Tennis court illumination: key considerations and applicable regulations

Key considerations and applicable regulations

Tennis court illumination projects need to take concepts such as horizontal illumination, uniformity, glare, colour temperature and colour reproduction into account. The reference regulations for tennis court illumination in Europe are found in EN 12193:2008.

Projects involving designing and installing tennis court illumination systems must be performed by individuals with professional engineering skills. They should also be managed by experienced and qualified technical professionals and adhere to the regulations and lighting requirements published by the authorities.

Guide to lighting sport facilities

Minimum levels of lighting

UNE EN 12193:2008 stipulates the minimum levels of lighting that must be delivered. The levels vary depending on where facilities are located, bearing in mind that courts can be located both indoors and outdoors. The type of matches that are scheduled for play on the court is also another important factor and we will take a closer look at this below.

Achieving an acceptable match experience

The illumination on any sports court needs to guarantee a positive match experience. This means suitable lighting in all areas of the sports arena and across the entire court.

The position and height of luminaires need to be carefully planned in order to achieve acceptable horizontal and uniform illumination on court and to ensure that light levels are suitable for following the ball as it travels through the air. The lights selected for a given project can directly affect the overall quality of the installation.

Visibility for spectators

Visibility is an additional and important element of project design, particularly when it comes to facilities where competition matches are held. The aim is to achieve optimum visual comfort so that spectators can follow players as they move around the court and track the ball as it travels. Safety and any potential emergency situations on the court or in the crowd are additional important considerations.

Court type (indoor or outdoor)

Illumination projects for tennis courts vary depending on the characteristics of the sports facility itself. LED floodlights with elevated luminary performance levels fitted onto posts are an excellent option for outdoor sports facilities. They are generally fitted at a height of between eight and twelve metres. This height range works well because it allows for good visibility across the court.

Indoor courts require luminaires along the side lines and outside the main area of play. Fixtures should not be fitted onto the roof right above the rectangular area where matches take place and should remain exclusively behind the base line.

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Energy efficiency

LED luminaires for sports facility projects help to make savings and contribute towards energy efficiency. In comparison with conventional lighting systems, energy savings can exceed 30%. Furthermore, luminaire positions can be adjusted and they are incredibly resistant and durable.

Positioning floodlights

Floodlights need to adapt to the characteristics of the court or sports facility in question. Aspects such as the surrounding architecture, the climate and the purpose of the court need to be taken into account. Again, differentiating between indoor and outdoor courts is key.

Lights for tennis courts

Based on European standard for sports facility lighting EN 12193:2008, there are a series of different types of lights for tennis courts depending on the different competitions that are scheduled for play at the facilities. Lights for tennis courts are divided into three different categories.

Class I

Non-televised, high-level national and international competition matches. There are specific requirements for televised events and, in these cases, the types of lights that are used should be determined by experts in the field. The requirements for spectators in this group cover some potentially long viewing distances.

The following factors apply to lighting projects in these types of courts:

Class II

Mid-level competitions, such as regional and local tournaments. The crowds at these matches tend to be average to low in size and the viewing distances are short. High-level training sessions can also be included in the category.

In this case, the lighting requirements are as follows:

Class III

Low-level competitions, such as local and small club tournaments. There are generally no spectators at events of this kind and they include general training sessions, school sports and recreational activities.
The lighting requirements in this category are less demanding than in all the others.

Recommended luminaires

The SECOM catalogue includes two luminaires that can provide optimum results for tennis court illumination projects.

Esdium Sport Led

This luminaire is incredibly energy efficient and ideal for all types of sporting events, including televised ones.

Protek Q2 Led

This spotlight has excellent features and is designed specifically for large facilities, including tennis courts and sports facilities in general.

Tennis court lighting systems must be based on comprehensive project analysis and take numerous factors into account. The right luminaires and suitable project design can deliver optimum, efficient and durable installations.

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