Sports hall lighting design has to solve various challenges depending on the performed activity. Players look up often while playing ball sports, for example to locate the ball. High‐grade louvres and various light distribution variants are a great help in achieving glare-free, versatile light.
The smaller and faster the ball is, the more light is needed. For example, most ball sports can be played and viewed at 200 lux, while squash or table tennis require 300 lux. For competitions, the recommended illuminance value could be as high as 500 to 750 lux.
Lighting for indoor sports halls should always be planned to cater to the most demanding activities. The light needs to be homogenous, so linear lighting fixtures in continuous line patterns are a good choice for ensuring uniform light. Sports hall lighting fixtures also need to be impact resistant so that they do not become damaged during training or matches.
Lower sports hall lighting lux levels are required for evening events held at these types of facilities, but they are also often used for exams that may call for an illuminance of as much as 500 lux. Sports facilities may be divided by partition walls so that different sports are played in different zones. This calls for an efficient light management system that provides various illuminance settings. Adding presence detection sensors will further contribute to minimising energy consumption, which can generate major costs if bright sports hall lighting is used excessively or when no one is currently using it.
Lighting requirements in EN 12464-1:2021
| Type of task / activity area |
Lux-level (Em) |
Glare rating (UGRL) |
Uniformity (U0) |
Colour rendition (Ra) |
Em,z | Em,wall | Em,ceiling | Specific requirements |
|
| required | modified | U0 ≥ 0,10 | |||||||
| Sports halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools | 300 | 500 | 22 | 0,60 | 80 | 100 | 75 | 30 | These requirements are only applicable for schools |