Lighting for car parks, access roads and paths at sports facilities
For car parks, the European standard DIN EN 12464-2 gives 5, 10 or 20 lx depending on traffic volume. licht.wissen 13 assigns car parks at sports facilities to medium traffic with 10 lx, and large sports facilities to high traffic with 20 lx. For operators, what happens when the floodlights are off also counts: paths must remain visible on the way back, but the light in the car park should then go out as well.
As of:
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What matters at the sports facility
The way back after the floodlights
When the floodlights are off, paths, steps and the car park must still be visible.
Club evening and match play
It is best to switch car park, paths and pitch as separate groups, so that only the necessary light is on each evening. licht.de also recommends dimming or switching off unused areas at night and at weekends.
Switch off after use
A research report for the Bundesamt für Naturschutz (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation) proposes dimming or switching off sports facilities no later than one hour after use.
Recognising people and obstacles
Danger spots are entrances and exits and all areas where vehicles and pedestrians meet.
Consideration for neighbours
Low masts and well-shielded luminaires limit glare and light towards the neighbours.
Insects and surroundings
Warm white light up to 3000 K and as little light as possible upwards are already regarded as a good direction for planning.
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Glare and light pollution
In car parks, well-shielded luminaires should be used and the edge areas should be lit as well. If a road or residential buildings are close, lower mounting heights help, but more luminaires are needed for the same brightness.
- Mounting height
- Tilt
- Optics
- Switch-off
Light by traffic volume
| Average illuminance | Playing level | Lighting class | Uniformity | Glare rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5lx | Low traffic | U 0.25 | ||
| 10lx | Medium traffic | |||
| 20lx | High traffic |
What do the values mean?
Lux tells you how much light reaches the pitch. Uniformity shows how evenly it is distributed, and the glare rating how strongly the floodlights cause glare.
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Illuminance (lx): How much light falls on a surface. 1 lx equals 1 lumen per square metre. For sports facilities, the average horizontal illuminance on the playing area is usually given.
Uniformity (U): Lowest divided by average illuminance. The closer the value is to 1, the more even the light.
Glare rating (GR): Assesses how strongly floodlights cause glare at outdoor facilities, on a scale from 10 (no glare) to 90 (unbearable glare).
Suitable floodlights
The Series 16 is a dimmable LED mast luminaire with 60 to 141 W and wide optics for paths, access roads and car parks.
Series 16
Padel and smaller areas on low masts, as well as paths, access roads and car parks.
- Colour temperature
- 3000 K, 4000 K, 5000 K
- Power
- 60–141 W
- Weight
- 7–9.25 kg
Datasheet as PDF (183 KB)
Frequently asked questions
How many lux does the car park of a sports facility need?
DIN EN 12464-2 gives maintained values of 5 lx for low, 10 lx for medium and 20 lx for high traffic volume. licht.wissen 13 names car parks of sports facilities as an example of medium traffic and those of large sports facilities as high traffic. For low traffic, a uniformity of at least 0.25 applies.
How much light do paths and access roads need?
For footpaths and cycle paths, licht.de gives 2 to 15 lx under DIN 13201, depending on surroundings and traffic. Stairs used only occasionally should have at least 5 lx. For traffic areas with slow vehicles up to 10 km/h, DIN EN 12464-2 gives 10 lx for workplaces, which is a useful guide on sports grounds.
Does the club have to light the car park and paths?
According to a TÜV SÜD technical article, neither law nor case law prescribes fixed lux values for private parking areas, but the general duty to maintain safe premises applies. Clarify your case with your insurer or legal adviser.
Who is responsible if the facility belongs to the municipality?
That depends on the individual case. The duty to maintain safe premises can be transferred by contract from the owner to the club. Check your lease or usage agreement.
What applies to light towards the neighbours?
In Germany, the guidance of the Bund/Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Immissionsschutz is a benchmark. In residential areas, the guide value for illuminance at the window is 3 lx until 10 pm and 1 lx afterwards. In individual cases, ask your pollution control authority.
Is there funding for car park lighting?
That depends on your country and region. In Germany, for municipalities, the Kommunalrichtlinie funds the refurbishment of outdoor lighting at 25 per cent, and at 40 per cent for financially weak municipalities. Control and regulation technology and at least 50 per cent greenhouse gas savings are required; a pure lamp swap does not count, and new lighting points only exceptionally. The programme does not mention car parks separately, so ask the funding body before applying.
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