Carrasco International Airport – ERCO illuminates Uruguay’s Gateway to the world, again
Airports do more than just operate flights; they connect people, stir feelings, and represent national pride. They show the culture and values of their country while giving travelers memorable experiences. Uruguay has taken this idea to heart by making Carrasco International Airport, built in 2009, a famous landmark that showcases national pride worldwide. Its unique design needs to be carefully maintained, especially with new technology, to keep it as a symbol of identity.
When updating the lighting system, it was important to keep the original design intact. Switching from ERCO lights with metal halide bulbs to LED lights helps the airport keep its famous look while being more sustainable and efficient. This change led to a significant energy saving of 63% and improved lighting quality.
The airport, designed by famous Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, is a proud tribute to his country. Since it opened in 2009, this stunning building has shown Uruguay’s growth as a global trade and tourism spot. Its design features a curved roof inspired by the sand dunes along the Uruguayan coast, blending well with the landscape. The original lighting system was energy-efficient for its time, using 14 W/m² and needing little maintenance, allowing the lights to work for 15 years without replacement.
After 15 years, Carrasco International Airport needed to update its lighting because the original fixtures were outdated. The challenge was to keep the same lighting design for both the inside and outside areas created by Ricardo Hofstadter’s Lighting Studio in 2009. His design still works well: the indirect lighting on the curved roof connects the indoor and outdoor spaces with consistent light quality, enhancing the building’s beauty. The Carrasco International Airport’s large overhang helps ease the transition between indoor and outdoor lighting. The cooler 4000K light temperature creates a welcoming environment that matches the modern design while providing enough brightness for comfort and operations.
To balance comfort and efficiency in both indoor and outdoor spaces, a flexible lighting system was needed that could adjust to its environment while keeping everything connected. Since they had a successful partnership during the original installation, the airport chose ERCO again for the upgrade. This ensures dependable service beyond installation and provides a high-quality lighting solution that meets Carrasco International Airport’s operational needs.
One-for-one light fixture replacement that maintains the original lighting idea
With a one-for-one light fixture replacement, ERCO was able to keep the original lighting design using new ERCO lights with advanced LED technology. The airport entrance has a large canopy that is now evenly lit with Kona projectors. These projectors have special lenses that provide the same even lighting as the old ERCO Powercast floodlights but without losing brightness. They achieved considerable energy savings: the old lights used about 170W, while the new LED Kona projectors use only 109W. By keeping the same 27 lights, the upgrade led to a 37% reduction in energy use.
Lighting outside the airport needed to be precise to prevent light from shining into the sky and bothering pilots. The lights have a special design that directs the light where it’s needed, avoiding any excess spill & light pollution.
Improving the passenger experience
In the airport terminal, indirect ceiling lights add to the beauty of the space and enhance the appearance of the ceiling, which has become brighter over time. To make sure the lighting is balanced without glare, wide-flood optics were used in the upgrade. The old ERCO Parscoop floodlights were replaced by Lightscan outdoor projectors to keep the lighting even and highlight the area’s architecture. The LED upgrade resulted in a remarkable 65% reduction in energy use for the indoor areas, greatly improving the airport’s sustainability.
Low-maintenance and future-ready lighting for years to come
It’s important to use resources wisely to protect the environment. ERCO helps by creating durable lights that meet customer needs for the long term. They design and produce all parts in-house to ensure high quality and performance over time. The LEDs used have a very low failure rate of less than 0.1% over 50,000 hours, which is much better than the market average and shows their long lifespan. After this time, at least 90% of the LEDs will still provide 90% of their original brightness.
The lighting upgrade strengthens Carrasco International Airport’s image as a modern gateway to the world, where LED technology combines with responsible resource use to maintain its iconic reputation.