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Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Approves Switch to LED Lighting

With roughly 23 million passengers strolling through its gates, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, located in the heart of Atlanta Georgia, is known as the world's busiest airport. They are now also the first major airport to embrace the energy saving power of LED lighting for all of their taxiway lanes, and runways.

At a cost of over $15.9 million approximately 16,000 halogen light bulbs have been replaced with more energy efficient, cost effective LED lighting technology. The cost benefits are already being recognized as Georgia Power recently delivered a commercial rebate equaling 20 cents off every watt not burned through its energy conservation program.

The utility company has already delivered over $45,000 in savings to the busy airport, so far. Another cost savings benefit to look for in the near future comes due to the fact that LED lights can last up to 25% longer than typical halogen lighting. That not only equals money saved on materials, but also on the reduced man-hours, as less time is needed to stop production elsewhere to replace burned out bulbs.

Georgia Power has calculated that the Hartsfield-Jackson airport stands to save over 2 million kilowatt-hours per year! On the tail of this estimate the airport decided to go forward with replacing all of their fluorescent lighting in adjoining parking garages as well.

All of these modifications are expected to solidify the intentions of the airport to increase efficiency, and lower energy consumption. Hartsfield-Jackson airport’s aviation general manager Miguel Southwell says, “At the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, we work tirelessly to be one of the most sustainable airports in the world,” and “We are grateful for our partnership with Georgia Power on our airfield LED lighting project and look forward to working together on future energy efficiency initiatives.”

All of this energy saving activity is part of a growing initiative by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, whose desire it is to make the city’s airport the “greenest airport in the world.”

LED lighting is gaining a foothold in the world of energy, and money saving lighting solutions, and increasing in popularity due to advances which have not only allowed it to become competitive with other lighting sources, but even outshine most other less efficient light sources.

With several major cities like L.A. and Glasgow, Scotland already making huge reforms in the way they light their roadways, and an ever increasing egress into the automotive world, as well as a number of other industries, it is not to difficult to see that LED technology is going to continue to rise as the number one solution to energy efficient lighting.