Belfast International Airport has embarked on an energy economy drive designed to lop £100,000 off its electricity, gas and oil bills.

The entire site devoured 20.72 million kWh last year at a cost of over £1.6 million – the bulk of it down to BIA usage.

Electricity accounted for the lion’s share of the cost, £1.2 million, and now an appeal has gone out to staff to think twice about usage and to come up with energy-saving ideas of their own.

The target for 2015 is to achieve a 5% reduction which would result in a saving of 830,000 kWh across all energy types.

Airport Health and Safety Manager, Kevin Napier, believes significant savings can be achieved by a combination of energy saving equipment and greater staff awareness.

Mr Napier said: “We have invested in LED lighting on the runways and taxiways and begun a programme installing them within the Terminal. Programmable light fittings with motion and light sensors, LCD screens in check-in and auto slow-down on escalators all help cut the level of usage.

“More is achievable, and that’s where our staff come into the picture. We’re issuing a Carbon Trust questionnaire in the next payslip, essentially to create greater awareness and appeal for help. We’d like our people to do the simple things without giving them a second thought, such as switching off lights and computers and not letting hot taps run.

“More than that, we intend to set up an Energy Team and develop departmental energy reports. Crucially, we are looking for energy-saving ideas that will make a difference. So, if staff have a ‘eureka moment’, they will find a willing audience in the Energy Team.

“If we achieve a saving of £100,000, that’s money that will be reinvested in the business to help us become even more energy efficient.”

Pictured above is Kevin Napier standing beside the 900kW combined heat and power engine used to generate electricity at peak times in the winter. Excess heat from the engine is used to heat the terminal building.

Anh Tuan