Case Study: Boeing Presents Internal 'Best Practice' Award For Energy Management Applications; Vykon Used To Implement Strategy

With customers in 145 countries, employees in more than 60 countries, and operations in 26 states, it is not surprising that Boeing has been the world leader in commercial flight for over 40 years.

Boeing is also a world leader in environmental and conservation efforts. Since 1991, Boeing has invested more than $100M to find and introduce safer and more environmentally friendly materials and processes, and to conserve energy whenever possible.

Each year Boeing encourages their employees to find more efficient and environmentally favorable processes by awarding "Best Practice" Awards.

This year's "Best Practice" Award for energy went to Jim Greif. Jim, a 15-year Boeing veteran, is responsible for the lighting systems at the facilities in Renton, Washington.

The Renton area facilities house the assembly lines for the 737 and 757 aircrafts. The facilities consist of six buildings with an aggregate peak load that approaches 25 megawatts. The annual expense of lighting alone is $3.5M at a single facility.

Greif's most recent challenge was to reduce energy consumption in Boeing's manufacturing facilities. Because lighting constituted about 30 percent of the total energy expense, Greif chose to focus on strategies to integrate and control the different lighting systems in the various plants. Installing Vykon™ by Tridium™ offered the means to achieve Boeing's goals.