General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport

Logan International Airport, owned and operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), is New England’s primary international and domestic airport. In May 2009, Massport approved $55.7 million to rehabilitate the Terminal B parking garage that was constructed in 1974. The four-year project includes the installation of photovoltaic solar panels on the garage roof and the replacement of outdated high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting inside the garage.

Bob Leger, Terminal B parking garage project manager, knew there was better lighting technology available than HPS fixtures. Lighting engineer and project manager Dan Hallahan, LC, LEED-AP, of the engineering firm Fay, Spofford and Thorndike, worked with Omnilite, the local representative for Cree, and Massport to conduct a three-month study that included testing different luminaire technology. The study clearly revealed that Cree luminaires were the obvious choice for energy efficiency and improved illumination performance.

Leger estimates that the 2,000 upgrade Cree luminaires will use approximately 50 percent less electricity — about 2,261,218 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year — than is currently used and will save approximately $263,000 in energy costs this year alone; not including the maintenance savings from ongoing spot replacement of the HID lamps, which ran $150 for each fixture. The anticipated energy savings includes use of an energy management program.

“We’re required to have a 2.5 percent to 5.5 percent energy savings on any new capital improvement installation; the 50 percent from the Cree luminaires is outstanding,” said Leger. “Additionally, the light is much brighter and more uniform compared to HPS fixtures.”