Birmingham Airport Upgrades to Sustainable Lighting on Taxiways
Birmingham Airport (BHX) has replaced its taxiway lighting with energy-efficient LED lights, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions. All lighting on the airport’s taxiway have been upgraded from halogen bulbs to LED lights in a move that is expected to reduce power consumption and save 66 tonnes of carbon per year.
LED lights are significantly more energy efficient than halogen bulbs using up to 80% less electricity. By switching to LED lighting, the airport is forecast to save over 316,400 kWh of energy per year – enough electricity to power 115 homes for an entire year. The upgrade to LED fittings delivers higher luminous output and improved clarity, while significantly reducing maintenance requirements due to the longer lifespan. Around 1,200 lights will be upgraded on the taxiway over the next one and a half years.
The upgrade works form part of the regional transport hub’s ongoing journey to becoming a net zero airport by 2033. First announced in 2019, BHX has implemented a variety of innovative sustainability solutions to decarbonise terminal operations and utilise renewable energy sources. This month, the airport celebrated the successful completion of a sustainable fuel trial which saw a number of BHX vehicles being powered by HVO biofuel. Produced entirely from renewable waste materials, HVO is a diesel-like biofuel that significantly limits excessive air pollution and reduces carbon emissions by 90%.
Tom Denton, Head of Sustainability, said:
“We’re always keen to explore and implement new actions that help us minimise our environmental impact and support long-term sustainability. This ongoing transition to LED lighting on our taxiways is a simple yet highly effective solution that will reduce our direct carbon emissions resulting in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly operation. Over the coming months, we look forward to sharing details of our revised organisational Sustainability Strategy which will outline new initiatives that are set to place us firmly on track to be net zero by 2033. “
For more information on Birmingham Airport’s Sustainability Strategy, please visit the airport’s corporate website here.