MaxLite Illuminates St. John Bosco Catholic School in Phoenix


Phoenix, Arizona - St. John Bosco Catholic School is an educational leader at the forefront of learning, one that incorporates technology, music and art into its highly rated academic curriculum. It is no surprise that this leading institution also requires the very best in lighting technology, energy efficiency and design. St. John Bosco Catholic School, which is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, offers classes from Pre-K to the 8th Grade level. MaxLite, a global manufacturer and marketer of innovative LED luminaires and lamps using state-of-the-art technology, was contacted to produce and supply new FlatMax(TM) Edge Lit LED Flat Panels for the campus.

The project was spearheaded by both Pat Hintze, Assistant Director for Construction for The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and its 92 parishes, 23 missions and 35 schools, and Bill Mager, Parent Volunteer and Chair of the St. John Bosco Facilities Committee. They led the design and installation team that replaced over 300 T8 tri-tube fluorescent lighting fixtures with 224 LED Flat Panels throughout the campus. Among those LED luminaires, 27 were 2'x2' Edge Lit LED Flat Panels that include emergency battery backup to ensure safety in the event of power interruptions, and the remainder were 2'x4' Edge Lit LED Flat Panel fixtures. The ultra-thin LED Flat Panels are designed with a shallow respective 1.6-inch and 1.8 inch depth for easy installation within a tight environment, and used to optimize the ambient lighting in the school's classrooms and multi-purpose room.

"We wanted to upgrade the lighting on our campus to gain the benefits of both improved lighting and energy savings," explained Mr. Mager. "We strive to be a leader in education and community service, and we need our facilities to perform at a similarly high level. We are proud to be a showcase example in the East Valley for lighting technology upgrades from MaxLite."

MaxLite's Edge Lit LED Flat Panels deliver fully dimmable, energy efficient high quality lighting with even, shadow-free distribution, and an excellent 85 Color Rendering Index (CRI). Featured in the FlatMax(TM) family of LED Flat Panel products, the LED Flat Panels offer high performance with a documented long life of 50,000 hours at L70 standards, or more than 13 years of long life based on 10 hours of use per day, while minimizing both energy and maintenance costs. The Flat Panels are compatible with the school's control systems and are programmable, so they can be switched on/off and dimmed to meet user preferences.

Ideal for schools and other institutions, MaxLite's LED Flat Panels are RoHS compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and manufactured without hazardous materials. The Flat Panels, which were installed directly into the school's existing dropped ceiling grids, offer wall switch-controlled soft lighting that helps create a comforting, visually soothing, and productive learning environment for teachers, volunteers, and students.

Controlled with an IR Remote, the new 5000K luminaires were chosen for their shadow-free even illumination and smooth dimming capability. Ideal for effective functional lighting, MaxLite's LED Flat Panels deliver a significant reduction in energy consumption, cost and maintenance. The Flat Panels are dimmable using four different methods: IR Remote, 0-10V, Building Controls or 512 DMX control. The Flat Panels have been programmed to operate effectively within St. John Bosco's control system using the IR remotes.

"Our campus is 10 years old and we wanted to install the best and most efficient lighting available," continued Mr. Mager. "The LED Flat Panels are great and deliver really nice, bright clean light; a very white light, which is not yellow like the T8 fluorescents. The teachers are thrilled with the improved lighting, and with the new ability to dim fixtures to better use our smart boards and other learning aids. It's very impressive how MaxLite's Flat Panels have altered our interiors for the better."

In the school's multi-purpose room, which is 54 feet wide and 90 feet long with 16-foot ceilings, MaxLite LED Flat Panels were installed easily into the drop ceilings. In this space, the school accommodates student lunches, before- and after-school activities, and special events for Scouting and other community organizations. The LED luminaires can now be used at full output or dimmed, focusing on specific areas, such as the portable stage used for performances and community events.

"Our teachers have complimented us on the new LED Flat Panel lighting by MaxLite," continued Mr. Mager. "After seeing the first classroom installations of the new LED technology, many teachers came up and asked, "When I am going to get my lights?" Everyone is very excited about the new LED lighting from MaxLite."

Most recently, MaxLite received an "Honorable Mention" for its popular LED Edge Lit Flat Panels, at the prestigious 2011 Lighting for Tomorrow Competition. Since 2002, the Lighting for Tomorrow (LFT) competition has recognized the best of the new energy-efficient residential lighting products that are helping to transform the market for efficient lighting, including those with high consumer appeal and usage. All LED luminaires were evaluated by a diverse panel of expert judges, and judged based on their ability to produce high quality white light for their intended applications, while using less energy than comparable technologies.

As a past LFT winner, MaxLite was recognized for its LED FlatMax Flat Panel, and according to the award brochure, "The judging panel was particularly impressed with the performance of this fixture." Part of the FlatMax(TM) family of products, MaxLite's LED Edge Lit Flat Panels and the new Direct Lit Flat Panels are available in 1'x4', 2'x2' and 2'x4' and MRI styles, and deliver even, consistent lighting without shadows. Engineered for high performance and designed to lie in drop ceilings, the LED Flat Panels are suitable for office, school, hospital and medical facility applications. The Flat Panels are fully dimmable and compatible with building controls, motions sensors, timers and daylight harvesting systems. Surface mount LED Flat Panels are also offered for interior ceilings or wall installations.

About St. John Bosco Catholic School

St. John Bosco Catholic School, a ministry of The Parish of St Benedict, is a Pre-K to Grade 8 learning community dedicated to educating the whole child - mentally, physically, and spiritually. St. John Bosco graduates attend some of the finest high schools in Phoenix, including Brophy College Preparatory, Xavier College Preparatory, Seton Catholic Preparatory High School, and local public high schools. The teachers, staff, and volunteers work tirelessly to provide our students with challenging and innovative learning experiences, many of which require continuous improvement in curriculum, technology, and facilities. The classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards, and our computer lab supports both thin clients and laptop computers with wireless connectivity. According to the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, administered in all Catholic schools in the nation, St. John Bosco students, on average, are reading two to three grades higher than the 8th grade level by the time they graduate. 68% of our teachers hold Master's degrees in Education, and all participate in ongoing continuing education and professional development. St. John Bosco Catholic School is located 16035 S 48th St Phoenix AZ 85048 www.sjbosco.org

About MaxLite (www.maxlite.com)

Inheriting global manufacturing and marketing expertise that dates back to 1955, MaxLite was one of the first movers into LED technology in the industry. Committed to energy efficiency as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2009, MaxLite established the MaxLED® brand, an extensive line of indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures featuring innovative LED luminaires and lamps using the latest state-of-the-art LED technology, ranging from the award-winning Flat Panel collection, to the best-selling outdoor lineup, Plug-and-Play light bars and lamps.

Out of the company's two main distribution centers, conveniently located in West Caldwell, New Jersey and Rancho Cucamonga, California, MaxLite ships products within the continental United States within one to three days on standard orders. Through MaxLite's innovative research and development capabilities in its California office, MaxLite continues to be at the forefront of energy-efficient technologies. For more information about MaxLite and its products, call 800-555-5629, fax 973-244-7333, email info@maxlite.com, or tweet us at https://twitter.com/maxlitenewsroom.

Christopher Pica

T 631.262.0374

Email: CPMediaRelations@gmail.com

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