Vancouver International Airport installs new apron LED lighting system

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has installed a new light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system at its airfield.

Set to be delivered by US-based company Musco Lighting, the new lighting system will help reduce the airport’s power consumption, expand lighting coverage, and enhance safety for pilots, air traffic controllers and ground crews.

With the installation of the LED lights, YVR will be the first airport in North America to deploy an adaptive dimming system based upon gate usage.

Vancouver Airport Authority engineering vice-president Don Ehrenholz said: “Our primary objective is to operate and maintain a safe, secure and sustainable airport.

“The new apron lighting system significantly reduces YVR’s energy consumption, while streamlining operations and improving safety with improved coverage, reduced glare and increased lighting levels.”

The new LED lighting system installed on YVR’s existing structures is said to offer uniform light distribution.

It is also equipped with technology that allows selective use of high-quality lighting to eliminate glare, enhancing operational efficiency.

Musco Lighting vice-president Jeff Rogers said: “Lighting airports bring a number of additional considerations, and at an airport with the size and scope of YVR, the challenges are even more extensive.”

The company’s LED system was factory wired and tested to ensure enhanced performance and problem-free operation at YVR.

It will also increase or decrease lighting levels based on the gate schedule in order to save electricity when not in use.

The LED solution is expected to save 715,000KW/h per year, which is the equivalent of supplying electricity to 72 homes annually.