King County Int’l Airport Terminal Retrofit

Seattle, Washington

Deep Energy Retrofit Delivers 70% Energy Reduction

The King County International Airport (KCIA) Passenger Terminal underwent a deep energy retrofit to replace outdated mechanical and lighting systems with more efficient, modern technologies. Despite the challenges of working in an active airport, the project was carefully planned and executed while maintaining full occupancy, ensuring minimal disruption to one of the nation’s busiest non-hub airports, which averages 200,000 takeoffs and landings annually.

Key improvements included replacing aging gas-fired rooftop multi-zone air handlers with Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heat pumps and a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS), along with a high-efficiency energy recovery ventilator that captures up to 90% of waste heat. By reusing existing ductwork, the new system provides individual thermal zones that better respond to occupant needs while improving overall performance. Lighting upgrades further contributed to energy savings, replacing 32-watt fluorescent tubes with 15-watt LED lamps and incorporating daylight and occupancy sensors. Outdoor ramp and parking lot lighting were also upgraded to LED technology with nighttime setbacks to 50% of full brightness. The retrofit eliminated the need for fossil fuels in space heating and achieved a 70% reduction in overall energy consumption.

The project was made possible through a combination of funding sources, including a $300,000 Department of Commerce grant to King County and $129,970 in energy efficiency incentives from Seattle City Light. The KCIA retrofit demonstrates how older buildings can achieve deep energy savings while exceeding modern energy code requirements.

Learn more about the project here:

• King County Airport Showcase Project. Better Buildings, 2017