Energy Efficiency
Energy Efficiency
Dulles People Mover( Mobile Lounge) Retrofits
Brookville Equipment Corp. is redesigning, remodeling and rebuilding the interior of Dulles International Airport’ s plane mates and mobile lounges, as well as retrofi tting the drive train and upgrading each of the vehicles to cleaner Tier 4 diesel engines. The Airports Authority gave Brookville Equipment Corp. Notice to Proceed on a $ 16.4-million contract on November 2, 2023. This initial phase will include rehabilitation of one prototype of each Passenger transfer vehicle( PTV) type on its existing chassis.
In March and April, Brookville and its crane operator A & A Transfer disassembled and shipped Plane Mate 642 and Mobile Lounge 620 to Brookville’ s facility in western Pennsylvania to begin the rehabilitation. When the current contract is complete in 2026, the Airports Authority will have the option to revamp the remaining 18 mobile lounges and 29 plane mates for an estimated $ 143 million( not to exceed $ 160 million) over six additional years. This refurbishment is expected to extend the useful life of the vehicles another 20 years.
The vehicles are a critical part of the operations at Dulles International, conveying passengers from the Main Terminal area to Concourse D, which is not connected to the AeroTrain, and disembarking passengers from most arriving international fl ights. They provide fl exibility and increased capacity to move passengers around the airport while offering unique views during the ride. However, the current fl eet last underwent a major overhaul 25 years ago, and the engine packages were replaced between 2004 and 2006. As these engines begin to exceed 20 years of use, they will run less effi ciently and continue to degrade. Most vehicle parts and components are no longer produced, requiring costly customized manufacturing to maintain. A major rehabilitation of the fl eet is critical to continued safe, reliable and environmentally sustainable operations.
The pilot rehabilitation project will upgrade two of these vehicles to EPA Tier 4 engines, resulting in fuel savings and drastic reductions in visible emissions and other contaminants.
SUSTAINABILITY | 2024 IMPACT REPORT 13
METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON AIRPORTS AUTHORITY