Teamwork Takes Gold In Velodrome Lighting
Many sports have special lighting requirements. Add in building aesthetics, and recommendations from governing sports bodies and things get interesting. Working with BDP Lighting and Elcom, Thorn and its sister brand Zumtobel, both lighting brands of the Zumtobel Group provided a high‑performance solution for the Lee Valley VeloPark, delivering 50% energy reduction and cost savings – all in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
All eyes were on Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. However, when it came to the cycling events, the focus shifted to the Lee Valley VeloPark in London. The viewer experience was enhanced by new energy‑efficient LED lighting.
The iconic building was initially designed by Hopkins Architects for the 2012 Olympics Games and later repurposed as Lee Valley VeloPark as part of the legacy programme.
At ten years old, the previous metal‑halide lighting system was outdated. The search was on for new LED luminaires to improve system efficiency, reduce maintenance costs and allow better control options.
Choosing A Lighting Partner To Meet All The Requirements
Not just known as a world‑class sporting venue, Lee Valley VeloPark is also available for exhibitions, conferences and private hire. This added another requirement for the lighting. It needed to be flexible enough to adapt to the different configurations for various events.
The Zumtobel Group's sports lighting team held all the answers. Luke Smith‑Wightman, design consultant for BDP, explains, “Amongst strong competition, the Zumtobel Group Lighting brands Thorn and Zumtobel’s solution stood out for its performance, technical design service and approach to client care.
Hundreds of high‑power sports projectors and downlights were delivered to a tight schedule, and the company ensured that technicians were available at short notice to oversee the critical adjustments needed to fine‑tune the aiming of luminaires.”
Overcoming The Challenges Of Specialist Sports
Martin Lee, Key Account Manager at Zumtobel Group, comments, “The building was designed with great aesthetics. However, they did not lend to best lighting practices. The lighting points were already predetermined, so we had to design our scheme to satisfy the brief from the client, BDP lighting, the Union Cycliste Internationale recommendations and guidance, and achieve the broadcast specification. A distinct challenge was the short project deadline especially given the global supply chain issues affecting all industries – we overcame it all with a fantastic team effort from all parties involved.”
High‑Performance Technology For High‑Performance Athletes
The original scheme consisted of 371 metal halide luminaires with a total energy load of 368 kW. Switching light levels for specific competitions was complicated. With no dimming system in place, the venue could only switch off banks of projectors.
The new scheme uses a mix of 276 of Thorn’s Altis and Zumtobel’s CRAFT II Performance luminaires, with an overall energy load of 185kW – 50% less than the original.
Furthermore, the floodlights use DMX and DALI control, meaning each luminaire can be individually switched and dimmed. Meeting broadcasting standards, the new luminaires are also flicker‑free. This achieves precise control of the light levels on the track, improving conditions for cyclists, spectators and TV cameras.
What's more, the DMX control gear in the Altis projectors also caters to event lighting requirements, creating atmosphere, drama and excitement.
As part of the project, the downlights in the concourse area, bathrooms and stairways were replaced with Zumtobel’s PANOS infinity and Thorn’s CETUS3. The new downlights were installed on a 1‑2‑1 replacement, using the same ceiling cut‑outs, avoiding the need for labour and time costs.
The downlight installation reduced the connected energy load by 50% from 20kW to 10kW, improving the spectral quality of light, and eliminating the need for regular lamp changes (which was approx. 20 per month).
Reportedly, cost savings from the project (including energy, replacement lamps, and lamp change labour) will amount to £100k after ten years.
Luke Smith‑Wightman, concludes, “Compared to the previous system, the new scheme delivers a much‑improved quality of light, less glare, DMX dimming, eliminates lamp changes and has reduced electrical load by 50%. Overall, it has been a successful upgrade, ensuring Lee Valley VeloPark remains a premier venue hosting cycling competitions at the highest level.”
For more information on Zumtobel, please visit the website https://z.lighting/en/zumtobel/
and for Thorn visit www.thornlighting.co.uk
Products:
Zumtobel: CRAFT II Performance, and PANOS infinity.
Thorn: Altis, and Cetus3.
Photograph accreditation: Redshift Photography.
