As Poland presses ahead with its flagship Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) multi-modal infrastructure project, the airport authority is making waves — not just in construction, but in green aviation innovation. Through its partnership in the EU-funded ALIGHT consortium, CPK has helped develop a Replication Toolbox for sustainable aviation, offering a new playbook for airports worldwide wishing to reduce environmental impact.
The Replication Toolbox: A Sustainable Manual for Airports
The “Replication Toolbox – Sustainable Aviation” is an open-access online resource designed to guide airports toward greener operations. It spans 11 thematic areas ranging from energy efficiency and renewables to electric ground support equipment and sustainable passenger mobility practices.
CPK experts contributed significantly, including to the concept of the “Apron of the Future”, envisioning electrified and automated aircraft stands with cleaner ground operations. The toolbox also includes modules on measuring greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and adopting Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
By sharing these designs, processes, and guidelines, ALIGHT and CPK aim to help airports around the world replicate sustainable practices rather than reinvent them — reducing cost, risk, and timelines for climate-driven transformation.
Why CPK’s Role Matters
- Innovation leadership: CPK is positioning itself not just as a new airport, but as a benchmark for sustainable infrastructure in Central Europe.
- Knowledge export: Rather than keeping sustainable practices proprietary, the toolbox channels Poland’s learning into global best practices.
- Long-term infrastructure alignment: CPK’s masterplan encompasses air, rail, and road integration. Embedding sustainability now ensures future expansions align with climate goals.
- Technology transfer and credibility: Through ALIGHT’s €12 million EU grant, CPK gains legitimacy and access to tested systems — from partner airports such as Copenhagen and Fiumicino.
Project Timeline & Ambitions
CPK is slated to begin major terminal construction in 2026, with foundational works leading up to that. The airport aims to be operational by 2032, at which point its sustainable infrastructure and tools will be battle-tested by real-world operations.
With the climate crisis intensifying, timing is essential. CPK’s sustainability tools could help avoid many of the retrofit costs that burden legacy airports — creating a blueprint for future hubs that start green, not limp toward it.
Challenges & What to Watch
- Adoption across contexts: Airports vary in climate, regulation, capital structure, and scale — adapting a toolbox is not plug-and-play.
- Performance verification: The real test will be whether airports can measure, verify and report emissions and energy savings as promised.
- Technology readiness and cost: Electrification, automation, and SAF adoption all carry capital cost and supply chain risk.
- Regulatory alignment: Some practices may require changes in aviation regulation, procurement rules or national policy frameworks.
- Stakeholder buy-in: Success depends on airport operators, airlines, ground handlers, local governments, and communities collaborating.
In Sum
By positioning CPK as a laboratory for sustainable aviation tools, Poland is making a bold bet: that a new airport can lead on climate, not lag behind. The Replication Toolbox is more than a manual — it’s an invitation to airports to leapfrog decades of incremental improvements and build better from day one.