And God said: “Let there be light; and the light was made”, soon after came the sport and with it the specialization in all its facets. Each sport requires adequate lighting for the style of play and the nature of the playing surface. The correct lighting will favor the action and performance of the participants.
The lighting specifications will depend a lot on the type of sports practice, an amateur level practice is not the same as a medium level practice or an official competition.
Sports lighting is no longer just an element that only affects the player, today there are many actors who actively participate and who need that quality light for the correct development of their work. For example, televisions, referees or judges, etc…
Sports facilities must meet high quality standards. LED lighting has meant a great leap in the world of sports, due to its low cost and its great lighting qualities.
Before delving into the specifics of each sport, we will make a brief summary of technical abbreviations related to lighting to make it easier to understand the different requirements:
Lux: Unit of illumination intensity of the International System, symbol lx, which is equivalent to the illumination of a surface that normally and uniformly receives a luminous flux of 1 lumen per square meter.
EMin/EMed: (relationship between minimum and average illuminance)
GR: Glare index
Ra: Color rendering
LIGHTING ON SOCCER FIELDS:
It is governed by the UNE-EN 12193 standard, uniform lighting is sought that does not cause glare to the players.
– For high-level international and national competitions, the following are requested: 500 EMED Lux, with an Emin /Emed 0.7, an RA 80 and GR ≤ 50.
– For regional competitions, high-level training, the following are requested: 200 EMED Lux, with a Emin /Emed 0.6, RA 60 and GR ≤ 50.
– For local competitions, training and recreational: 75 EMED Lux, with Emin /Emed 0.5, RA 60 and GR ≤ 55.
Lighting for TV broadcasts will have an RA equal to or greater than 60, although it is recommended that it be greater than 80. The color temperature must be between 4000ºK and 6500ºK, being those of high-definition television more demanding.
UEFA requires vertical lighting levels between 1,400 and 800 lux with a temperature between 4000º K and 6000ºK, an RA not less than 65 although recommended greater than or equal to 90. The height of the
luminaires in the lighting towers will be at least 15 m for recreational use, school and local competitions and 18 meters for high-level training and other competitions with a minimum angle of 25º formed by the line that goes from the assembly of the luminaires to the center of the field.
The lighting in basketball will depend on whether they are indoor or outdoor courts, as with football, they are governed by the UNE EN 12193 standard and have the following levels:
– FIBA international competitions level 1 and 2, horizontal lighting Emed (lux) 1500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7
– International and national competitions, horizontal lighting Emed (lux) 750 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7
– Regional competitions, training high level, horizontal lighting Emed (lux) 500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7
– Local competitions, training, school and recreational use, horizontal lighting Emed (lux) 200 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5
For non-TV broadcasts it will have less than 800 lux.
Basketball outdoor lighting:
– International and national competitions, horizontal lighting Emed (lux) 500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7
– Regional competitions, high level training, horizontal lighting Emed (lux) 200 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.6
– Local competitions, training, school and recreational use, horizontal illumination Emed (lux) 75 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5
As in the previous sports, it will be uniform and will not cause glare, it is also governed by the UNE-EN 12193 standard “Lighting of sports facilities”
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 750 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60
– Regional competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60
– Training, sport school and recreational, Emed (lux) 300 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5 and RA 20
The surfaces of the tennis courts must have a color that favors the visibility of the ball, recommending green and blue for backgrounds.
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 750 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60 and GR 50
– Regional competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60 and GR 50
– Training, school and recreational sports, Emed (lux) 300 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5 and RA 20 and GR 55
To avoid glare, no luminaire will be placed on the pitch. It is recommended to install them parallel to the line of play.
In ATP competitions the recommended lighting level is 1076 lux for “ATP World Tour” and 2,000 lux if they are televised. For “ATP Challenger Tour” tournaments, the recommended lighting is 750 lux. In Davis Cup a minimum of 500 lux and 1200 for the Davis Cup World Group. For WTA competitions 1076 lux.
THE LIGHTING IN THE PADDLE:
As in previous sports, it is also governed by the UNE-UN 12193 standard, in such a way that the light is uniform and does not hinder the vision of players, referees and spectators.
Exterior lighting in the paddle
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 500 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7
– Regional competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 300 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7
– Local competitions, training, school use and recreational, , Emed (lux) 200 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.5
Exterior lighting in the paddle tennis court.
The projectors will be arranged at a minimum height of 6 meters
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 750 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7
– Regional competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 500 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0 ,7
– Local competitions, training, school and recreational use, , Emed (lux) 300 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.5
For TV broadcasts, a vertical illuminance of at least 1000 lux is required.
ILLUMINATION IN VOLLEYBALL:
The lighting will be uniform and will not cause glare, it is also governed by UNE-EN 12193.
For world and official competitions of the (FIVB) lighting of 1500 lux is required, measured at 1 m above the playing surface and 1000 lux in the others. For the Royal Spanish Volleyball Federation, lighting of not less than 1000 lux is required for the Men’s and Women’s Division of honor, also for the Superligas-2, Men’s and Women’s. 800 lux will be needed for the 1st division.
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 750 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60
– Regional and local competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60
– Training, school and recreational sports, Emed (lux) 200 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5 and RA 20
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 500 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7 and RA greater than or equal to 60 and GR less than or equal to 50
– Regional and local competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 200 and Emin uniformity /Emed 0.6 and RA greater than or equal to 60 and GR less than or equal to 50
– Training, school sport and recreational, Emed (lux) 75 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5 and RA greater than or equal to 20 and GR less than or equal to of 55
LIGHTING IN HANDBALL:
Like the previous sports, the light must be uniform and not dazzle the different participants of the game, it is also governed by the UNE EN 12193 standard
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 750 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7 and RA 60
– Regional and local competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 500 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7 and RA 60
– Training, school and recreational sports, Emed (lux) 200 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.5 and RA 20
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 500 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7 and RA 60 and GR less than or equal to 50
– Regional and local competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 200 and Emin/Emed 0 uniformity ,6 and RA 60 and GR less than or equal to 50
– Training, school sport and recreational, Emed (lux) 75 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.5 and RA 20 and GR less than or equal to 55.
For high level televised events there will be a minimum of 1500 lux and 1200 for a basic transmission. With a 600 lux illumination as a minimum for emergencies.
FUTSAL LIGHTING:
The lighting will be uniform and will not cause glare, it is governed by the UNE EN 12193 standard.
Indoor futsal lighting
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 750 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60
– Regional and local competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 500 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.7 and RA 60 –
Training , school and recreational sports, Emed (lux) 200 and uniformity Emin/Emed 0.5 and RA 20
Outdoor futsal lighting
– International and national competitions, Emed (lux) 500 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.7 and RA 60 and GR less than or equal to 50
– Regional and local competitions, high level training, Emed (lux) 200 and Emin/Emed 0 uniformity ,6 and RA 60 and GR less than or equal to 50
– Training, school sport and recreational, Emed (lux) 75 and Emin/Emed uniformity 0.5 and RA 20 and GR less than or equal to 55
For the National Futsal League competitions, a lighting level of 1200 lux will be necessary, for televised competitions the recommended minimum is 1700 lux.
