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ATHENE AI was one of 19 projects submitted by various airports and recognized by ACI-LAC; it received the special distinction awarded to the most outstanding initiative of the 2026 edition.

The platform, developed by Quiport, integrates data on emissions, energy, climate, nature, and risks at Quito Airport—along with meteorological data and external sources—to analyze trends, compare scenarios, and strengthen environmental decision-making.

ATHENE AI features an artificial intelligence assistant that analyzes environmental data, answers inquiries, and provides information to support decision-making.

Corporación Quiport secured the top honor at the 2026 Green Airport Recognition awards, presented by Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC), thanks to ATHENE AI. This environmental intelligence platform was developed to organize, integrate, and analyze key information regarding the environmental management of Mariscal Sucre International Airport.

Nineteen projects developed by airports in the region were recognized in this edition. Among them, ATHENE AI was singled out with the special distinction for the most outstanding project of 2026, standing out among the initiatives acknowledged by ACI-LAC.

What problem does ATHENE AI aim to solve?

Airport environmental management generates a vast amount of information: greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, offsets, renewable energy certificates, biodiversity, water usage, weather conditions, risks, and technical documentation.

The growth and importance of this data created a need for a tool capable of consolidating it and transforming it into information that is easier to consult, cross-reference, and analyze. ATHENE AI was created to meet this need, allowing information that previously had to be reviewed independently to be analyzed in an integrated manner.

What does ATHENE AI do?

The platform centralizes the airport’s databases, indicators, and technical documents. Its first module integrates greenhouse gas inventories, energy consumption, offsets, renewable energy certificates, and metrics linked to the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program.

In this module, ATHENE AI consolidates 244 historical ACERT inventory records covering the 2017–2025 period, enabling the analysis of emissions by scope and source, intensity per passenger, historical trends, and potential reduction scenarios prior to implementing new initiatives.

A key component of the platform is ASK ATHENE, an AI assistant that allows users to query databases, indicators, and technical documents using natural language—much like interacting with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot.

The assistant can cross-reference information across modules, identify trends, and generate analyses, dashboards, and executive reports tailored to specific queries, thereby reducing the time spent searching for and consolidating information. Its role is to provide enhanced analytical insights without replacing the human judgment required to interpret the evidence and make final decisions.

Combining internal information and external data on a single platform

ATHENE AI does not rely solely on Quiport’s internal information; the platform can integrate data from external sources as well as data generated by its own weather stations.

This integration deepens understanding of the airport environment and allows the platform’s scope to expand beyond sustainability into areas such as resilience and risk anticipation.

The platform also supports the integration of Davis WeatherLink stations to monitor local weather conditions and capture data—such as UV radiation, precipitation, and other variables—relevant to understanding the airport environment.

What can be done with all this information?

ATHENE AI enables the utilization of data collected across various areas of the airport’s environmental and operational management. Its main applications include:

· Analyzing emissions trends: reviewing emissions by source and scope, intensity per passenger, historical trends, and evidence of offsetting.

· Comparing decarbonization scenarios: building projections and incorporating potential reduction projects to visualize how they might alter the future emissions trajectory and to compare alternatives before implementation.

· Leverage real-time meteorological data: for instance, monitoring UV radiation can provide preventive information for occupational health and safety, particularly for staff working outdoors.

· Gain a better understanding of environmental risks: integrate environmental and meteorological data to analyze conditions and threats that could impact airport operations.

· Progressively expand environmental analysis: the ATHENE AI architecture allows for the incorporation of data aligned with the frameworks of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), as well as data on biodiversity, water, and climate risks, thereby connecting various components of environmental management within a single platform.

“ATHENE AI demonstrates how technology can transform key environmental information into actionable insights for analyzing scenarios, comparing alternatives, and supporting decision-making. By integrating internal data with environmental data, the platform strengthens our ability to comprehensively understand the environmental variables linked to airport operations,” stated Ramón Miró, President and CEO of Corporación Quiport.

An idea inspired by the airport environment

The name ATHENE AI is inspired by Athene cunicularia—the burrowing owl that inhabits the open spaces surrounding the Quito airport. Its ability to observe the environment, recognize changes, and adapt inspired the platform’s concept: connecting data, interpreting it, and transforming it into actionable knowledge for environmental management.

ATHENE AI was designed to evolve progressively beyond a mere environmental dashboard into a space where carbon, climate, nature, territory, technical evidence, and artificial intelligence converge. This enables not only the analysis of past events but also a better understanding of current conditions and the exploration of potential future scenarios to support decision-making.

About the Award

The Green Airport Recognition, presented by Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC), honors environmental initiatives developed by airports in the region.

The 2026 edition focused on artificial intelligence and innovation for airport sustainability. Initiatives were evaluated based on four criteria: senior management involvement, sustainable benefit, stakeholder engagement, and innovation.

A total of 19 projects were recognized in this edition. Among them, ATHENE AI received the special distinction reserved for the most outstanding project of the 2026 Green Airport Recognition, highlighting Quiport’s proposal among the environmental initiatives submitted by airports across the region.