Sports Halls
Sports halls have to accommodate a variety of sports, and the lighting needs can be complex and varied.
At primary schools, sport is often just one activity in a multi-function space used for daily assembly, concerts and presentations, so the lighting needs are less onerous.
At high school and higher education level, dedicated sports halls present greater challenges to the lighting designer. Some sports are fast moving, such as badminton or indoor cricket, and others are slower-paced. In some sports, the participants are predominantly looking down or sideways (e.g. indoor football) so good modelling and vertical illumination is needed, whilst in others the participants are looking up (e.g. badminton) so badly-positioned luminaires could create issues with glare.
Each of these scenarios places different demands upon the lighting system.
Illumination Levels
Extract from CIBSE: SLL Lighting Guide 5 - Lighting for Education 2011
| Space | Maintained Horizontal Illuminance (lux) | UGRL | U0 | Ra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools | 300 | 22 | 22 | 80 |
| The Lighting Guide also refers to EN 12193:2007 - Light and lighting. Sports lighting for guidance on specific sports performance criteria. | ||||
Choice Of Luminaire
The choice of luminaire will be determined by the usage of the space. In primary school multi-function halls, surface or suspended luminaires, such as the Solow LED may be suitable because the wide distribution provides good cylindrical illumination and illuminates the walls and ceiling creating a bright, welcoming environment. If a recessed luminaire is required, the Sky-Dome provides a similar distribution.
In dedicated sports halls where the luminaires need to be able to withstand ball impact, the Solow LED is often used. The luminaire is IK rated 10++, and a supplementary mounting bracket locking kit is available to provide compliance with DIN EN 18032 Part 3 VDE 0710 Part 13. Luminaire positions must be matched to the requirements of the sport.
