Sports lighting to meet GAA needs

An interview with Michael Moloney, Outdoor Lighting Division of Philips Electronics Ireland. Ph: 3531 7640138.

Michael Moloney, Outdoor Lighting Division at Philips is well positioned to comment on the growing use of floodlighting at Gaelic grounds nationwide. In this question and answer interview he develops the growing awareness and need for Sports Lighting and the authoritative role Philips can play in answering GAA needs from Training at the local grounds to Stadia Lighting.

Across the country many GAA clubs have experienced or are currently undergoing a redevelopment plan. Most are partially funded by the National Lottery but still involve a huge element of local fundraising. The landscape of the country is festooned with new all-weather pitches, newly built stands and terraces. The downside of success however, as any commuter will tell you is gridlock.

The recent restructuring of the intercounty championship coupled with the growing prominence of the All-Ireland Club Championships have lead to a near gridlock scenario in the GAA fixture list. Off season competitions have limited the room for manoeuvre and players themselves are beginning to reassess the amount of commitment required to participate at the highest levels. Scheduling of games for Saturdays has been successful but its not without its limitations as many players and supporters alike have work commitments in this Celtic Tiger era. Those charged with the responsibility of compiling fixture lists are looking more favourably on the prospect of scheduling games outside of daylight hours as an option -for many it is the only option. In reality the floodlit era is upon us. On October 6th 1998, Monaghan commenced their successful All-Ireland B football campaign against Longford under floodlights at Castleblayney. Last October Simonstown GAA club in Navan hosted a floodlit tournament over successive Friday nights. It was a success not just for Meath, who won the competition outright, but also for Philips Electronics Ire. Ltd. who provided the complete lighting installation package that made the event possible.

Is there an increased awareness and interest evident nowadays in Sports Lighting?
There is no doubt about the fact that there is increased awareness and interest, right across Europe, in both indoor and outdoor Sports Lighting. Several factors contribute. The great interest of the media in sports events has an important influence on the development of the various sports. Increased leisure time available has resulted in booming numbers of men and women taking an active part in sport as a leisure activity.

National Sporting Authorities of many countries are investing in their particular sports and Indoor Centre/Outdoor Academies, are emerging with first class lighting facilities for a Broad Range of Sports.
With regard to the GAA developments at County level, their extremely congested season now necessitates an extension of the programme beyond the hours of daylight and it is anticipated that Floodlit Leagues will emerge in the not too distant future. At club level, even the smaller clubs are investigating the matter of how their basic lighting needs could be met, for Training and Practice. Most important of all, money is being made available to put lighting in place.

Why do Philips see themselves as particularly able to meet GAA lighting needs in football and hurling, for all requirements from Stadia to County Grounds, to basic Club Training?
Philips commissioned a study of the particular Lighting requirements of GAA Sports needs to ensure an authoritative and knowledgeable approach to this important emerging market. We enjoy a massive annual market share of 30% of all sports lighting equipment purchased across Europe and we could not hope to retain this share without the necessary technical expertise and back-up to ensure that this envied position is maintained. We must also continue our research in the development of Sports Lighting opportunities. To properly address requirements to meet GAA needs, the study mentioned was undertaken to decide upon the criteria to be applied. We are not aware of any other similar work having been undertaken.

For the bigger Stadia, a comprehensive International Design Service is available to us from the Philips Centre of Competence in France. This is the Service responsible for the sports lighting of Olympic Games Venues and also European and World Cup Stadia in all parts of the world.

Smaller jobs for Training, Practice and Club Grounds can readily be handled from our Dublin office.
We have experienced and highly trained lighting staff readily available in our Dublin Office and also the back-up expertise and experience of our Philips colleagues in Europe. Whatever the job, big or small, it can be handled effectively and efficiently by expert and experienced staff and the special state of the art lighting projection equipment used has a proven successful record across Europe. These are the reasons for our confidence in handling GAA Sports Lighting needs.

Where a Club or Board requires a Philips Lighting Design or a Design/ Turnkey Option, how should they best go about it and what timescale is involved?
It is a very simple matter for the Club or Board, interested in installing Floodlighting, to make direct contact with us at any of the numbers given with this feature or on the related advert. We will be pleased to meet the personnel concerned on-site within a matter of days, survey the grounds involved and discuss the Lighting requirements/ projected timescale with them.

A design can then be prepared, complete with projections on the illuminance/ uniformities provided at pitch level and/or towards camera positions where these apply. The detailed design will also cover the mounting arrangements and the aiming angles required for each and every projector. Aiming floodlights accurately is critical if the uniformities set are to be met and spill light kept to an absolute minimum. Philips provide this specialist aiming commissioning service on completion of the installation, before the necessary tower facilities are removed from site.

Related lighting equipment can be costed and the expected energy costs established.
The more standard designs can be provided within a week of a visit; bigger jobs understandably take a little longer.

Where a total installation cost and project management is required, this can be arranged and a total package cost given. In specific instances, Philips can even finance the installation at preferential rates.

Tell us about the special lighting projection equipment used?
In 1988 the first version of the IP65 Philips Arena Vision Projector was introduced to dramatically improve Sports Lighting for spectators, players and TV audiences alike. Unique lamp colour quality and brilliance were combined with less spill light and glare to create a better stadium atmosphere and television experience. As a result Arena Vision has become the first choice across Europe.
The new 2000 generation of this projector family- MVF 401/ 403- has a variety of reflectors and lamps and offers the choice of 9 different optical systems with 3 levels of power output for all possible uses-indoor, outdoor and small or large grounds.

The unique award winning oval shape of the cast aluminium housing was established after years of research to produce a precisely engineered oval reflector with maximum light gathering capacity and minimum surface area- very important design attributes. This means less windage area/ drag compared to conventional floods. Thinner, lighter and less expensive masts become possible providing more imaginative designs.

With the Arena Vision the new Philips 2000w metal halide lamps (the first at this rating developed specifically for colour TV) now provides up to 15% more light while retaining the original natural colour rendering.

Philips has perfected an unequalled competence in optical lighting design and optical engineering as a result of hands –on experience in hundreds of Arenas across Europe. Unique to Arena Vision is the construction principle consisting of one housing accommodating 7 different optics, each with razor sharp cut-off characteristics. These can be mixed and matched with either 1000w or 2000w lamps to ensure optimal results in any situation.

What Lighting Design Criteria apply to GAA Games?
To have an understanding of the criteria to be applied, the reader must bear with us on some of basic technicalities of lighting design.
There is a common requirement for all outdoor sports activities to ensure best results. Players are the first priority, they must be able to see in comfort to perform to their ability. Referees and match officials must be able to follow the play in comfort to control the game and make accurate decisions. Last but not there are the spectators who must get to their place in comfort, see the game in comfort and be able to leave in safety and comfort. These many criteria can be interpreted in the context of available International Codes of Practice of comparable Sports and therefore suitable criteria of illuminance, uniformities and performance can be accorded the many different needs involved.

Five classes of sporting activity are internationally recognised-
*International and National Competition
*Regional Competition
*Local Competition
*Training Needs
*Recreational Needs

These classes are related to the standards of play and the viewing distances of the spectators.
Naturally these different classes do not require either the same quantity or quality of lighting.
Lower standards are clearly acceptable for recreation than for national competition. To cater for all five activity levels three lighting classes are defined-

Class 1: Top Level Competition such as National and International Games which generally generally involve large spectator attendances with long viewing distances. Top level Training is also associated with Class 1.
Class 2: Mid Level Competition such as Regional or Local Club Games which generally involve medium sized attendances with medium viewing distances. High level Training is also associated with Class 2.
Class 3: Low Level Competition such as Local or Small Club Games which do not usually involve
Spectators. general Training and Recreation are also classified in Class 3.

The illuminated playing surface forms a major part of the field of view for the players, officials and spectators. It is the illuminance on this horizontal plane , at ground level, commonly referred to as the Horizontal Illuminance (Eh) that chiefly serves to establish the adapted state of the eye, by creating a stable visual background against which players and objects will be seen. Because of this an adequate horizontal illuminance on the field is important.

To ensure safety of movement for the spectators when entering and leaving the stands or surrounds, adequate horizontal illuminance in these areas is also required.

Vertical Illuminance is also very consequential in following the progress of the players and the ball. However, experience shows that where the human observer is concerned there is a good relationship between vertical and horizontal illuminance. Therefore with the exception of TV,
If the specified horizontal illuminance is provided and the design rules are followed, the vertical illuminance will be sufficient.

The scene illuminance and more particularly the vertical illuminance, has a major influence on the quality of the final TV picture. To guarantee an optimal view and identification of players from all directions, specified illuminances on vertical planes at a height of 1.5m are required. For TV
or filming with fixed camera positions, it is sufficient to ensure that the illuminances on planes at right angles to the camera positions are adequate.

Other consequential criteria, must also be taken into account, ie., Uniformity, Glare Restriction, Modelling and Shadows, Colour and Colour Properties of Lamp. However, development of these aspects is beyond the scope of a feature intended to give a non-technical general overview of the considerations applying. To Sum up on criteria, for GAA Grounds used for Training and Competition purposes it is only necessary to provide a horizontal illuminance suitable for the required activity.

What are the Design Implications for Hurling as it is so much faster a game
Realising the speed in play of a sliotar and the greater height to which it travels, compared to a football in play, puts this very interesting and very pertinent question clearly into focus. Logically, the level of lighting required for the much faster game is by far the greater.

Some great hurlers of the game have commented, with conviction, on the ease with which they could play the game, under lights, in the United States. We must realise that the levels of lighting available in a Stadium like the Sky Dome are twice that installed in our Irish installations. To cater properly for hurling with any degree of success, a GAA Board with a hurling tradition. must bear this factor in mind. The criteria specified takes this matter into account.

The required design criteria can be met, have no doubt about that, but the point that hurling is different because it is so fast, must be appreciated and that more light is required to provide the ease of viewing for player and spectator alike.

Finally, what costs are to anticipated for a total installation to these design criteria?
As will be realised, costs will be related to the Class of Lighting to be installed. Taking the club situation for comparison, a simple installation to cater for Training could cost as little as £20,000.00 while one answering TV Camera levels could approximate £500,000.00. However, the only satisfactory way for any club to establish likely costs involved to answer their particular requirement is to contact us and we can discuss a scheme to suit all requirements.