Kiewit Corporation Upgrades to Exterior Area LED Lights Case Study

LED Lighting Supply first supported Kiewit Corporation’s Seattle, Washington location with a derrick barge lighting solution. The project expanded across a multi-year series of lighting purchases, reorders, and quote-to-fulfillment cycles for the derrick barge. Eventually, this led LED Lighting Supply to support additional parking lot projects across various Kiewit locations. Here’s how the success of that initial project transformed into LED Lighting Supply supporting the lighting system across the Seattle harbor location and several other Kiewit Corporation facilities.

The Backstory of Kiewit’s Partnership With LED Lighting Supply

Kiewit’s Seattle Marine Yard is a waterfront base that supports water-based construction. It functions as a parking lot, workshop, and loading dock for large water projects. Kiewit’s Equipment Engineer, Logan Gaddis, reached out to LED Lighting Supply seeking consultative support in selecting the proper exterior lighting solution for their derrick barge in Seattle. A derrick barge is a specialized floating vessel equipped with a heavy-duty lifting crane, used primarily for offshore construction, marine salvage, and heavy cargo handling. Kiewit needed a rugged lighting solution designed for this unique work environment.

The Challenge of the Derrick Barge Lighting Project

Kiewit required a durable outdoor lighting upgrade for its active marine yard environment. The legacy lighting in place wasn’t creating the uniform light levels an industrial work environment requires. The challenge went beyond simply replacing old 1000-watt metal halide lights with LEDs. It was about maintaining dependable outdoor lighting performance in an active marine and industrial environment. In this type of space, safety, visibility, procurement coordination, and off-site light control are top priorities. The improper light levels in Kiewit’s Marine Yard posed several safety and operational risks:

• Reduced visibility around equipment, vehicles, tools, and walking paths, impacting site workers
• Weaker sightlines at loading zones, access roads, and staging areas for drivers and equipment operators
• Avoidable navigation and trip hazards in unfamiliar exterior areas for vendors and visitors
• Potential glare, light trespass, or visual discomfort to the public if fixtures are poorly aimed or overpowered near the site edge
• Project disruption, higher maintenance burden, and slower issue resolution for facility leadership if lighting performance is unreliable

Aside from the safety concerns, there was also an execution challenge. Kiewit required a lighting supplier that could specify and deliver the right light fixture quickly enough to support an active site schedule. It needed a light solution that could be mounted to the facility’s existing poles. Ports, rail yards, and container yards typically require a light level of 5-30 foot candles (fc). This range served as the guide for LED Lighting Supply's evaluation of light fixture options and placements.

A custom lighting solution with ongoing product support makes a difference when the problem extends beyond lumen output. The customer needed a lighting package that fits the site, supports safe work, moves through procurement seamlessly, and reduces friction around future purchases. LED Lighting Supply’s value was not just in supplying flood light fixtures. It was in helping the Seattle Marine Yard keep the project moving through responsive quoting, project support, product availability, and dependable order follow-through.

LED Lighting Supply’s Custom Strategy and Solution for the Derrick Barge

Kiewit Corporation was paired with LED Lighting Supply’s Product Specialist, Jeff Cesenaro, to provide the proper lighting solution for the industrial marine yard’s derrick barge. LED Lighting Supply evaluated the marine yard details, including the dimensions, existing infrastructure, mounting heights, and illumination inconsistencies. Those factors confirmed that implementing 400-watt LED flood lights would deliver uniform light levels across the derrick barge, with several fixtures using trunnion or yoke mounting brackets for simple installation on Kiewit's existing poles.

* A qualified professional should verify final fixture selection, mounting, and electrical work in compliance with local codes.

The goal was to make the lighting upgrade easy to approve and execute. LED Lighting Supply provided fast quoting, quick availability, and strong post-order support. LED Lighting Supply’s project process was carried out across the facility over five years. From 2020 to 2025, Kiewit purchased 180 floodlights to complete the Seattle Marine Yard derrick barge project. Additional fixtures were installed throughout the rest of the Seattle Marine Yard to improve lighting across the entire facility.

The Results of LED Lighting Supply’s Marine-Adjacent Lighting Solution

The floodlights provided uniform, safe illumination across the desired area. The trunnion or yoke mounting brackets provided secure attachment to the existing poles. The chosen fixture is intended to resist dust ingress and strong water exposure, meeting the requirements of a marine-adjacent or industrial yard environment. This lighting upgrade delivered measurable gains in safety, energy efficiency, and long-term durability, reinforcing why Kiewit has continued to rely on LED Lighting Supply across multiple facilities.

Transitioning to LED at the Seattle Marine Yard is projected to generate significant cost reductions over both the short and long term.

Kiewit’s Marine Yard Estimated Savings & Payback From Choosing Our LED Lighting Solution

* Savings and payback estimations are based on the local utility rate of $0.0990 per kWh for commercial and industrial buildings in Seattle, Washington, and calculated by our LED savings calculator. *

The Seattle Marine Yard is projected to save Kiewit $54,430 in year one, combining $52,030 in energy savings with $2,400 in maintenance savings, and grow to $272,150 in total savings over five years.

As one of the largest and most prominent engineering and construction organizations with facilities nationwide, Kiewit's continued partnership with LED Lighting Supply across Seattle, Dallas, and San Diego reflects consistent trust in the same lighting solution provider.

Fixtures and Performance by Location

Sample Lighting Plan for Kiewit Water Facilities South Co. Parking Lot in Dallas, TX

Lighting Plan Metrics:

• Mounting Height: 30 feet
• Average Foot Candles Achieved: 0.50 fc
• Product(s) Used: Wattage Adjustable Shoebox Area Light x 5