Frankfurt Airport T2 Pier H DALI-2 BMS Concourse Retrofit

Q: How Was The Relighting Executed Without Gate Closures?

The retrofit across the 4,600 m² active boarding concourse was conducted with zero unplanned gate closures. Crews executed the installation in 50 m segments behind temporary barriers exclusively between the last departure and first arrival during a nightly 02:30–04:30 window.

Q: How Does The Lighting System Integrate With The Existing Airport Controls?

Each zone uses DALI-2 broadcast connected through a Tridonic gateway that exposes scenes to the existing Siemens Desigo BMS via BACnet/IP without requiring head-end firmware updates. It supports Day, Night, and Emergency Reduced operational scenes, and gate agents trigger boarding announcement lighting boosts using existing desk buttons.

Q: What Measures Prevented Light Spill Onto The Apron Taxiway?

The project complied with ICAO Annex 14 §5.3 regulations prohibiting light spill from pier glazing onto the aircraft taxiway. To meet this standard, apron-facing perimeter areas were equipped with linear cove luminaires featuring shielded 75° grazing optics that balance daylight without exterior spill.

Project: Frankfurt Airport (FRA) — Terminal 2, Pier H concourse relight Location: Hugo-Eckener-Ring, 60549 Frankfurt am Main Scope: 4,600 m² 24/7 concourse · 720 luminaires · DALI-2 broadcast tied to Fraport BMS Delivered: Q4 2025

Operating Context

Pier H is an active boarding pier — non-Schengen gates H2–H10. The retrofit happened with zero gate closures: work proceeded in 50 m segments behind temporary barriers between the last departure and first arrival each night (02:30–04:30 window). All fixtures had to be type-approved by Fraport's Bauleitstelle and the new control wiring had to interface with the existing Siemens Desigo BMS without firmware updates on the head end.

Pain Points Addressed

Reddit r/aviation and FlyerTalk threads on Frankfurt T2 in 2024–25 surfaced repeated traveler complaints: dim, yellow light at gate seating that made it impossible to read or work during long connections; harsh glare at the priority boarding desks; and obvious flicker on phone cameras during boarding photo announcements. Fraport's own facilities team flagged the 2007 metal-halide downlights as the highest-failure category in the terminal — 14% annual lamp replacement rate.

Specification

Zone	Fixture	Optic	CCT	Lux target
Gate seating	Recessed 9 W trimless	80° wide	4000 K	300 lx
Boarding desk	Linear 28 W/m + 18° spot	task	4000 K	500 lx vertical
Circulation	Recessed 15 W	60°	4000 K	200 lx
Retail edge	Tunable track 18 W	24°	3000–4000 K	400 lx vertical
Apron-facing glazing	Linear cove	grazing 75°	4000 K	balances daylight

Need the DIALux evo file or IES / LDT data for this setup?Get lighting files →

CRI 90 minimum across the pier, MacAdam SDCM 3 between fixture batches — important for the long unbroken concourse runs visible to disembarking passengers.

Compliance & Safety

EN 12464-1 §5.13 transportation interiors — passed across all measured grid points
ICAO Annex 14 §5.3 — no light spill onto the apron taxiway from the pier glazing; cove fixtures use a shielded grazing optic
DIN VDE 0100-718 emergency lighting — 25% of luminaires on UPS-backed DALI-2 lines, 1-hour autonomy
EU Ecodesign 2019/2020 — all drivers exceed the 2023 efficacy thresholds

Control Integration

DALI-2 broadcast inside each zone; a Tridonic DALI-2 gateway exposes scenes to the Siemens Desigo BMS via BACnet/IP. Three operational scenes (Day / Night / Emergency Reduced) plus per-gate overrides for "boarding announcement" lighting boost. No new control panels at gate desks — agents press an existing BMS button.

Gallery

Pier H concourse looking east Pier H concourse looking east Pier H concourse after retrofit — uniform 4000 K, UGR 19 throughout.

Gate seating with new task lighting Gate seating with new task lighting Gate seating — 300 lx at seat surface, comfortable for reading and laptop work during 4+ hour connections.

Ceiling detail of trimless downlights Ceiling detail of trimless downlights Trimless 9 W recessed luminaires — flat to ceiling line, no shadow gap.

View toward apron with shielded cove View toward apron with shielded cove Apron-facing glazing — grazing cove gives interior the perceived brightness without violating ICAO Annex 14 spill limits onto the taxiway.

Outcomes

Energy: 42% reduction vs. 2007 metal-halide baseline (210 MWh/yr saved)
Maintenance: annual lamp/driver replacement rate projected from 14% to <1%
Passenger surveys: "lighting at gate" satisfaction +21 points (Fraport Q1 2026 survey)
Project schedule: delivered on time, zero unplanned gate closures

XHLWX delivered design, supply, commissioning and BMS integration. Photometric reports and BACnet point list available to facility teams on request.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Was the Relighting Executed Without Gate Closures?

The retrofit across the 4,600 m² active boarding concourse was conducted with zero unplanned gate closures. Crews executed the installation in 50 m segments behind temporary barriers exclusively between the last departure and first arrival during a nightly 02:30–04:30 window.

How Does the Lighting System Integrate with the Existing Airport Controls?

Each zone uses DALI-2 broadcast connected through a Tridonic gateway that exposes scenes to the existing Siemens Desigo BMS via BACnet/IP without requiring head-end firmware updates. It supports Day, Night, and Emergency Reduced operational scenes, and gate agents trigger boarding announcement lighting boosts using existing desk buttons.

What Measures Prevented Light Spill Onto the Apron Taxiway?

The project complied with ICAO Annex 14 §5.3 regulations prohibiting light spill from pier glazing onto the aircraft taxiway. To meet this standard, apron-facing perimeter areas were equipped with linear cove luminaires featuring shielded 75° grazing optics that balance daylight without exterior spill.