Modern ice arenas are huge sports complexes containing, in addition to the main area, several training arenas, gyms, restaurants, cafes, etc.
Lighting projects for the central rink of such complexes should provide for several modes of operation of lighting devices:
- Standby, for maintenance of the rink.
- Training mode.
- Multiple game modes: game mode with HD TV broadcast, game mode without TV broadcast (or lower video requirements).
- Light dynamic show program mode.
Illumination of the main ice arena
The lighting of the main ice rink, today, is carried out using metal halide lamps with a light temperature of 5200 to 7500K and a color rendering of at least 90%. The number of lamps required to illuminate the main and additional areas of the Ice Arena is calculated using the lighting project for lighting. It takes into account everything: the dimensions of the stadium, the height of the ceilings, the complex architecture of the building, etc.
It may take from 100 to 700 metal halide lamps to light only the main ice rink.
The location of lighting fixtures, their number and power depends on the size and significance of the site. For example, for small sports rinks with a small number of spectators and not high ceilings, 250 or 400W devices can be used. If we are talking about world-class arenas, we must take into account the height of the dome, huge, spacious stands, the impressive size of the ice field, etc. The power of devices for this kind of sites can be from 1000 to 2000W. In such cases, lighting devices are located both above the field and behind the stands.
Metal halide spotlights save electricity, they are not expensive, their only serious disadvantage is a hot restart, or rather the absence of it. If the spotlight is turned off, it will cool down for 20 minutes and only after that it can be turned on again. When hot, it does not restart. This is very risky in cases of large and important matches with TV coverage around the world. With any power surge, some of the lighting devices can turn off and work again only after a while.
To avoid such a catastrophe, there is an instant (hot) restart system, which is installed in conjunction with metal halide spotlights. In order to avoid interruptions in the broadcast of the game and not to interrupt the match itself due to lack of lighting, at least 40% of lighting fixtures must be equipped with this system.
Lighting stands
Speaking about the lighting of the ice arena, one should not forget about the comfortable light in the stands. There are also some rules here: the light in the stands should not contrast with the lighting of the ice rink, otherwise it will distract the attention of the spectators from the game, but at the same time, it should be comfortable for guests and fans to move around the stands.
In addition to lighting the arena, stands and aisles, the so-called show lighting is used. Before the start of matches and during breaks, it is used to create various lighting effects, sometimes for advertising purposes, sometimes for the entertainment of the public.
Lightboard
It is equipped with four LED screens. It displays the score of the match, there is a video broadcast of what is happening in the stands, as well as advertising sponsors.
Training rink lighting
As for practice ice rinks, lighting requirements are usually much lower than in large playing arenas. The training grounds do not have high ceilings, they do not have multi-tiered stands, and there are no TV broadcasts from them. All this reduces lighting requirements. At such sites, it is possible to use not only metal halide, but also LED lighting devices.
LED lighting is quite expensive, but it has one indisputable plus: the use of LEDs guarantees the uninterrupted operation of your lighting fixtures for 15-20 years.
When designing ice palaces, as a rule, special manholes and passages for replacing lighting equipment are not taken into account. This greatly complicates the maintenance of lighting. In this case, uninterruptedly working LEDs are a good way out of the situation. But in order to illuminate even a training hockey rink, high power LEDs (200-300W) are required. Their price is high and the payback period can be 8-10 years. That is why, despite the ease of use, LED lighting of ice arenas is rarely used.
