To achieve this, numerous measures and projects have been implemented by the airport itself. Hamburg Airport is continuously optimizing its technical building infrastructure. For example, with efficient ventilation and air-conditioning systems, the expansion of the local heating network and the consistent switch to LED lighting. In the terminals, a thermal labyrinth ensures environmentally friendly air conditioning. At a depth of around 11 meters, the outside air that is drawn in is naturally precooled or preheated before it enters the air conditioning systems in the terminals. Hamburg Airport covers around 70 percent of its thermal energy requirements with its own block-type thermal power station. This is highly efficient and runs on natural gas.

The vehicle fleet on the apron has been almost completely converted to alternative drives and fuels. At Hamburg Airport, aircraft stairs run on solar power, tugs on natural gas (and hydrogen in the future) and e-cars. The airport has been operating without fossil diesel for more than five years. At the end of 2016, Hamburg Airport became the first international commercial airport to switch all diesel-powered vehicles to a synthetic, low-emission fuel.

With the goal of completely eliminating CO₂ emissions, Hamburg Airport has already reduced its annual CO₂ emissions by almost 80 percent – from 40,000 tons to 8,700 tons – since 2009. In order to fully compensate for the remaining CO₂ emissions, Hamburg Airport currently has to invest in high-quality compensation certificates: In cooperation with FirstClimate, these certificates are used to support ecological projects that demonstrably reduce CO₂ emissions in the global cycle. If further CO₂ savings are achieved through our own measures, the proportion of compensation certificates purchased will also gradually decrease.