Sports Lighting Guide | Sports Lighting Design Guide
Directory:
1. Introduction
2. Importance of Stadium Lighting Design
3. Essential Criteria for Sports Stadium Lighting Design
4. Sports Lighting Design Guide
5.Football Field Lighting Guide
6.Basketball Court Lighting Guide
Stadium lighting design plays a crucial role in sports lighting, primarily aimed at illuminating sports events. This design process is quite complex, as it must allow athletes to perform at their best while meeting the specific requirements of various competitions, ensuring that referees can make accurate judgments, and providing an enjoyable viewing experience for spectators. To achieve the standards necessary for color broadcasting and enhance the clarity and vibrancy of broadcast images, strict criteria are established regarding the illumination, color temperature, and light color of the venue. Designers must choose suitable lighting parameters and methods based on actual needs and implement intelligent lighting control systems to enhance management.This guide uses a stadium project as a case study to offer a comprehensive explanation.
1. Introduction
This article uses a stadium project as a case study to illustrate the key aspects of stadium lighting design. The stadium has a capacity of 15.000 spectators and spans an area of 15.530 m². It has a fire resistance rating of level 2 and consists of three floors, primarily constructed with a reinforced concrete grandstand frame.
Currently, the stadium hosts various competitions, with track and field and football being the most prominent. Generally, athletes and spectators have different requirements for lighting angles and illumination levels. For athletes, lighting that aligns closely with their line of sight is essential, while spectators, who have a broader field of vision, require higher illumination levels as their viewing distance increases. The ability of the audience to see the athletes during events is directly linked to the lighting conditions. Furthermore, advancements in television broadcasting technology and color television have raised the bar for stadium lighting design. Effective lighting is critical for capturing detailed competitive moments in photography, and as the scale and number of stadiums grow, the standards for lighting design must also evolve.
2. Importance of Stadium Lighting Design
2.1 Representing the Spirit of Sports
Stadium design reflects society's interpretation of the spirit of sports, and its lighting design can also embody this spirit. The choice of lighting colors and control methods can enhance the expression of the sports spirit.
2.2 Promoting Cultural Life
Sports stadiums serve as significant cultural and athletic structures within a city. They not only embody the essence of sports but also represent the culture of their respective locations. With the rise of the night economy, effective lighting design in sports stadiums can enhance urban cultural experiences.
2.3 Advancing the Night Economy
Sports stadiums generally serve multiple functions. Constructing these venues in suburban or newly developed areas can boost urban vibrancy and foster the night economy. Thoughtful lighting design in sports stadiums supports the growth of nighttime activities.
3. Essential Criteria for Sports Stadium Lighting Design
When designing lighting for sports stadiums, it is crucial to adhere to established standards. Key factors to consider in the lighting design include illumination levels, color temperature, and light color.
3.1 Illumination
Illumination is a critical aspect of lighting design. The lighting for sports stadiums should be tailored to the city’s classification—whether it is a large metropolis, a central city, or a medium-sized town—while also taking into account whether the location is a bustling urban center or a distant suburb. The illumination should be selected based on the building's shape and materials.
Design guidelines specify illumination standards for building surfaces in urban areas of varying sizes. Given the large scale and diverse functions of sports venues, illumination levels should be adjusted based on specific circumstances. Additionally, frequent changes in illumination can disrupt human vision, so maintaining stable lighting is essential during the design process.
A well-thought-out illumination design can yield effective lighting results. Horizontal and vertical illumination are interrelated, and different combinations of these illuminations create varying lighting effects. Both types of illumination influence the visibility of objects and athletes. Achieving the right balance between horizontal and vertical illumination enhances the three-dimensional perception of people and objects, resulting in a more dynamic visual experience. If light intensity is uniform, athletes may appear less three-dimensional, and the overall visual hierarchy may diminish, leading to a less engaging experience for the audience.
Thus, it is important to adjust horizontal and vertical illumination appropriately to ensure an optimal visual experience for both athletes and spectators. Vertical illumination can be modified through flood light projection, while horizontal illumination should be calculated carefully.
3.2 Color Temperature and Light Color
Color temperature influences the atmosphere, creating either a warm or cool environment. Warm color temperatures evoke feelings of warmth, while cool color temperatures provide a refreshing sensation. The choice of lighting color is closely linked to the materials used in a building's curtain wall; warm-colored materials pair well with warm lighting, whereas cool-colored materials are better suited for cooler lighting temperatures.
In lighting design, selecting the appropriate light color is crucial. Stadiums, which have strong public characteristics, typically utilize neutral white light to effectively highlight these attributes. Different colors elicit various emotional responses: red can inspire passion but may also lead to anxiety and depression with prolonged exposure; green is soothing and helps alleviate fatigue; blue can ease muscle tension. Therefore, it is important to incorporate a variety of colors in stadium lighting design to enhance the environment and positively influence people's emotions.
4. Sports Lighting Design Guide
4.1 Flood light Parameter Design Guide
Designers must determine the number of flood lights needed based on the stadium's illumination standards, while also considering factors like budget and site conditions, which can influence lighting arrangement and positioning. There is a direct relationship between illumination levels and glare, so designers should carefully evaluate all factors to minimize glare while ensuring adequate illumination.
4.1.1 Light Intensity
The angle between the maximum light intensity and the flood light's peak intensity should be maintained at 12° to prevent glare.
4.1.2 Projection Direction
To meet illumination requirements, the installation location should be determined based on the flood light's illumination style. For instance, in football matches, goalkeepers are particularly susceptible to glare, which can hinder their performance. When designing the projection direction, the goalkeeper's position should be considered as a reference point for managing glare effectively.
4.1.3 Illuminance
The transition in brightness from the playing field to the stands influences the visual experience of both athletes and spectators. Stadiums feature various structures such as stands, platforms, and fences. To minimize glare, the illumination in these areas should be one-fourth that of the field. However, the stands should not be overly dim. Typically, the ambient light in the stands is low, so to enhance the overall visual impact of the flood lights, light-colored fences can be installed around the stadium, and the lighting in the stands can be improved.
The lighting in the stands generally aims to achieve three objectives: (1) to illuminate the audience; (2) to enhance the ambient light; and (3) to ensure a smooth transition in lighting levels between the stadium and the stands while effectively managing glare.
There are two approaches to designing stand lighting: (1) installing dedicated lighting fixtures for the stands; or (2) utilizing the spill light from the stadium's flood lights to light the audience, which is a more cost-effective option.
4.2 Lighting Fixtures Layout Guide
The new roof design of the stadium significantly influences the choice of lighting methods. The typical quadrangular mixed lighting approach is not suitable for this venue. Instead, a side lighting method can be employed, which provides uniform illumination, consumes minimal electricity, is low-cost, and is easy to maintain, making it ideal for football and track and field events. Typically, lighting fixtures are arranged in two rows on the roof: one row is positioned in the middle and back of the canopy, while the other is placed around the canopy. During the design process, the designer should assess and compare the technical and economic aspects to determine the appropriate number of lighting rows.
4.3 Intelligent Lighting Control System Design Guide
The lighting design for stadiums must fulfill the essential requirements of the events held there. The number of lamps varies across different lighting methods, and various lighting modes should be established using intelligent lighting control systems. When implementing an intelligent lighting control system in a stadium, there may be instances of malfunction. To address this, it is important to innovate and enhance the relay system and utilize a new intelligent lighting control system to rectify operational shortcomings. The intelligent lighting control system in the stadium primarily relies on computers and the Internet to manage and control the lighting for the venue and the stands.
The lighting design in modern stadiums must cater to the needs of people while also featuring aesthetically pleasing lamp designs that align with the overall interior style. Unlike the traditional single-switch lighting control methods, the intelligent lighting control system offers comprehensive functionality, enhancing the quality of the lighting environment while promoting energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. This system incorporates various technologies, including digital control, digital transmission, and intelligent lighting technologies, allowing for individual IP address assignments for each unit and enabling diverse functionalities through software programming.
4.3.1 System Features
The intelligent lighting control system boasts several key features, which include:
(1) Networking: Unlike previous lighting systems that operated independently without a dedicated network, the intelligent lighting control system functions as a large-area control system supported by computer communication technology, facilitating efficient information exchange.
(2) Intelligence: This system can intelligently gather, transmit, and provide feedback on control information.
(3)Security: The integration of various subsystems through a computer network enhances the security and stability of the lighting system.
(4)Humanization: The system allows for personalization based on time and function, enabling users to set specific times and scenes to fulfill their basic needs and achieve optimal lighting effects.
(5) Energy Saving: A significant benefit of intelligent lighting control systems is their energy efficiency. The system can effectively manage working modes based on location, traffic, and practical experience, automatically controlling lamp switches. Additionally, it utilizes pipeline sensor switches to monitor the illumination of work surfaces and compare it to preset values. By optimizing the use of natural light, the intelligent lighting control system can achieve energy savings of up to 40%.
4.3.2 System Function
(1) Prolonging lamp lifespan. Grid overvoltage is a primary cause of lamp damage. By preventing grid overvoltage, the lifespan of lamps can be significantly increased. The intelligent lighting control system primarily manages surge and impact voltages in the grid through a soft start mechanism, which helps prevent filament overheating, thus extending lamp usage and lowering lighting management expenses.
(2) Automatic dimming. As lamps are used over time, their illumination diminishes. Therefore, when designing lamp illumination, it is essential to base it on the average illumination level throughout their usage, which often results in excessive brightness and increased energy consumption. The intelligent lighting control system can facilitate automatic dimming, maintaining consistent lighting intensity through standardized programming, thereby enhancing lamp efficiency.
In the lighting design for sports venues, it is important to define the lighting scene modes and standards according to specific usage requirements, and to develop a lighting solution that is easy to maintain and manage while meeting lighting standards and enhancing quality.
5.Football Field Lighting Guide
If you are concerned about football field lighting, please check out the Football Field Lighting Guide.
6. Basketball Court Lighting Guide
If you are concerned about basketball court lighting, please check out the Basketball Court Lighting Guide.