guide to the artificial lighting of hockey pitches

Guide to the artificial lightingof hockey pitches

1Guide to the Artificial Lighting of Hockey Pitches

Content

6 Key terms in sports lighting

8 The sport lighting design process

10 Installation and luminaire mounting

11 Aiming and commissioning

12 Measurement record sheet

14 The recommendations

16 Links

2 Guide to the Artificial Lighting of Hockey Pitches


ForewordThere is an increasing need for hockey facilities to be used for long-

er periods each day. In most cases this requires the use of artificial

lighting. This not only maximises the value of any investment in a

synthetic turf pitch because the pitch can be used for longer periods

(e.g. when it is dark), but also enables international competition

matches to be held in the evening when spectators are more able to

attend and, in some climates, when it is cooler.

However, it is important that the appropriate type and quality of

lighting is used for three fundamental reasons:

• to ensure the safety of the players and other people involved

in the game

• to provide better viewing for spectators

• to ensure that the significant amount of money spent

on the installation has been well spent.

This Guide provides information about aspects to be considered

when installing or perhaps upgrading artificial lighting. It is part of

a series of FIH publications that provide advice to national hockey

associations and to the owners of hockey pitches. Although it does

not necessarily include detailed specifications for all requirements it

provides a good starting point for planning artificial lighting. Where

appropriate, it includes references to sources of more detailed

information.

The lay reader should not be put off by the technical nature of

some sections of the Guide. The design and installation of appro-

priate lighting is a complex task and these more detailed sections

are intended primarily for the lighting engineers involved in the

installation. FIH recommends that professionally accredited lighting

engineers should always be employed to install lighting. Owners of

hockey pitches are reminded to comply with the relevant national

standards and to ensure the appropriate procedures are followed,

particularly in respect of the recommended lighting level modes and

obtrusive light.

This Guide has been developed in association with Philips Lighting

and incorporates Philips’ expertise and detailed knowledge of sports

lighting.

FIH Equipment Committee

June 2007


IntroductionUnless it is played in good daylight, like all other sports hockey

requires good lighting to make it safe and enjoyable. This is true

whether the game is being played for recreational purposes or at an

international televised event.

This fifth edition of the Guide to the Artificial Lighting of Hockey

Pitches is intended to be read in conjunction with the latest edition of

the GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations)

Guide to the Artificial Lighting of Indoor and Outdoor Sports Venues

(2006), which is available from GAISF (www.agfisonline.com) or

Philips Lighting (www.philips.com/sportslighting). It is therefore short-

er than previous editions but contains the necessary information spe-

cific to hockey together with the latest industry recommendations.

As with all projects, the budget available is a key factor in determin-

ing the outcome. There is a growing awareness of the added value

of good quality lighting for any sports venue. Even though it requires

investment, lighting represents only a modest proportion of the

total cost of the installation and, as a rule, it is true to say that if

the right lighting is installed the users, players, spectators and venue

owners are never disappointed. However, if a poor, second-rate sys-

tem is installed this almost always leads to complaints and eventually

to a very costly change or upgrade.

The Guide is intended for anyone involved in the planning or main-

tenance of hockey venues, from local recreational pitches through

to pitches for games at the highest level. In conjunction with the

GAISF lighting guide, it provides the information that is required to

ensure a good result is achieved for the players and for the specta-

tors, whether they are present at the venue or watching the event

on television at home.

6

Illuminance in the direction of a camera

Illuminance on vertical planes

10000 K10000 K

6000 K6000 K

5000 K5000 K

2000 K2000 K

Color temperature table

Guide to the Artificial Lighting of Hockey Pitches

Key terms in sports lighting

Quantity of light required (illuminance)

This is the amount of light (measured in lux) that is required for the

sport to be played.

Average maintained horizontal illuminance (Eh)

This is the average quantity of lux over the horizontal playing sur-

face for the agreed maintenance cycle period.

Average maintained vertical illuminance (Ev)

This is divided into two principal types:

• Illuminance in the direction of a camera.

This calculation is undertaken for fixed camera positions.

• The quantity of light on a vertical plane.

This calculation is made for unrestricted camera positions.

In hockey the point of reference is 1.5 m above the playing surface.

Maintenance factors

To guarantee the recommended average illuminances during the

entire period of operation of an installation, particularly for tel-

evised matches, the lighting level should not fall below the specified

values during use. The recommended illuminances are “maintained”

values. To obtain initial values (at 100 hours), a maintenance factor

recommended by a professionally accredited lighting engineer should

be applied to the specified values. Such factors are usually in the

region of 1.25 for normal artificial sports lighting.

Illuminance uniformity

Two measurements are normally undertaken:

• Minimum/Average: this is the ratio of the lowest to the average

level of illuminance.

• Minimum/Maximum: this is the ratio of the minimum to the maxi-

mum level of illuminance.

In addition, there may be a Uniformity Gradient specification.

See the GAISF guide for more information relating to this.

Switching modes

Lighting should be designed to include different levels of light that

are appropriate to the level of play. The following levels or ‘switch-

ing modes’ are commonly used:

• Training

• Competition

• Emergency TV

• International TV

Colour temperature (colour appearance)

This is the apparent colour of a light source and it is measured in

degrees Kelvin. A consistent colour temperature should be main-

tained throughout an installation.


Definition Colour Rendering

Colour matching (advertising) Ra91-100

Good colour rendering Ra81-90

Moderate colour rendering Ra51-80

poor colour rendering Ra21-50

Spill

ligh

t

Spill lightlight

Useful light

Spill

ligh

t

Spill Useful lig

ht

Sky glow

Light trespass

Upward light

Area being illuminatedProperty line

Not to scale

Residence

Colour rendering

Colour rendering is the ability of a light source to reproduce surface

colours accurately. A colour rendering index is used to describe the

performance of the lamp.

Glare

For outdoor hockey venues a Glare Rating (GR) is given based on

a mathematical glare formula. This formula does not currently exist

for indoor venues. Refer to the GAISF guide for more information.

Obtrusive light

This is uncontrolled light that is directed up into the sky or beyond

the boundaries of a sports facility. Refer to CIE 150 (issued by the

International Commission on Illumination) or local regulations.

A good quality hockey lighting installation will fulfil the lighting require-

ments without causing any disruption to local residents or services.

FIH encourages all hockey pitch owners to be “good neighbours”.

If you need more information on key terms in sports lighting, you

can find it in GAISF guide


The sport lighting design process

Because every project is unique,

it is not possible to define one exact procedure for all installations. However, broadly

speaking, the following procedure should be followed:

• Determine the level of play and the objectives of the venue.

For example, will play be televised or not?

• Arrange for an initial lighting design to be prepared by a professionally accredited sports

lighting engineer to help you to identify any potential difficulties, to answer any questions

that may arise and to estimate the budget required.

• Draw up a detailed lighting design with input from venue management, architects, engi-

neers, broadcasters (if the venue is to be used for televised events) and knowledgeable

hockey participants. Careful consideration should be given to the integration of lighting

with existing or designed structures to ensure that the luminaires can be aimed in accord-

ance with the lighting design, and that the commissioning and maintenance of luminaires

will be possible.

• After installation, aiming should be checked against the lighting design and measurements

taken to ensure the results are in line with the requirements.


Televised or non-televised?

It is essential to determine whether or not matches are going to be televised at a venue

because the two lighting design approaches are very different.

For non-televised matches the horizontal illuminance on the pitch is considered as the plane

of reference for the pitch. In practice this approach will then provide sufficient illuminance

for players to see each other and to see the ball clearly.

For televised events there are a number of potential reference points. The first is the level

of illuminance in the direction of a fixed camera. The second is the illuminance on a vertical

plane and this is used if there are to be mobile cameras. The third is the horizontal illumi-

nance level. Finally, it may be necessary to calculate the illuminance level in the stands in the

direction of a certain camera to ensure there is sufficient light for spectator images.

All of these calculations need to be carried out by a professionally accredited lighting engineer.

More detailed information on this process is given in the GAISF guide.

10

70 °91

,44 m

5 m5 m

101,4

4 m

54,86 m 4 m4 m62,86 m

Guide to the Artificial Lighting of Hockey Pitches

Installation and luminaire mounting

There are two principal installation possibilities. If there

is a spectator stand of sufficient height then this can

be used for all or part of the lighting. A professionally

accredited sports lighting engineer will be able to help

determine what is possible but, as a general rule, for

outdoor venues the tilt angle should never be greater

than 70° and for indoor venues it should ideally never

exceed 60°.

Masts must always be situated outside the over-run

area, as shown below. For hockey, they should be a

minimum of 5 m beyond the back lines and 4 m behind

the side lines.

Side mast arrangement:

This method can provide good levels of uniformity but

has the disadvantage that there is not always a clear

playing view down the pitch.

Corner mast arrangement:

A corner mast system can be used to improve specta-

tor viewing or if the stands are not high enough. If there

is to be television coverage, care should be taken to

ensure that masts are situated so that there is sufficient

vertical illuminance as this can sometimes prove difficult

in the central area of the side lines.


Aiming and commissioning

The luminaires must be aimed in accordance with the

lighting design and this should be backed up by measure-

ments to ensure that the installation fulfils the require-

ments of the lighting design. Detailed information is

provided in the GAISF lighting guide.

• Measurements should be carried out using a calibrated

illuminance meter.

• For testing, a grid measuring a maximum of 10 m x

10 m should be laid out with a point in the centre for

illuminating venues for non-televised events and a grid

measuring a maximum of 5 m x 5 m should be used for

illuminating venues for televised events.

• The supply voltage should be checked before any

measurements are carried out.

• Lamps should have been used for a minimum of 100

hours to ensure consistency.

• After switching on the lighting, sufficient time should

be allowed to ensure that the lamps have warmed up.

The warm-up time required depends on the type of

lamps used; information on this will be given in the

lamp manufacturer’s specifications.

• Measurements should be carried out from the highest

switching mode, working back down to the training

mode.

A measurement record sheet should be used to record

the results (see example on p. 12)


Measurement record sheet

91,44

m

54,86 m

5 m10

m

5 m10 m

The grid points for the prefered ( ) and the acceptable minimum number of grid points ( )


Project name : .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Measuring equipment :

Type : .................................................................................................................................................................................. Calibration date : .........................................................................................................

Switching mode : ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Measurement type : (tick in box)

Horizontal illuminance

Vertical illuminance

toward camera Camera #

Vertical illuminance Indicate direction

Illuminance Uniformity

E.min. U1 Emin./Emax.

E.max. U2 Emin./Eave.

E.ave.

Signed on behalf of contractor

..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Signed on behalf of Consultant

..............................................................................................................................................................................................................


The recommendations

Below are the recommendations for indoor and outdoor hockey venues, including recommendations for:

• Non-competitive events, including physical education: Class III.

• Ball training as well as junior and low-grade club competition: Class II.

• High-grade national club and international competition: Class I.

• Televised events divided into maximum camera distances of >75m, >150m and HDTV.

The most significant change since the previous edition

is that now the illuminance levels for non-televised

matches have been brought into line with those for

cricket, which previously had slightly higher illuminance

recommendations. Because a hockey ball is of a similar

size to a cricket ball and can move at similar speeds dur-

ing a match it makes sense for the recommendations to

be the same.

Activity Eh maint lux

Ev maint lux

horizontal vertical GR max

Ra min Tk*

U1 U2 U1 U2

Non

-tel

evis

ed

Class III Non-competitive including

physical training

>300 n/a >0.5 >0.7 n/a n/a <55 >20 >2000

Class II Ball training as well as junior

and low-grade clubs competition

>500 n/a >0.5 >0.7 n/a n/a <50 >65 >4000

Class I High-grade national club

and international competition

>750 n/a >0.5 >0.7 n/a n/a <50 >65 >4000

Tele

vise

d

CTV > 75 m 1000-

2000

>1000 >0.5 >0.7 >0.4 >0.6 <50 >80

(90**)

>5000

CTV > 150 m 1500-

3000

>1400 >0.5 >0.7 >0.4 >0.6 <50 >80

(90**)

>5000

HDTV 1500-

3000

>2000 >0.7 >0.8 >0.6 >0.7 <50 >90 >5000

U1 = Minimum/Maximum illuminanceU2 = Minimum/Average illuminance* The same colour temperature lamps should be used for a venue** Recommended colour rendering for televised events


Links

• Philips Lighting: www.philips.com/sportslighting – email:

[email protected]

• GAISF: www.agfisonline.com – email: [email protected]

• CIE : www.cie.co.at – email: [email protected]

• FIH: www.worldhockey.org – email: [email protected]

The International Hockey Federation provides information

on various topics relating to pitches and equipment.

The Rules of Hockey or the Rules of Indoor Hockey contain field,

pitch and equipment specifications including:

• Field dimensions and markings (outdoor/field hockey)

• Pitch dimensions and markings (indoor hockey)

• Goals (outdoor/field hockey)

• Goals (indoor hockey)

• The stick (outdoor and indoor hockey)

• The ball (outdoor and indoor hockey)

• Goalkeepers’ equipment (outdoor and indoor hockey)

Information is available about Synthetic Turf Fields including:

• Performance requirements

• Guidelines for care and maintenance

• Licensed manufacturers/suppliers of synthetic turf

• Licensed manufacturers of hockey balls

• Advice on the requirements and regulations for advertising around

the field of play and on coloured over-runs

(please email: [email protected])

Contacts

For further information, contact your local Philips Lighting organisationor send an email to the following address :[email protected]

International Hockey FederationRue du Valentin 611004 LausanneSwitzerlandTel : +41 21 641 0606Fax: +41 21 641 0607Email: [email protected]: www.worldhockey.com

Data subject to change

Layout: 2-fi - Lyon / FrancePhoto credits :copyright FIH / Philips

Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted provided the source is acknowledged

guide to the artificial lighting of hockey pitches

Documents