www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AT AIRPORTS IN SOUTH AFRICA: INVESTIGATING TECHNOLOGIES THAT REDUCE ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION JERUSHA JOSEPH & PROFESSOR FREDDIE INAMBAO Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa ABSTRACT Reducing energy consumption through energy efficiency and energy conservation is key as a first step to reducing carbon emissions. It is also essential on the journey to adopting alternative low carbon energy sources such as renewable energy. This paper presents an investigation into technologies that will reduce energy consumption at airports in South Africa, through estimating their energy reduction impact and the required investment and return on investment. KEYWORDS: Electricity Reduction Technologies, Energy Reduction for Airports, LED Lighting, Lighting Control, Geyser Sleeve Technology, Low Emissivity Glass, Double Glazing, Energy Savings with Air Conditioning Received: Aug 01, 2021; Accepted: Aug 30, 2021; Published: Oct 21, 2021; Paper Id.: IJMPERDDEC20219 INTRODUCTION In the journey towards reducing electricity consumption, it is necessary to ascertain the energy consumption and corresponding carbon footprint and identify the drivers of energy consumption related to a particular site [1].This exercise will highlight energy wastage. Airports’ most significant energy users are lighting and air conditioning [1]. It is thus important that all efforts to reduce carbon emissions through energy efficiency and energy conservation focus on lighting and air conditioning and the systems that contribute or affect the demand for them. Technologies for lighting and air conditioning at the airports must be kept up to date. Factors that contribute to increased energy consumption must be addressed to ensure reduced energy consumption. Building and interior refurbishments are opportunities to alter designs to complement the lighting and space thermal requirements to promote efficiency and reduce demand. Replacement cycles of infrastructure such as chillers, motors, fans, cooling towers, chilled water pipe runs, lighting, buildings management systems, buildings insulation, building facades and envelope, interior designs, etc. should be regarded as an opportunity to incorporate the best available technology and designs that promote reduction in energy consumption, monitoring, measuring and control of energy consumption for continued improvement in performance. This paper presents the interventions identified for reduction in electricity consumption for nine airports in South Africa owned and operated by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), namely, O R Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) (Kempton Park, Gauteng), Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) (Western Cape), King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal), Port Elizabeth International Airport (PEIA) (Eastern Cape), East London Airport (EL) (Eastern Cape), Bram Fischer International Airport (BFIA) (Bloemfontein, Free State), George Airport (GG) (Eastern Cape), Upington International Airport (UPIA) (Northern Cape) and Kimberley Airport (KIM) (Northern Cape). Original Article International Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD) ISSN (P): 2249–6890; ISSN (E): 2249–8001 Vol. 11, Issue 6, Dec 2021, 133–146 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.