TRAFFIC ALERT: Overnight lane closures are scheduled for outbound Peña Boulevard (leaving DEN) from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., from Tuesday, June 2 through Saturday, June 6 for grinding operations near the West Terminal. Please use caution and drive carefully.
BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY
At Denver International Airport (DEN), sustainability means more than just recycling — it’s a long-term commitment to balancing environmental responsibility, economic viability, and community well-being. Our goal is to create lasting value by ensuring that airport operations support a healthier planet and benefit current and future generations.
21.8%
Waste Diversion Rate (as of 2024)
13
LEED and Envision Certified Projects (as of 10/31/2025)
74%
Deicing Fluid Collection Rate (as of 2023-2024 deicing season)
Over 50
Megawatt capacity of on-site solar arrays (as of 10/31/2025)
Denver International Airport is working toward becoming one of the most sustainable airports in the world. From energy use to waste reduction and green construction, DEN tracks measurable progress in key environmental areas. These figures highlight how we’re turning our airport sustainability goals into real-world results.
Sustainability is also one of the guiding principles behind DEN’s Vision 100 and Operation 2045, the airport’s roadmap to responsibly serve more than 120 million passengers in the decades ahead. Our Environmental, Social, and Governance Report provides detailed metrics on how we’re advancing these commitments.
DEN’s primary focus is compliance with Clean Air Act regulations, preparation for more stringent air permitting requirements, and the continued reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and criteria air pollutants.
DEN has worked with our community partners, our neighbors, and our stakeholders to protect the land around the airport. The continued safety and usability of the land around DEN is a high priority as we grow.
The airport has been a model for energy efficiency and daylighting since it opened in 1995. We continue to build energy efficient facilities, develop high-value renewable energy projects, and continually upgrade our existing facilities.
DEN is committed to using LEED certifications as an accountability framework to construct the most sustainable facilities possible and provide long-term value to our employees, passengers, and business partners. We also promote sustainability within civil construction projects through Envision®, a holistic sustainability framework and rating system that enables a thorough examination of the sustainability and resiliency.
DEN has an industry-leading stormwater management system that collects 70% of the deicing fluid applied to aircraft each winter season, and an on-site, closed-loop recycling plant that reclaims spent glycol for reblending back into deicing fluid. DEN is also focused on water efficiency, through high-efficiency construction and replacing existing restroom fixtures with low-flow options.
DEN’s core waste diversion programs include single-stream recycling, compost collection from concessionaires, luggage donation, and wooden pallet and plastic film recycling.
Denver International Airport has developed an Environmental Management System (EMS) to proactively identify and mitigate all potential impacts to the environment from airport operations.
Read the DEN LEED Campus Case Study to learn more about LEED Certification and read more about what DEN is doing to integrate energy efficiency, conservation and sustainability into our facilities and systems.
The airport has been a model for energy efficiency and daylighting since it opened in 1995.
