, fleet electrification, and energy-efficient upgrades to heating and cooling systems. In 2025, PHL completed LED lighting upgrades of airport parking garages, which will save 7,000,000 kilowatt-hours annually – the equivalent annual energy use of 800 single-family homes. PHL also benefited from the City of Philadelphia’s 70-megawatt solar production facility that came online in 2024. The off-site solar array provided renewable energy credits that accounted for 23% of the airport’s energy usage in 2025.     

PHL has worked closely with American, Delta, United, and Southwest Airlines to electrify baggage tugs and other ground support equipment. To date, the airport has installed 121 chargers to support this equipment. The airlines have converted 185 pieces of ground support equipment from diesel or gas fuel to electric models. Today, 28 percent of the total PHL ground support fleet is electric.  In 2023, PHL instituted rigorous sustainable design standards for all airport construction projects, requiring energy efficiency and environmentally friendly materials in every on-site renovation. Between 2023 and 2025, the airport recycled 98 percent of waste from its construction sites, diverting over 150,000 tons from the landfill.     

PHL has a target of net-zero operations by 2050 and has committed to reducing its emissions by at least 55 percent by 2035. PHL will pursue this ambitious goal through a variety of initiatives, including upgrading airport thermal plants, continuing the transition to a zero-emission vehicle and shuttle bus fleet, and possibly even producing renewable energy on the airport campus.  

To learn more about the airport's ongoing environmental programs, visit PHL’s Sustainability newsroom.