LED Lighting Payback Analysis

LEDs have taken place of conventional light sources because of their low energy consumption, long lifetime, and low maintenance costs. Specially for sports installations with high energy expenditure, minimizing energy consumption is a prime concern. For outdoor high mast installations, maintenance should be minimum and easily possible. Hence LED lighting due to low maintenance and long lifetime has occupied the first position over the years compared to other light sources. The only disadvantage of LED lighting is the high initial cost. We have to make a payback analysis and decide upon which will serve better.

Based on the above advantages, we can calculate the payback period for LED Lighting. But the usage of conventional sources is already rare for new installations. Hence, they may become obsolete very soon. Hence it is wise to use LED technology and continuous up-gradation is happening in LED luminaires. Most of the reputed manufacturers are not manufacturing conventional luminaires anymore. Unlike HID sources, LEDs are directional sources and using well-designed high precision optics, light can be targeted to the required area without much light spill and wastage. LED light sources are instant on-off devices without time delay. However, HID sources have a time delay before ON-OFF. Also, it is easy to dim the LED sources easily. Dimming is possible for the latest MH sources only. Dimming reduces the life of MH sources and increases light loss. But glare is better controlled in HID sources than LED sources. LED sources being point light sources are glarier (especially high-power LED sources used in Sports Fields).

Well-designed lighting is necessary for fast-moving balls & player games like hockey and cricket.

The whole playing area should be lit evenly so that even the slightest of the movement is visible to both players, spectators and camera to the utmost clarity. The contrast between the players, objects, and the surface should be well enough so that they are distinguishable.

For outdoor installations with high light levels required and higher uniformity requirements, luminaires should be mounted on high masts. This is to ensure that they are not tilted above 70 degrees to minimize the glare produced by the players and spectators. The high light output of luminaires for sports installations will cause glare hence they should be fitted with glare control devices. Also, the location of luminaires should be carefully chosen so that it doesn’t directly hit the player’s and spectator’s views.

For sports applications requiring lighting above ground level and for televised events, vertical illuminance is also important and should be considered and designed to appropriate levels.

The lighting design should take care of optimizing the initial buying cost of the lighting system as well as the operating (energy) and maintenance cost.

The luminaires should be carefully chosen from reputed manufacturers to minimize the energy cost and maintenance cost. For outdoor sports field luminaires on high masts, the maintenance will be tedious and expensive. Hence the best luminaire quality and design should be chosen to avoid these to the minimum.

The lighting design should take care of optimizing the initial buying cost of the lighting system as well as the operating (energy) and maintenance cost.

The luminaires should be carefully chosen from reputed manufacturers to minimize the energy cost and maintenance cost. For outdoor sports field luminaires on high masts, the maintenance will be tedious and expensive. Hence the best luminaire quality and design should be chosen to avoid these to the minimum.

For football fields, masts should not be positioned on the goal post sides and corners to avoid glare to goalkeepers.

A periodic maintenance program involving the cleaning of luminaires should be conducted for maintaining the performance of luminaires as in the design.

On-site mainly for outdoor installations, the luminaire aiming should be properly conducted as per the design. Slight variations in aiming may cause a big difference in the actual lighting levels achieved on site. Aiming should also be verified from time to time which can vary due to strong wind and luminaire displacements.

The stray light from the outdoor installation can cause disturbance to drivers on adjacent roads, nearby properties, or users. The lighting system should be properly designed and aimed to control light spills as per the guidelines.

To encourage the use of the best available technology for dark sky preservation, IDA has established Criteria for Community-Friendly Outdoor Sports Lighting that upholds the values that many communities seek in their public illuminated spaces. These criteria ensure that outdoor sports lighting design minimizes obtrusive light spill and glare into surrounding neighborhoods and natural areas meet sustainability and climate-friendly goals and reduce sky glow to the greatest extent practicable. By utilizing IDA’s criteria, communities demonstrate and promote the vision for outdoor sports lighting that simultaneously meets the demanding task of illuminating night-time sports events while preserving night skies

Ref: International Dark-Sky Association

Last updated: March 2018

By adopting the IDA-Criteria for Community-Friendly Outdoor Sports Lighting, communities will:

• Minimize neighborhood lighting nuisance by greatly reducing spill and glare disruption.
• Manage high angle glare, thus dramatically decreasing off-site light trespass and sky glow.
• Mitigate neighborhood nuisance factors and sky glow which, in turn, provide benefits to the environment, the astronomy community, and others.
• Minimize lumen densities, which reduce energy consumption. (1)

Lighting systems should be able to dim and controlled as per the latest standards and as per various light scenes required.

Indoor sports halls mainly are used for multiple sports. Multiple Switching arrangements can provide the necessary lighting level required for each sport.

Glare should be limited to using well-designed luminaires and choosing proper luminaire locations and mounting.

For indoor sports halls, the room surfaces should not be glossy and highly reflective. Matt’s reflection of walls can make the balls, shuttlecocks, etc. highly visible and facilitate a glare-free play area.

For tennis courts, the luminaires should not be placed behind the baseline to avoid glare to players.

Natural lighting can be considered for indoor sports facilities in a glare-controlled manner. This will enable further energy saving and moreover wellbeing of the users of the space

For swimming pools, the lighting should cause minimum reflection from the surface of the water and thereby reduce glare. Glare should be reduced to the minimum for a visually appealing atmosphere for both players and spectators. The players and their movements should be visible to guards and spectators even under water.

For diving pools, vertical illuminance should be considered while designing.

References

1. https://www.darksky.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/IDA-Criteria-for-Community-Friendly-Outdoor-Sports-Lighting.pdf
2. BS EN12193:2007(E) Light and lighting —Sports lighting