FIELD LIGHTING

Photo courtesy of CSR Athletic Construction

By Mary Helen Sprecher

Sports facilities have long been a showcase for the newest technologies to help athletes perform better and to help spectators enjoy the experience even more . From better surfaces to better equipment to better peripherals such video boards and messaging systems , there is a lot of pressure to keep up .

But although a lot of attention is paid to the developments on the field , not as much is afforded to what ’ s coming from above : the light , and how the systems providing it have evolved .

LED lighting has largely replaced the metal halide of years past , and advancements in technology are continuing at a rapid pace .

“ With today ’ s technology , spill , glare and glow ( more commonly grouped together as light pollution )

are significantly less problematic than yesterday ’ s equipment ,” said Charles Dawson of TenCate Grass Americas . “ The old days of finding the local football game by following the glow in the sky are long gone . “ When properly designed , LED technology uses direct lens lighting technology that eliminates the use of reflectors that was the major contributor of light pollution ,” Dawson added . “ Those systems reduce glare and spill by up to 95 percent over conventional metal halide systems while allowing superior uniformities and centerline lighting on the playing surfaces .”

Additionally , LED lighting is an energy saver ( and therefore a cost saver ). Some estimates put the electrical consumption of LED systems as being 50 to 75 percent lower than systems that used metal halide . Relamping fixtures also becomes a thing of the past with the inception of LED , so maintenance costs are

26 SportsField Management | August 2024 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com