Airport Terminal Energy Performance

This research is to create initial Energy Use Intensity (EUI) benchmarks by gathering data to measure, estimate, and/or model energy end uses in airport passenger terminals. These benchmarks will assist in managing energy usage and evaluating business decisions for replacing or retrofitting equipment and systems. EUI profiles will also be developed for energy end uses for several representative airport terminals.

Over the years, much work and resources have been invested by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), with the support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to advance and develop innovative near-term solutions for the airport industry to meet operational demands, solve operating problems and adapt appropriate technologies from other industries. The establishment of the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), almost ten years ago, served as one of the principle means to achieve those goals. Since then, the ACRP carried out research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies in a variety of airport subject areas, including design, construction, maintenance, operations, safety, security, policy, planning, human resources, and administration.

The “10 Airport Survey: Energy Use, Policies, and Programs for Terminal Buildings” project report indicated that based upon sheer volume, airports represent huge opportunities for energy efficiency. However, while there is guidance for achieving energy efficiency in other big commercial facilities (as shopping centers, office buildings, convention centers, etc.), there is little guidance at the state or national levels for airports seeking to improve efficiency in the renovation of existing or construction of new facilities.

This research is aimed at developing a frame of reference for airports terminal energy end uses and would be a tool for better defining each airport’s energy use goals. This research would also be a step towards clearer guidelines to understand and evaluate the opportunities that exist to meet the energy use goals of a particular airport terminal, as related to its specific operational, structural, size, climatic and other characteristic.