Best in Class: A Utah middle school is a study in award-winning lighting design

Built in 1881, Sandy, Utah’s first school building was a small, one-room schoolhouse that served 40 students of all ages. During colder months, children took turns bringing in wood and coal to keep the stove burning. Imagine those students walking into Sandy’s new Union Middle School, a dazzling, state-of-the-art campus featuring advanced technology, from intelligent lighting in the parking lot to a jaw-dropping auditorium.

Set against the breathtaking Wasatch Mountains, the school’s striking exterior is matched by an equally impressive interior. At the heart of the design is a carefully considered lighting strategy that adds drama, calm, warmth, and visual comfort throughout the learning spaces.

“Lighting plays a huge role,” said Phil Borup, Associate Project Manager and Lighting Certified Professional at Envision Engineering in Salt Lake City. “If you do it right, it accentuates the architecture and piques creativity.” Thoughtful lighting, he added, creates a more conducive learning environment, helping students focus, engage, and think creatively.

Lighting from QTL was Borup’s preferred choice. “I’m really impressed with QTL. Their products always perform well, and whatever we need, they have it,” he said.

For his inventive lighting work, Borup, along with the architectural and construction teams, earned high honors, including the 2024 Most Outstanding K-12 Project award from Utah Construction and Design.

The goal at Union Middle School wasn’t simply to illuminate the building. Every light has a purpose: from warm, inviting light in the library to backlit panels in the auditorium that add depth and drama. Across the campus, lighting fosters dynamic environments that inspire curiosity, collaboration, and engagement.

"We were lucky to have a school district willing to do some fun things,” Borup added. “They wanted RGB lighting in the commons dining area for school dances and events, which gave us the freedom to be creative."

Union’s showpiece auditorium is worthy of Broadway. Spectacular color lighting transforms the space during performances, creating an immersive experience for audiences. “RGB really sets that place apart,” Borup said. “When you change the color of the lights, it makes the audience feel like they’re part of the performance. It gets them involved and excited. This is probably my favorite room.”

RGBW High Efficacy lighting enables dynamic color and high-quality white light for performances and events, without sacrificing energy efficiency. Precision illumination from QTL’s ARKA and ESSENTIALS further enhances the space, providing balanced, glare-controlled lighting that keeps students comfortable and focused.

The double-height commons and dining area encourages social connection, featuring a learning stairway and expansive views of the student courtyard. “The cafeteria turned out phenomenal with the RGB lighting,” Borup said. “When you turn off the general lights, the space really pops with color. It looks incredible at night.”

QTL TRE3 luminaires deliver bright, evenly distributed illumination that keeps the cafeteria feeling open, energetic, and easy to navigate during busy lunch periods. RGBW-HE24/8.0 adds flexible color and high-quality white light to support school events while maintaining comfortable, efficient everyday lighting. QTL ESSENTIALS provides dependable, uniform illumination that improves visibility and supports all-day use.

Tall corridors and the entryway atrium are as visually striking as they are functional. Lighting here plays a critical role in guiding and calming students, teachers, and administrators as they move between classes. 

Static White Strips provide continuous, low-glare illumination that enhances wayfinding and visual comfort. ESSENTIALS and TORQ fixtures help define circulation paths and deliver broad, even light distribution—minimizing shadows and improving hallway safety.

Ceiling-mounted fixtures add a layer of visual interest. “The surface-mounted fixtures up high act like gobo projectors that mimic clouds,” Borup explained. “Originally, there was one large skylight, but we broke it into several smaller skylights with acoustic cloud elements. During the day, it casts fun shadows on the walls.”

The impact of lighting on student learning is perhaps most evident in Union’s classrooms. “We’re learning more about how color tuning really affects these spaces,” Borup said. “Changing the color of light can spark things in kids’ brains and help them learn better. QTL’s high-quality LEDs play a big role in that.”

Color temperature also supports students’ circadian rhythms. Warmer light in the morning gradually shifts to cooler tones throughout the day, helping students stay alert and engaged. Teachers even have controls at their desks. “There’s a ‘test mode’ that bumps the lighting up to 5000K and temporarily overrides the normal settings,” Borup explained.

A range of QTL products highlights Union’s exterior architecture while enhancing safety and visibility. ARKA lighting defines building facades with clean, architectural illumination that elevates curb appeal. QZ-PH delivers durable, weather-resistant performance for consistent exterior lighting with minimal maintenance. SW24/5.0 supplies efficient, uniform white light for pathways and perimeter areas, improving nighttime navigation and security.

“The lights underneath the planters and seating areas turned out really great,” Borup said. “We also have flood lighting on the Union sign, with drivers hidden in landscaped enclosures. Everything integrates seamlessly so you don’t see the fixtures.”

With support from QTL, Union Middle School now features advanced, high-performance LED lighting in an innovative, energy-efficient design. The result is improved concentration, reduced visual fatigue, lower energy costs, and adaptable learning environments throughout classrooms, corridors, and common areas.

“I’m really impressed with QTL,” Borup said. “You always perform well, and your customer service goes above and beyond.”

With AP-level design throughout the campus, Union Middle School is a place where students, educators, and families build lasting connections, strengthening its role as a proud cornerstone of the Sandy community.