The two grants awarded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program will allow the purchase and installation of new solar panels, heaters and chillers in the airport’s central operating plant, which controls the air conditioning and heating in all five airport terminals. The upgrades will replace the outdated gas-powered steam generation system currently used in the facility.

One of the grants is a $5-million contribution from the FAA’s Voluntary Airport Low Emission program, a nationally competitive initiative designed to reduce airport ground emissions at commercial service airports located in regions of the country with higher-than-normal pollution levels.

The city of Houston Department of Aviation received $8.8 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants to install new equipment at George Bush Intercontinental Airport with a goal of reducing emissions by up to 60%.