The light-ing design takes advantage of every potential opportunity to point people in the right direction and help them get where they are going, fast and efficiently. This is vital to handling rising annual passenger loads. Another goal at Sea-Tac is saving energy. The plan is to save 50 percent on the electricity bill by putting illumination where it's needed instead of uniformly bathing the entire area in light, as was the case previously. The emphasis on reducing energy usage is the foundation of the whole project, which is seen as a trial.
Retail lighting is an emerging concern at airports.
It is vital to airport merchants that general terminal lighting and store window illumination are coordinated. General lighting levels should be kept intentionally subdued in these areas so that travelers can see and make their way to stores that attract their interest. The airport of the 21st Century will work to create exciting architecture that will appeal to a wide variety of business travelers and visitors. A prime example of the new design ethic is the long passenger transport tunnel at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Due to budget constraints in construction, today's lighting is now considered one of the architect's most cost-effective and powerful design tools.