SUSTAINABILITY. At ADB SAFEGATE we are proud to announce the successful completion of the Kaagbaan Renovation Project at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, accomplished in partnership with Heijmans in the Netherlands. This project showcased a remarkable blend of innovation and sustainability. Over 1000 inset and elevated lights were meticulously uninstalled, shot blasted, and refurbished at our Zaventem plant before being reinstalled on the runway, all within an ambitious timeline of just 4 weeks.

The Essence of Refurbishment at ADB SAFEGATE

Our shared commitment with our customers towards sustainability is strong. We collectively aim to meet the UN Sustainability Goals by minimizing waste and implementing concrete actions.

The refurbishment of runway lights is a prime example of our strategy to achieve these objectives. Not only does it prevent the accumulation of waste from discarded lights, but it also embodies our guarantee of quality and dedication to our products and customers. By extending the life of these products, we demonstrate our passion and take a significant step in combating climate change.

By reusing the lights in the runway we reduce the waste accumulated from disposing of old lights. We then provide a guarantee on the lights that were refurbished that demonstrates our confidence and commitment to support the product. We not only extend the lifetime of the product. We extend our pride and passion for our product and devotion to our customer while taking action in the global fight against climate change.

Quantifying Our Impact

We engaged a third party to estimate the carbon footprint of some of our products in accordance with the ISO 14044 standard. This enabled us to illustrate the carbon emissions savings to our customer, which, in this case, amounted to an estimated 74 Tonnes CO2 Eq. To put it into perspective, this represents the equivalent of driving a standard petrol car between Brussels and Amsterdam 1479 times, achieving an 80% reduction in emissions compared to producing new lighting fixtures.

Understanding Refurbishment

The process begins with a thorough assessment, asking key questions about the product’s origin, current status, and potential for reuse. Our criteria include:

• Is the product manufactured by ADB SAFEGATE?
• Is it part of the current portfolio, or at least not considered obsolete?
• Was it produced in our Zaventem factory?
• Does the quantity and timeline align with component availability?
• Are the lights still in working condition to maximize reusability?

A specific refurbishment standard is then applied for each product family, focusing on preserving the aluminum housing and the converter, which have been tested to ensure extended lifetime. Critical components affecting the light’s optics are replaced to restore the product to its original performance, with nothing less than 100% quality acceptance before the fixture is returned to the customer. Each refurbished light receives a new label featuring a unique refurbishment material number and an ‘R’ symbol for easy identification by the customer.

Future Opportunities – can it be done at your airport too?

Absolutely. Schiphol’s project marks only the beginning of our journey in product refurbishment. Drawing from the insights gained, we are eager to explore more opportunities for refurbishing our Belgium-produced fixtures.

We encourage airports interested in incorporating sustainable practices into their operations to contact their local sales for more information on how refurbishment can play a role in their sustainability and waste reduction efforts.

ADB SAFEGATE is a company that provides integrated solutions to airports, air-lines, and ANSPs.  We are proud to be leading the way with innovative and smart Airside 4.0 solutions that turn airports into smart airports, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the passenger experience. Solutions include airfield lighting, power and control systems, airport and tower software, docking automation, apron management, and aftermarket services.  With over 1,400 employees and over 2,700 airports in over 175 countries, from the busiest and largest to the fastest-growing airports, ADB SAFEGATE is dedicated to making air travel safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly.