• Heracles almelo

How can we improve the lighting at the stadium to UEFA Level B standards while enhancing sustainability?

This was the key question posed by the board of directors of Heracles Almelo, a Dutch club in the Eredivisie, the top tier of football in the Netherlands. Furthermore, could lighting play a role in the club’s expanded fan entertainment program? Reducing light emissions towards surrounding homes was also on their wish list. And of course, avoiding overloading the stress capacity was a critical factor. A comprehensive set of requirements was presented to us. This is the story of how we took on the challenge.

The stadium, called “Erve Asito,” was rebuilt few years ago with a lighting system based on the old 2010 UEFA stadium guide requirements. The overall lighting level was reasonably acceptable, but meeting UEFA’s latest 360-degree vertical uniformity requirements was another matter. It was no coincidence that television crews and photographers struggled to capture correct images near the sidelines, end lines, and corners. Light was blocked by the stadium’s roof and the chosen placement of the lights.

UNIFORM LIGHT ACROSS THE FIELD

Good vertical lighting on all sides was only possible with part of the lighting placed under the roof. AAA-LUX managed to meet UEFA Level B standards, even reducing the total installed power from 320 kW to 180 kW. Two-thirds of the 120 luminaires were mounted on masts, with a third placed under the roof. This resulted in uniform lighting across the entire field.

LIGHTING FOR ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment lighting would not be financially viable using expensive DMX controllers and wired connections. For such cases, AAA-LUX developed a way to activate show lighting using the standard InControl system, already in use for switching and dimming. The exposure protocols are uploaded to the existing hardware. The R&D Manager of AAA-LUX, said: “We offer both DMX and InControl equipment, so we are familiar with the strengths of both technologies. InControl Showtime has limitations in synchronizing with other elements of the show. But in a stadium, where sound delays are very common, it’s hard to notice the difference. The cost difference, however, is very clear.” Heracles uses the Showtime elements primarily for player introductions, as you can see in the video below.

AAA-LUX_Heracles-linkedin zonder logo

REDUCING LIGHT SPILL

Light emissions towards residential areas are a topic receiving more attention, especially after the release of stricter regulations on intrusive light in the Netherlands in 2020. Excessive light emissions around stadiums—with high glare—are often accepted because they are difficult to avoid. And indeed, it’s a challenge. However, since the development of RS (Reduced Spill) technology, AAA-LUX can block much more light towards the horizon without compromising the quality and level of light inside the stadium. In the case of Heracles Almelo, this led to a reduction in light spill by more than 75%! The three training fields on the left side of the stadium are also equipped with AAA-LUX LED lighting using RS technology.

Erve Asito of Heracles Almelo is a project in cooperation with Dutch partner Sportverlichting.com and was completed in August 2021.

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