The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) is pleased to announce it has received nearly $70,000 in grant awards from the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The grants are for the replacement of 1,100 traditional taxiway and runway guard lights at O'Hare International Airport with energy-efficient LED equipment; and for the replacement of 2,400 traditional interior lights with energy-efficient equipment in O'Hare's Terminal 2.

It is estimated that these two lighting improvement projects will result in nearly 632,000 kWH savings each year, or enough energy to power roughly 68 homes annually.

The DCEO is the lead Illinois agency responsible for improving the state's competitiveness in the global economy through the administration of programs, services, initiatives, and partnerships with businesses and local governments designed to achieve targeted annual energy savings goals.

Incentives and grants are available to customers in Ameren Illinois and ComEd's electric service areas under DCEO's Public Sector Energy Efficiency (PSEE) Program, which is funded annually beginning each June 1. Eligible energy efficiency projects include, but are not limited to:

• Lighting retrofits and new lighting fixtures
  • Upgrades to energy-efficient models, including LED for both indoors and outdoors
• De-lamping and permanent fluorescent lamp removal
• New lighting fixtures
• HVAC and refrigeration equipment
• Occupancy sensors and other computerized energy control systems
• Other projects designed to reduce electric energy consumption.

Future lighting improvement projects at O'Hare include energy-efficient upgrades in pedestrian corridors, baggage claim areas, and public roadways on airport property.

Such projects allow the CDA to continue to embrace the best possible environmental, social, and fiscally responsible practices to enhance the quality of life and complement the overall mission and goals of the City of Chicago.

CDA's sustainability initiatives are led by its Sustainability Evaluation and Recommendation Team (SERT), which works to enhance existing, and initiate new, sustainability goals for the department.