Port Energy, Water Conservation Efforts Pay Big Dividends

- Funds from city of Seattle, Bonneville Power to augment airport programs -

Two Port of Seattle resource conservation programs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are again proving that good environmental stewardship is good business.

The Port has received a $1.5 million Conservation Augmentation Grant from the Bonneville Power Administration. The funds will be used to further airport energy conservation programs begun during the energy crisis of 2001. Sea-Tac was among the first public facilities to meet Gov. Gary Locke's challenge of reducing electric consumption by 10 percent or more.

"Our conservation work has paid off in two ways," said Gina Marie Lindsey, managing director of aviation for the Port. "We met the governor's challenge and saved directly on electric costs. Now, Bonneville sees that we're committed to conservation and is helping us get even more done."

The Port's effort was recognized by the US Department of Energy, which found Sea-Tac to be the country's leading airport at managing and implementing energy efficient techniques.

"The Bonneville Power Administration is pleased with the Port of Seattle's participation in the Conservation Augmentation (ConAug) Program," said the BPA's Michael Rose. "ConAug pays for cost effective electrical energy efficiency improvements that are used to help meet the region's need for energy. During the 2002 - 2006 period Bonneville intends to purchase 100 average megawatts and the projects to be installed by the Port of Seattle will help meet that goal."

The BPA grant will be used to:

Replace general lighting in the airport terminal with energy efficient fixtures;
Retrofit older heating & cooling systems with more efficient equipment;

Develop "smart systems" for the building that will manage energy use from minute to minute depending on how many travelers are in the building.

The BPA grant also can be used on behalf of airport tenants. The Port already has received requests from four tenants to replace inefficient fixtures in hangars and cargo buildings.

Sea-Tac is saving water, too, and that's paying off for one local utility and for airport tenants.

Installation of low-flow fixtures is saving 42 million gallons of water annually at Sea-Tac. That's enough to fill Safeco field to the concourse level, and will save the airport $300,000 every year.

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) issued the Port a rebate check for nearly $63 thousand as part of the city's conservation incentive program.

"SPU is excited to work with Sea-Tac Airport to help them save water and save money," said SPU Director Chuck Clarke. "Our commercial customer rebate program benefits the region by protecting water resources for people, for fish, and for the future."

Through its water conservation program, the airport:

Replaced 366 toilets with low-flush units;

Installed 185 low-flow faucet aerators;

Installed 160 motion sensing faucets;

The project proved that conservation is good business. Financial analysis of the airport's water conservation efforts revealed a 56 percent internal rate of return on the costs. In lay terms, internal rate of return is equivalent to the interest rate earned had the money been invested in a savings account.