Sports ground with LED floodlighting at night, aerial view
Guide · Planning

Typical mistakes in floodlight planning and how to avoid them

The most expensive mistakes often happen before the technology: an order placed before the funding decision, existing masts without a check, masts that are too low and planning that only looks at the lux figure. On top of that, neighbours and planning permission come up too late. Most mistakes can be avoided with the right order of steps.

From Leon Weber, Key Account Manager Sport · As of:

Placing the order before the funding decision

Under the Kommunalrichtlinie, anyone who starts before approval generally receives no funding. Concluding a supply or service contract already counts as the start. If this comes to light later, the decision may be revoked and the funding reclaimed with interest.

Planning and quotes are allowed beforehand if the request expressly states that award and contract only follow if funding is approved. State programmes sometimes also require approval before construction starts, for example club sports facility construction in Baden-Württemberg. Clarify the order of steps right at the beginning.

Reusing existing masts without a check

LED floodlights are not automatically lighter than the old luminaires, and structural documents are usually missing. The association guide of the football associations of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia therefore generally considers a structural inspection necessary.

The comparison needs the weight of the new floodlights from the data sheet as well as that of the old luminaires and the cross-arm. How strongly the wind acts also depends on the location, because Germany is divided into wind zones.

Masts that are too low

Even a stable mast can be too low. According to the association guide, existing masts are often only 8 to 12 m high, which promotes glare and shadows. For football it recommends 16 m for training and 18 to 20 m for competition facilities.

Higher masts also touch on building law: the Model Building Code, Bavaria and Saxony only exempt floodlight masts up to 10 m in height from the permit procedure. Ask the building authority early.

Only looking at the lux figure

Illuminance alone says little. The values are only meaningful together: average illuminance, uniformity and glare rating GR, plus the measuring plane and maintenance factor. For football, DIN EN 12193 states for class II, for example, 200 lx, uniformity 0.6 and GR 50.

The standard values are maintained values and must never be undercut. A new installation is therefore deliberately above them. How far is set by the maintenance factor, which takes ageing and soiling into account. If it is missing from the calculation, the installation is too dark after a short time.

Calculating with the wrong luminaire data

A lighting calculation only applies to the floodlights whose photometric data it was calculated with. If a different product or optic is supplied later, the result no longer holds. For funded sports facilities, the Kommunalrichtlinie requires a design to DIN EN 12193 by a qualified lighting designer.

Make sure that calculation, quote and delivery match the same floodlights, the same colour temperature and the same aiming.

Thinking about neighbours and light emissions too late

The benchmark for light emissions is the guidance of the Federal/State Working Group on Immission Control (LAI). In a residential area, the guide value for brightening at the window is 3 lx until 10 pm and 1 lx after that. Glare can also be disturbing from a greater distance.

It is best to take the neighbourhood into account in the lighting design. Light control, shields and shorter operating times are particularly effective. Doing this afterwards is much more difficult.

Leaving colour temperature and upward light open

For funded sports facilities, the technical annex of the Kommunalrichtlinie states a colour temperature of generally no more than 3000 K and ULR 0 %, meaning no light upwards. Anyone who only sets this after the tender may have to make changes.

Set colour temperature and shielding before the calculation and the tender, especially when funding is involved.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common mistake in floodlight projects?

A supply or construction order before the funding decision. Under the Kommunalrichtlinie, anyone who starts before approval generally receives no funding, and concluding the contract already counts as the start.

May I obtain quotes before the funding decision?

Yes. Planning and quotes are allowed beforehand if the request expressly states that award and contract only follow if funding is approved.

Are 10 m masts enough for a football pitch?

The association guide of the football associations of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia recommends 16 m for training and 18 to 20 m for competition facilities. According to the association guide, existing masts of 8 to 12 m promote glare and shadows.

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