FIELD LIGHTING
Photo courtesy of SCG Fields , LLC
Photo courtesy of Verde Design , Inc .
of sports lighting on local ecosystems , and has developed a voluntary certification program for recreational sports fields that use outdoor lighting in a responsible manner . The organization also provides information on products , designs and more that minimize glare , reduce light trespass and don ’ t pollute the night sky .
The Design Lights Consortium is a lighting certification issued for commercial LED lights based on their color rendering capabilities , light distribution and output , lumen maintenance , longevity or the ability to withstand stress , and the duration of the warranty period .
Other resources include the Consortium for Energy Efficiency , the Illuminating Engineering Society , EnergyStar and the FTC ’ s Lighting Facts certification .
“ The lighting industry will continue to evolve ,” said Frasure . “ That will include products that restrict the amount of upwarddirected light , and products that include options for warmer color temperatures of 3,000K or less . Warmer color temperatures limit the amount of shorter wavelength ( blue-violet ) light , which has been found to have harmful impacts on wildlife and ecosystems .”
One point of agreement among all lighting contractors : When investigating LED systems , do not buy an inexpensive system such as those that appear in pop-up ads or unsolicited emails . Many such systems are manufactured outside the USA using cheap materials and do not offer manufacturer support or maintenance . This ultimately leaves the buyer stuck with a system that does not work out – and which is , in fact , the exact opposite of what they wanted in the first place .
“ Consumers are generally looking for technical expertise , energy efficiency , advanced glare and spill control , uniform light distribution , low maintenance and , in some cases , the ability to control fixtures from anywhere ,” said Frasure . SFM
Mary Helen Sprecher wrote this article on behalf of the American Sports Builders Association ( ASBA ), which publishes Sports Fields : Construction and Maintenance Manual . For more information , visit www . sportsbuilders . org . sportsfieldmanagementonline . com August 2024 | SportsField Management
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