Perry Technical Institute Brightens Campus

At Perry Technical Institute in Yakima, Wash., new LED lighting is helping the trade school save energy and reap the most from its investment, including improved aesthetics and safety, and reduced maintenance costs.
Founded in 1939, Perry Technical Institute offers hands-on technical training programs in everything from automotive to medical technology to HVAC repair. Despite the school’s focus on training students for careers in the latest technologies, Perry’s exterior building lighting was mismatched with various levels of output. Nothing was mounted at an equal height resulting in inadequate coverage of the outdoor areas and a lack of visual appeal. From a maintenance viewpoint, the outdated lighting system was costly to manage.

Director of Maintenance Russ Warner and Director of Facilities & Safety Kaila Lockbeam worked with their local utility, Pacific Power, to implement a lighting upgrade tailored to the school’s needs. The school installed 69 LED wall packs across the 35-acre campus, using various wattages and styles. Electrical students installed the lights adding to their hands-on learning experience.

“Our staff works four, 10-hour days so they often arrive and go home in the dark,” said Warner. “Plus, we have two classes that go well into the evening. Both employees and students report being more comfortable walking to their cars late at night. Overall, we’re using less energy and the whole campus is much brighter and more appealing.”

“Anything that reduces operational and maintenance costs, and keeps us energy efficient, is important to our long-term Master Plan,” observed Lockbeam. “And as our students are preparing to go out in the industry, if we’re having them work on technology that is outdated, we’re not doing right by them.”