What determines the cost of a floodlight system

The class sets how much light must reach the pitch. The floodlighting guide from the football associations of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia gives, for football, 75 lx in Class III, 200 lx in Class II and 500 lx in Class I. Each higher class therefore requires more light on the same area. According to licht.wissen 08, hockey requires higher illuminance than football because of the small ball.

Choose the class according to actual use. The association guide assumes that the majority of facilities are in Class III. Designing above need does not help with funding either: the Kommunalrichtlinie limits the illuminance to at most 30% above the value of the class.

The area helps determine how many masts and floodlights are needed. According to licht.wissen 08, where running tracks surround the pitch, six masts are usually enough, but more floodlights of higher output are needed. In tennis, the areas a few metres beside the side lines must also be well lit. Outdoor riding arenas are lit by one or more masts depending on their size.

Whether the masts can stay determines whether new masts and foundations are needed. According to the association guide, existing masts are often only 8 to 12 m high, and for new systems it recommends 6 to 8 masts for a full-size pitch. New masts also raise the question of the building permit.

Timing also counts. Landsberg am Lech brought the LED retrofit forward because replacing the masts after the refurbishment of the surfaces would only have been possible at high additional cost and would have destroyed parts of the new surfaces. The number of light points also has an effect: there it fell from 18 to 14 light heads through the planning. According to the association guide, how many luminaires hang on how many masts also determines the effort of later replacement.

For existing masts, the structural documents are usually missing according to the association guide, so a structural inspection becomes necessary. It can also show that the crossarms must be replaced or that a single mast must be renewed. In Landsberg this was the case for one of 11 masts, and the old foundation could continue to be used.

For new masts, foundations are added. According to the association guide, a ground survey gives planning and cost certainty for the foundation. We supply dimensions, weights and the lighting calculation for your masts. The structural stability certificate is prepared by a structural engineer or a testing company.

In Landsberg, the renewal of the main distribution triggered the review of the system, because integrating the old floodlighting would have been laborious. The association guide reports unacceptable cables and insulation defects in existing systems. For new systems with LED, according to the association guide, significantly fewer and smaller cables are needed.

Clarify these points before planning:

• Where do the cables run, and what condition are they in?
• Is the electrical distribution sufficient, or does it need to be renewed?
• Do turf, running track or paths have to be opened for new cables?
• How do aerial work platforms and installation vehicles get onto the pitch without damaging the surface?

Control determines how much light burns and when. The association guide recommends providing switching and dimming in sections, for example only one half of the pitch or one third of the pitch. The Kommunalrichtlinie requires usage-appropriate control for sports facilities, for example in two stages for training and competition. Plan the control in from the start.

A grant reduces the amount you pay yourself. For municipalities, the Kommunalrichtlinie funds the refurbishment of floodlighting at 25%, and at 40% for financially weak municipalities and lignite mining regions. The own contribution is at least 15%, and 10% for financially weak municipalities and in lignite mining regions. Often several sources come together: in Lüneburg, a club planned its retrofit with funds from the city, the district, a foundation and its own contribution.

Check what is recognised. The Landessportbund Niedersachsen counts expenses for planning, permit fees and power connection among the eligible expenses if they are connected with the measure. Bad Dürkheim applied the net amount for a club entitled to deduct input VAT.

Own work can help. In Lüneburg, a club took on dismantling and project management itself. For foundations, however, the association guide warns that clubs doing their own work disregard the structural requirements out of ignorance.