Scott Hill, Director of Maintenance at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (second from right), holds up the award as he stands alongside several HAS colleagues and other conference attendees
The Houston Airport System (HAS) was an honoree at the 2019 Texas Energy Summit held Nov. 12-16 at the historic Texas State Capitol in Austin. Selected from dozens of potential winners among government organizations across the state, HAS received the Outstanding Government Organization Award based on proactive and concrete steps toward successfully reducing its annual energy consumption, among other criteria.
The energy summit was the 16th annual gathering of industry experts, state and local policy makers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, and many more. It was hosted by Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL), a division of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and a member of the Texas A&M University System.
The conference offered attendees an opportunity to engage in dialogues regarding cleaner air, a better built environment and a new energy economy. The conference annually addresses issues of local, state and global impact.
Scott Hill, HAS Director of Maintenance, was among the attendees on behalf of HAS and said that the summit delved into various aspects of energy policy and technologies. According to Hill, the conference included highly informative workshops and sessions across specific tracks that considered the policy, technology and implementation aspects of air quality, energy efficiency, renewable energy and more.
“HAS employs a very proactive, customer-focused stance toward modernization of its three airports,” Hill said, “and that serves us well. Taking care of the environment is always key when senior leadership moves forward on its various initiatives.”
Hill said that Mario Diaz, Aviation Director, and Robert (Bob) Barker, Chief Infrastructure Officer, along with their dedicated staff, have made possible many initiatives aimed at creating a seamless and cohesive international passenger experience.
Houston remains the only city in the Western Hemisphere with two 4-star rated airports, George Bush International Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), according to the renowned aviation ratings organization Skytrax. Houston Airports served more than 58 million passengers and 2018. The final numbers for 2019 are expected to be released in the next few months and HAS has been on pace for even more record-setting numbers.
“With the ITRP Net Zero Energy Initiative and the HAS’s Sustainable Management Plan, HAS is focused on meeting high standards of energy efficiency, sustainability, resiliency and environmental stewardship,” Barker said.
Under the umbrella of the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP), the new Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT) Complex project is currently underway at IAH. The $1.3 billion program includes an International Central Processor, a renovated Terminal D concourse, a new international concourse and a new Baggage Screening Facility. The ITRP goes far in facilitating the achievement and sustainability of the HAS mission and vision, which is connecting the world to Houston and further establishing the city as a 5-star global air service gateway where the magic of flight is celebrated.
HAS is currently in the design and construction phase of a $28.4 million capital investment to improve energy efficiency at IAH and HOU, enabled partially by the State Energy Conservation Office’s (SECO) LoanSTAR program. The projects include 1) installing four new chillers as part of a new satellite utility plant, concourse controls upgrade and installation of Variable Frequency Drives (VFD), and installation of a solar array at the Hobby Airport; 2) Baggage Handling System upgrade, improving building operations through Continuous Commissioning®, and conversion of constant air volume to variable air volume at the air handling units at the George Bush Airport; and 3) many lighting retrofits at both airports.
The comprehensive projects will reduce the annual energy consumption by more than 24 million kilowatt-hours, while reducing the utility costs by more than $1.3 million annually and will help HAS reach its “net-zero” energy goal for IAH.
The State of Texas took a leading role on air quality with legislation as early as 2001, creating building sector energy efficiency initiatives to reduce emissions. These included adopting energy codes, encouraging above-code building performance, and requiring state agencies and political subdivisions to set cost-effective examples by reducing consumption each year. These initiatives have been continued and expanded by subsequent Legislatures, with additions and changes in almost every session.
“HAS has been pleased to come alongside the City of Houston and the State in effectively reducing emissions,” Barker said. “ We were very pleased to be the recipients of this prestigious award, and we will continue to strive in leading the way in reducing consumption each and every year. Congratulations to the HAS for making a difference.”