10 Ways LED Lights and Displays Benefit Arenas and Stadiums

 

 

Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lighting technology has grown in leaps and bounds in the past two years. Until recently, LED lights were more commonly associated with indoor lighting in homes, offices, parking lots, convenience stores and even hospitals. This trend is also shifting to arenas and stadiums.

 

The benefits of LED lights far outweigh those of traditional HID lighting solutions.

       

           1. Massive savings in energy

 

The most important benefit of LED systems is that it saves up to 80% in energy wastage when compared to traditional lighting. We can explain it as follows. In a traditional HID metal halide lamp, 80% of the electricity is wasted through heat and only 20% is used as actual electricity while the reverse takes place with LED lighting.

 

In monetary terms, although you have a very high initial capital investment in a LED light system, this amount will be recovered in a short period not to mention ongoing savings. If your current energy bill is $100,000 per month using a HID system, your new consumption could be as low as $20,000 per month. After your initial investment of, let us assume $700,000 in a new LED system, you will recover this outlay in a little over one year. Now imagine the savings for the next 10 years. It works out to a saving of just under $7,200,000.  

 

2. Longevity

 

The lifetime expectation on LED bulbs and diodes can span up to 100,000 hours versus traditional HID lamps with a lifespan of between 6,000 to 15,000 hours. LED lights can thus burn for 11 years at 100% power against HID lights that starts to fade after a maximum of two years’ continuous burning.

 

3. Lower Maintenance

 

Because LED lights take far longer than HID lights to be replaced, this has the added benefit that one’s maintenance and replacement costs will be greatly reduced.  

 

4. Reducing the carbon footprint

 

LED lighting is non-toxic in nature as is most HID lights that most commonly uses Argon gas to light. The difference here is the tremendous heat that traditional lighting produces and thus adds to the climate problems in earth’s atmosphere. LED lights’ heat emission is up to 80% lower than HID lights, thus reducing the carbon footprint even further.

 

5. Durability

 

LED lights do not use glass, filaments or gases. The electrical components are not hidden in inert gases and diododes can withstand rough conditions like high winds, vibrations and extreme weather better.

 

6. Focused light

 

Unlike traditional lighting that uses reflectors to focus the light, LED lighting is focused where you want it to focus – on the playing surface. Top level LED systems will provide more focused and constant light on the surface.

 

7. Instant light

 

No more waiting for the stadium lights to warm up before you start to play, especially after a power outage. LED provides light at the flick of a switch.

 

8. Equal in varying temperatures

 

LED lighting is emitting a cold light and hence works as good in extremely cold temperatures as in warmer temperatures. Many football games are played in variable temperature conditions and this does not detract from LED lighting efficiency.

 

9. Flexibility

 

LED lighting is used to great effect in stadium displays like advertising boards in a variety of colors to pure stadium and arena lighting.

 

10. Improved lighting levels

 

It has been reported that coaches and players place big value on the improved lighting levels LED provides. This leads to better concentration levels in following the ball or puck.

 

It is clear that LED lighting has distinct advantages and arenas and stadiums are busy following suit.