The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) joined ComEd at O’Hare International Airport to celebrate the completion of an ambitious energy-efficient lighting project for Terminals 1 and 3. This project supports the City of Chicago in realizing the benefits of cleaner and more efficient energy practices. As part of the project, ComEd worked with the City to replace 685 metal halide outdoor lighting fixtures with energy-efficient LEDs. While the new lights are designed to improve safety and visibility, they are also estimated to help the airport save nearly 1.75 million kilowatt-hours a year. This helps reduce from the air more than 1.1 million pounds of carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, which is the equivalent of powering nearly 160 ComEd customer homes for one year or planting approximately 630 acres of trees. By working through the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program, the CDA earned more than $326,000 in incentives. Combined with the reduction in energy use and maintenance costs, the payback period – or the amount of time before O’Hare recoups its investment – is estimated to be less than one year.

Photo Credit: ComEd