A Seymour company has been awarded the lighting project for the world’s largest high school gymnasium.
During a recent meeting, the Seymour Community School Corp. board of education unanimously approved hiring Biehle Electric for the project in Seymour High School’s Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium.
Biehle had the lowest bid at $78,812. Other bids were $81,742 by Graybar; $88,346.15 by Kendall Electric; $102,461 by Flex Green Lighting; $102,970 by B and H Electric; and $130,916.48 by TMT Inc.
Those base bids did not include rebates from Duke Energy, said Dave Stark, director of facilities and grounds for Seymour Community School Corp.
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Rebates will vary depending on the fixture and equipment used in the proposal, and exact rebate dollar amounts cannot be determined until the project is submitted to Duke for determination, Stark said.
Preliminary estimates for the rebate are between $21,130 and $27,250, he said.
"I will work with the contractor to begin that process now that we know which company, fixtures and controls," Stark said of applying for the rebates.
Biehle will replace 104 fixtures. They are RAB Rail LED High Bay Fixtures (one-to-one replacement) with Wire Guard and LC Module, and the controls are LC Gateway with Touch Wall Tablet.
All of the bidders except TMT Inc. met all of the following required set of specifications:
- 100-foot candle on main gym floor so events can be televised
- Provided cut sheets for each product proposed
- Installation will utilize the gym’s existing cable raising/lowering system
- LED light color will be 5000K (blue/white)
- Warranties are shown for all products
- Fixtures shall be rated for 131-degree Fahrenheit ambient air temperature
- Responsible removal and legal disposal of fixtures and ballasts
- Emergency lighting shall be provided according to current National Electrical Code
- Provide any lifts needed and take appropriate measures to protect the flooring
Biehle offers a five-year warranty for labor and replacement on all of the LED lighting.
Stark said he is talking to Craig Schrink with Biehle and SHS Athletic Director Kirk Manns to determine a schedule for the project. Work is tentatively set to start after the boys basketball tournament season, as the gym annually is the host site for postseason games.
"It is our intent to minimize any interruptions of school events or activities," Stark said.
The gym, which seats 8,228 people, opened in 1970 and still uses an outdated high-intensity discharge metal halide lighting system.
Although the system continues to work, Stark told the school board during a February meeting that it would be to the school and public’s benefit to replace it with a more modern LED lighting system.
The advancement of LED lighting has made it possible to light large areas efficiently and more economically, Stark said.
With the current system, it takes a few minutes for the lights to warm up to their full capacity, and they use up a lot of electricity, Stark said. The system also emits more heat and noise than more modern lights and does not provide any flexibility to dim lighting for special events or to accommodate people with sensory issues.
The new lighting will improve crowd safety and gym lighting levels, increase lighting options for different gym events and significantly reduce electrical usage, Stark said.
Biehle’s estimator told Stark the new lighting could save the corporation $12,627 a year on its electric bill.