The project will develop new energy management software based on results from energy audits in two Italian airports, and it is expected that the investment costs for the optimization measures will be paid back in three years time due to lower energy costs.
24 October 2012: The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) has reported on a project on improving energy efficiency of airport buildings, which includes developing information and communication technology (ICT) solutions to decrease energy consumption by 20%.
The goal of the project is to identify weaknesses in the buildings’ existing control systems regarding energy use and to optimize building service management by using smart software. The first part of the project consists of an energy audit and a technical characterization of the Milano-Malpensa and Roma-Fiumicino airports in Italy. During the second part, starting in the spring of 2013, new energy management software will be developed, based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001 standard. The software will include an interface to an automated fault detection and diagnostic software (FDD) for the heating, ventilation and airconditioning services. It is expected that the investment costs for the optimization measures will be compensated by the lower energy costs within three years.
Fraunhofer ISE is working together with eight partners on this project: Projects in Solar Energy PSE AG, Germany; Enerit Limited, Ireland; the National University of Ireland, Galway; Aeroporti di Roma Spa, Italy; D’Appolonia S.p.A., Italy; Societa per azioni Esercizi Aeroportuali SEA Spa, Italy; Sensus Mi Italia S.r.L., Italy; and Institut Mihajlo Pupin, Serbia. [Fraunhofer ISE Press Release]