Acuity Brands Joins Volunteer Initiative to Build Green Schools

WILMINGTON, NC, July 20, 2012 (Press-News.org) As part of its initiative to promote and deliver high-performance school lighting, Acuity Brands, Inc (NYSE: AYI) continues its support of the Green Schoolhouse Series, which has broken ground on its second project in Phoenix.

The self-described "studio-themed" addition to the Orangewood School is a state-of-the-art schoolhouse, designed to achieve Platinum status under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard. Orangewood School is a K-8 school in the Washington Public School District.

"Acuity Brands is proud to continue to be a flagship sponsor to help create schoolhouses in Arizona," said Tim Hogan, Acuity Brands Lighting Vice President for Education Solutions. "Our Smart + Simple Solutions integrate electric lighting, daylighting, and controls to both improve the learning environment and help reduce the overall long-term cost of the structure."

The 6,000 square-foot "studio-themed" school features the full breadth of the Acuity Brands lighting and controls portfolio, including advanced indoor and outdoor lighting using both LED and traditional high-efficiency fluorescent light sources, together with integrated controls.

Acuity Brands provided Lithonia Lighting , Mark Architectural Lighting and Peerless general indoor ambient luminaires, as well as Gotham and Winona Lighting architectural and accent lighting. Lithonia Lighting and Hydrel outdoor LED solutions enhance visibility for occupants before and after school hours. And, Sunoptics skylights are integral components of the lighting and daylighting harvesting design strategy.

"The building maximizes functionality and minimizes energy use through Sensor Switch controls, sensors and switches, enabled by nLight technology, that integrate the building's lighting and control operations," said Hogan. "The school also features Lithonia Lighting emergency and exit lighting and RELOC modular wiring products."

"Studio" is the second in the series of green schoolhouses that features lighting and controls solutions by Acuity Brands. The program strives to educate students and community members about the importance of sustainable living and building practices. The building features a STEM-devoted (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) classroom, rainwater harvesting capabilities, interactive white boards and an indoor/outdoor amphitheater.

The state-of-the-art school facility was designed by the architecture firm Emc2 Group Architects Planners, PC, with construction being completed by Kitchell. Engineering services are being provided by Heideman Associates, a Zak Company; Larson Engineering; and Olsson Associates.

For more information about lighting and lighting controls solutions, please visit http://www.acuitybrands.com.

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About Acuity Brands
Acuity Brands, Inc. is a North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. With fiscal year 2011 net sales of $1.8 billion, Acuity Brands employs approximately 6,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The company's lighting solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting , Holophane , Peerless , Gotham , Mark Architectural Lighting(TM), Winona Lighting, Healthcare Lighting , Hydrel , American Electric Lighting , Carandini , Antique Street Lamps(TM), Tersen , Sunoptics , Sensor Switch , Lighting Control & Design(TM), Synergy Lighting Controls, Pathway Connectivity(TM), Dark to Light , ROAM , RELOC Wiring Solutions, and Acculamp .

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