Light pollution
Besides the issues of noise and acoustics, light pollution is also a big problem around sports facilities in urban areas these days. Especially during the cold winter months - when it gets dark early - players need light to get the most out of the game. As a result, those living near the accommodation experience light nuisance. But what exactly does light nuisance mean? And how can you reduce light nuisance at sports fields? This blog takes a closer look at light nuisance at sports fields and the different light level zones.
The impact of light pollution at sports fields
Light nuisance - also known as light nuisance - is nuisance caused by artificial light. Especially if you live near a sports field, you may experience a lot of light nuisance. The nuisance experienced is glare or lights shining on houses or through windows in the evening. Despite the fact that lighting should be switched off between 11pm and 7am and at times when there is no sport, this still does not seem to be the right solution. But what then?
Different light level zones
Despite many people thinking that LED lighting causes hardly any nuisance - because it can be aligned very precisely - light nuisance is still common. Also when LED lighting is used. Light nuisance from LED lighting on sports fields is divided into two categories:
- The number of lux on the facade: the amount of light falling outside the playing field or court.
- Candela per luminaire: the strength of the light viewed from a distance.
In addition, from the NSVV there are various requirements that the lighting of a sports facility must meet. This distinguishes between five different zones:
- E0: In the Netherlands, there are only two such zones, also called 'dark sky parks'. Lauwersmeer National Park and Boschplaat. It is forbidden to install LED lighting here.
- E1: When an accommodation is located in a wooded area, lighting should be taken into account. Only 0.1 lux should be measured on the façade at night and no candela per luminaire.
- E2: in rural areas, 1 lux may be measured on the facade between 23:00 and 7:00 and the luminous intensity of the luminaire may be 500 candela.
- E3: urban areas experience the most light nuisance. Think of the city centre and industrial areas. Here, it is permitted to measure 4 lux on the façade between 23:00 and 7:00 and the light intensity of the luminaire must be between 600 and 1000 candela.
- E4: the highest values are allowed in this zone. A maximum of 5 lux may be measured on the façade between 23:00 and 7:00 and the candela per luminaire must be between 1000 and 2500.
Light nuisance of padel compared to other sports
To play sports properly, a sports field needs sufficient light. This explains the large light masts along sports fields. Light pollution arises mainly from two factors, namely the mast height and the uniformity of the light.
At padel, pylons are only 6 metres high, while pylons for football and hockey start at a minimum of 15 metres. For tennis courts, masts are between 7 and 15 metres high. These 'extra' metres create far more light pollution than padel masts cause.
Light uniformity is also a big factor that can cause light nuisance. Light uniformity is a measure of the distribution of light across the court and should be high in sports like tennis and hockey. In padel, asymmetric lighting is mainly used to minimise stray light. This is why padel is a sport that minimises light interference compared to other sports.
Reducing light pollution: here's how to do it
Sports fields located on a sports park outside the city usually do not cause nuisance, but the same is not true for accommodations located in or next to residential areas. Despite the fact that you need light to play in the dark, there are ways to make it pleasant for both players and local residents. Padelbouw B.V. is an expert in the field of sound, acoustics and lighting of sports fields. Because we can give you full advice when you want to build or modify a sports field, you avoid light nuisance for local residents. Asymmetric LED lighting is deliberately used to minimise stray light. Is the padel court in a special location? Then light shades can always be chosen to further reduce stray light. This allows fanatical players to get the most out of the game even in the evening hours and local residents do not experience any light nuisance when sitting on the bench
English 
Nederlands 
Español 
Deutsch