United States. Schneider Electric announced that Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas, has achieved energy savings of nearly $15,000 in the final phase of a comprehensive energy efficiency project.
Schneider Electric presented a refund check to airport and city officials at an event on the airport's main concourse. In total, the multi-phase project will generate an estimated savings of $1.58 million and reduce the airport's annual utility expenses by 38 percent.
"We are thrilled to celebrate this historic day in our nearly 15-year partnership with Schneider Electric," said Bryan Wren, Deputy Director of Aviation, Valley International Airport. "This savings milestone is a testament to our ongoing commitments to sustainability and facility improvement, allowing us to improve operations while reducing our overall energy expenditure."
The most recent phase of the project was funded by a federal grant and encompassed a variety of airport facility improvements to improve energy efficiency and improve the airport experience for travelers, including:
- Modernized lighting system with LED technology and daylight dimming controls
- Optimized operations with improvements in the building automation system
- Improving air quality by installing an ultraviolet light filtration system
- Improved comfort with air controller and cooling tower replacements and a dedicated outdoor air system to pre-treat ventilation air before it enters the building
Schneider Electric has partnered with Valley International Airport since 2005, when it began work on the first phase of the project, which focused on replacing the existing building automation system and lighting facilities at the airport. This phase delivered $1.1 million in guaranteed savings and was funded through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), which uses projected utility savings to pay for infrastructure improvements.
A third phase of the project will begin later this year and will focus on fan coil replacements, further improving comfort for travelers and airport workers.
