It’s easy to espouse the virtues of LEDs, as there are many, and they often show themselves in unconventional situations. From diodes that assist in mosquito control to those that reduce carbon emissions, the more esoteric uses of LEDs have become very common. To make all of this possible, photometric standards are of the utmost importance.
However, there are some fairly predictable uses of LEDs; maybe there is no better example than the new stadium for the Tottenham Hotspurs, where they’re planning to install LED floodlights. Sports stadiums are ideal venues to take advantage of LED lighting. Whereas old-school stadium lights consumed concerning amounts of energy, the energy-efficient LED is an unparalleled upgrade. They are also consistent light sources and capable of customization based on the event; concerts and sports outside of soccer will of course have different needs.
The stadium, which the team is expecting to open in the fall of 2018, came in at a cost of 1.2 billion dollars. Some of its architectural statistics are equally eye-popping, including the 54 rooftop columns that will house the reported 324 LEDs that will be required to light the stadium. All 61,559 seats will benefit from a consistently lit structure that will primarily host English Premier League (EPL) games.
Many sports leagues seem to be going in this direction. Both Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres currently have stadiums powered with LEDs, and the Arizona Cardinals take the lead in LED lighting in the National Football League. As costs decrease and the benefits of cutting energy become more obvious, it seems likely that many teams will begin to follow this path.
In order to light such complex venues, LEDs must be set up in equally complex ways. But the technology has come a long way over the years, and jobs like the new Tottenham stadium are no longer daunting for LED vendors. Photometric standards will be vital to the future of lighting and so will consistent product testing. It is here that Optronic Laboratories can be of great use. With our calibration instruments, as well as years of experience, we look forward to a future in which LEDs illuminate every goal.
