Eight reasons why retrofitting tennis court lighting with LEDs are great for schools or municipalities
Are your tennis court lights costing you money? If you aren’t using LED lights to illuminate your courts, they very well could be. LED lights are becoming the standard for tennis court lighting, and for a good reason. Compared to older technologies, LED lighting is cheaper, more efficient, and longer-lasting. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder that more and more schools and municipalities are retrofitting their tennis court lighting with LEDs.
Here are eight reasons why the perfect solution is retrofitting your tennis court lighting with LEDs.
If you are planning to upgrade your tennis court lighting system to LED, try our tennis court lighting cost calculator to get a customized cost estimate for your project.
What is a LED retrofit for a tennis court?
Before we get started, let’s discuss what retrofitting your current tennis court lights with LEDs entails.
A LED retrofit means replacing your current light bulbs and fixtures with modern equipment. This process is relatively easy and can save your school or community thousands of dollars in the long run.
1 - The economical way to install LED lighting for your tennis court
There are many ways to retrofit your tennis court lighting with LEDs. However, if you want to save some money, there is one clear choice: purchasing and using a retrofit kit.
A retrofit lighting kit helps reduce costs by simplifying the transformation process. Installing a brand new lighting system or replacing your existing fixtures with new equipment gives you flexibility. But it’s expensive. A retrofit kit allows you to use your current infrastructure.
You won’t need to touch wiring, poles, or fixtures in most cases. Retrofitting cuts down on installation and labor costs and the need to purchase new materials. The result is new LEDs for a fraction of the cost.
If you’re considering a retrofit kit, you should consult a professional early in the process. You will ensure you make the right choice for your setup.
2 - Cut your sports lighting maintenance spend
One of the highest costs of running a sports facility for tennis is the maintenance.
With ball-impact resistant LED lights, your school’s or municipality’s tennis courts can reach near-zero maintenance on your lighting system. The truth is, LED lights for tennis courts are simple. Aside from removing dust and dirt from the lenses, there isn’t much to do in upkeep.
Just look out for direct impact from tennis rackets – especially if the competition gets heated!
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3 - Reduce your utility bill
LEDs use around 75% less energy than traditional metal halide lights, resulting in considerable savings on your electric bill. Retrofitting your tennis court lighting with LEDs can save your school or municipality up to 60% on your energy costs.
Upgrading your lighting to LEDs allows you to tap into a powerful illumination technology. LED lighting output is far higher than HID (lumens per watt), so you can use lower wattage lights that consume less energy.
Here’s what you need to light your court:
- For HID lights: 8 x 1000w metal-halide sports lighters
- For LED lights: 8 x 300w fixtures
Your school or municipality can reduce your overall run costs by reducing the wattage you’re using. To understand running costs, we need to do a little math:
Running costs = electricity cost (kwh) x wattage required to light up the court x hours of use
Here’s a breakdown of the average running costs of HID vs. LED:
- HID: $0,12cnt x 8,000w x 4 hours per day = $3,84 per day, $691,20 per year (180 days)
- LED: $0,12cnt x 2400w x 4 hours per day = $1,15 per day, $207 per year (180 days)
- Cost savings per year: $484,20 (-70%)
4 - Take advantage of subsidies and grants for sports lighting
In recent years, the government has dedicated funds to help communities build and upgrade their sports facilities.
These governmental funds are great news for schools and municipalities looking to install LED sports lighting. Your team can easily cover the cost of retrofitting your tennis court lighting.
As a green option for lighting, just like solar power or drought-tolerant landscaping, athletic field LED lighting projects are often eligible for subsidies and grants. There are plenty of resources online for you to find local, state, and federal programs to help you take advantage of the cost benefits of LED lighting.
Read more about grants, rebates and tax incentives for led lighting projects in our separate article.
LED Sports Lighting Buyer's Guide
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5 - ROI calculation for a LED tennis court lighting retrofit project
Wondering what the ROI for your tennis court LED retrofit project will be? Here are some typical figures to help you calculate the payback period for your project:
1.The total lifetime cost of led tennis court lighting retrofitting:
- LED retrofitting installation cost: $18,400 – $42,600
- LED operating and maintenance cost: $2,898 (14 years)
2. Next, you need to consider potential grants, subsidies, and tax deductions:
Typical tax deductions run $0.60 per sq ft.
Given that the average tennis court size is 2106 sq ft., that’s $1263.60 of deductions for a single court.
3. When planning your retrofitting project, it’s useful to think of the big picture. Understanding the lifetime cost of your new lights is essential for calculating your ROI. Here are some averages to help:
- LED total lifetime cost: $20,034 – $42,785
- LED total lighting cost per year (14 years): $1,431 – $3,160
4. Lastly, you need to measure these numbers against the costs to replace or renew HID or MH lights:
- Cost to purchase and replace HID lamps: $12,000 – $32,000
- Operating and maintenance cost: $4,838,40
- HID/MH total lifetime cost: $16,838,40 – $36,838,40
- HID/MH total lighting cost per year (7 years): $2,405 – $5,262
Conclusion:
While there are some high costs upfront for making a move to LEDs, the long-term operating costs are significantly lower.
6 - Go for the green option
Sustainability and choosing the “green option” is a critical topic for communities and populations. By choosing LEDs, your municipality or school can take a stand for sustainability and reduce your carbon footprint.
HID lighting, such as metal-halide, consume copious amounts of energy. This results in a significant carbon footprint for these lighting types.
On the other hand, LEDs are much more efficient than HID lights. You can give your voters and community members a sustainable choice they crave.
7 - Upgrade your tennis court lighting quality to the next level
One of the benefits of LEDs for your tennis court is total control over the look and feel of the lighting. With new technologies, you can sculpt a high-level experience for your players and spectators alike.
Here are a few of the options you can control:
- Color rendering
- Color temperature
Plus, with a remote control system, you can set instant on/off, timing schedules, dimming, and control glare – which all help your facility become more efficient and enjoyable.
8 - Increase the lifespan of your lighting system
The lifespan of an LED lighting system is a great improvement over older technologies. When compared to HID, your investment is protected for many years:
- LED tennis court lighting: 50,000 – 100,000 hours of use
- Lifespan around 14 years
- HID lighting systems: around 10,000 – 20,000 hours of use
- Lifespan typically around 7 years
LED tennis court lighting retrofit companies
LED retrofitting experts are masters at enhancing tennis court lighting, ensuring unparalleled visual clarity for players, officials, and spectators. Retrofitting tennis courts with LEDs is crucial for achieving consistent and shadow-free illumination, reducing glare, and enhancing the playing experience. Working with professionals who are well-versed in the specific lighting nuances of tennis courts is paramount. These experts design solutions tailored exclusively for tennis environments, ensuring that players can showcase their skills under optimal lighting conditions and that fans can watch matches without any visual disruptions.
Pro tip: If you are currently looking for a reliable and knowledgeable sports lighting vendor, try our sports lighting partner finder and get connected with suitable lighting partners.
Get Your LED Sports Lighting Project Started
We’ve created a comprehensive set of tools designed to assist facility managers and project planners in initiating their projects and connect them with the professionals in the industry.
Get a cost estimate before you kick off your LED tennis court lighting retrofit project
Before you start applying for subsidies and grants or contacting potential lighting contractors, we strongly recommend trying our led tennis lighting cost calculator to get a better idea of your overall project costs.
Our team works closely with some of the country’s top tennis court lighting professionals. We can also connect you with a pro today!
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