Alternative energy projects continue to attract interest from a range of institutional and commercial facilities seeking lower energy costs and a smaller impact on the environment.
The appeal of such projects is extending to the nation’s farthest reaches, as evidenced by the latest project at Daniel K. International airport in Honolulu, where workers will install nearly 3,000 new solar panels on the fifth floor of one of the airport terminal’s parking garage.
The $2 million project is led by the Hawai'i Department of Transportation (HDOT), according to KITV 4. It is meant to reduce the airport’s carbon footprint following Gov. David Ige and the state’s plans to move to 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.
The project will affect 410 parking spaces during the installation process, says Tim Sakahara with HDOT, but the project’s schedule purposely avoids peak travel periods.
“There are going to be a few three day weekends in that period,” Sakahara says. “But overall, it misses the winter holiday season of Christmas and New Year’s, and it gets finished before spring break and the summer travel period pick up again."
Ryan Berlin is managing editor of Facility Maintenance Decisions.
