Is improving the energy performance of a site while guaranteeing operating continuity “mission impossible”? Not with the right partners, says Bilal Yildiz, head of electronic systems at Istanbul airport.

A world-class airport with a focus on the future

Istanbul Airport, located close to the city centre, is now one of the largest in Europe, serving as a strategic connection point between Asia and Africa thanks to its advantageous geographical position. Built in a record time of 42 months and handling 90 million passengers a year, this modern and extensive airport uses technology to serve people and the environment

Bilal Yildiz: Airport Electronic Systems Manager 

 

At the heart of this facility is Bilal Yildiz, the airport’s electronic systems manager. Responsible for fire detection, Internet of Things (IoT), radio communications, lighting and automation, as well as energy efficiency studies, Bilal plays a crucial and developing role. 

He states: “Given the size of our infrastructure, we are aware of our impact on the environment and strive to operate in harmony with the sustainability programmes of our city and nation. Effective energy management is essential and plays a key role in improving our overall operational efficiency.” 

 

The importance of energy management 

 

Bilal’s words resonate with all energy-consuming organisations around the world, highlighting the growing importance of power control. Power supply disruptions can have catastrophic consequences in business critical applications, ranging from major incidents to crippling financial losses, injuries or worse, loss of life. In the event of abnormal system operation, scheduled maintenance procedures or software updates, every facility manager must ensure that the power supply is always available and safe.

 

Solutions for resilient infrastructure

 

The resilience of mission-critical infrastructure, such as emergency systems, server rooms, lighting and communications, is paramount. The ability to remain operational even in the event of a power outage ensures safety for people and the uninterrupted operation of revenue-generating facilities and services. Bilal continues: “We have chosen systems that can help us achieve efficiency gains in a smart and reliable way, while keeping people safe. For example, we have deployed more than 600 DIRIS Digiware products from Socomec throughout the airport to monitor our power consumption, including 50 Digiware RCM residual current monitoring modules to anticipate outages." 

Unlike residual current devices (RCDs), RCMs help improve safety by warning the user of increased leakage current without disconnecting faulty circuits. Around 300 Socomec UPS units have also been installed, mainly DELPHYS GP and MASTERYS GP along with transfer switches such as ATyS p to ensure reliability and resilience, with a target of “zero power outages”. 

 

Why did you choose Socomec? 

 

“We select partners who are committed to innovation. Not only are these solutions easy to install and implement – with the unwavering support of local experts – but also no other energy metering equipment operates with the same degree of sensitivity as Socomec Digiware. It is unique in its ability to monitor and manage consumption to benefit from the resulting cost savings,” explains Bilal.

 

Towards a sustainable future 

 

Looking to the future, Bilal and his team will need ever more detailed data to achieve the organisation’s carbon neutrality goals and sustainability ambitions. KALAFAT Tanay, Specification Engineer at Socomec adds: “Effective energy management starts with granular understanding – our customers need advanced features and interfaces that enable them to derive the best possible insights from their data.” Socomec is investing heavily in energy management systems and IoT, confident that this investment will pay off. 

 

Conclusion 

 

Istanbul Airport is leading the way in energy management and sustainability in mission-critical infrastructure. Their commitment to innovation and optimising energy efficiency ensures not only operating continuity, but also a significant contribution to overall sustainability efforts.

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