BC Place Field of Play Lighting Replacement Project shines bright
August 8th, 2019
The BC Place Field of Play Lighting Replacement Project was just announced as a Silver Award winner in the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) 2019 Awards of Excellence. These project‐specific awards “recognize the regional construction association’s finest member companies and feature industrial, commercial and institutional projects from across British Columbia.”
The Silver Award winners will be honoured at the Awards of Excellence Gala on October 28 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. At the gala, one Silver Award winner from each project category will be announced as the Gold Award winner in their respective category.
Field of Play Lighting Replacement
Completed in February 2019, the installation features a next-generation LED lighting system illuminating the field of play. The innovative lighting upgrade is designed to enhance the quality of event lighting for fans inside the venue and around the world via HD TV, save energy, reduce costs, improve operational efficiency and provide stunning production capabilities.
Features of the upgraded lighting system include:
World Class Lighting Quality
- Outstanding colour-rendering, temperature and uniformity for world class live events.
- Reduced glare and flicker-free, designed for super-slow-motion broadcast.
- Meets or exceeds requirements for international High Definition & 4K broadcast television,
as well as MLS, CFL, World Rugby and FIFA lighting standards.
Energy Savings & Sustainability
- Energy savings of more than 744,000kWh per year.
- Reduced annual energy consumption equivalent to 72 BC households.
- 15 million kWh over its rated lifetime.
Streamlined Maintenance & Reduced Costs
- LED fixtures designed to last more than 10x longer than metal-halide.
- Energy consumption reduced by more than 50% (projected).
- Advanced control of individual lighting fixtures.
- Remote monitoring and diagnostics.
Enhanced Technology & Functionality
- Improved fan experience, safety and comfort.
- Instant on-off control, precision dimming and tuning.
- Ability to create stunning lighting effects and shows synchronized with sound and music.
- Fully-integrated lighting shows within an intelligent, centralized dashboard.
Long Term Benefits
- Rated lifespan of approximately 81,000 hours.
- Protected by a comprehensive 25-year warranty.
- Versatile and flexible to ensure a long service life.
- High quality lighting helps create a safer and more comfortable environment for players,
fans and stadium staff at all events. - Positioning BC Place to continue attracting World Class events to British Columbia.
Project Background
In 2018, a review of the Field of Play (FOP) lighting system at BC Place identified a number of challenges, including areas of reduced or inconsistent lighting quality, high energy usage and maintenance costs, limited functionality compared to other world class facilities, and difficulty sourcing metal-halide bulbs for a system at the end of its life.
In fall 2018, PavCo worked with engineers and subject matter experts to plan and issue a public Request for Proposals (RFP) for qualified companies to bid on the opportunity to upgrade the field of play lighting system to a modern, energy efficient LED system that would meet the advanced requirements of a world class multipurpose stadium hosting a diverse range of international and community events on a year-round schedule. The open tender was awarded to Houle Electric based in Burnaby, B.C., in partnership with Musco Sports Lighting (an industry leader in sports lighting). The project was completed with the support BC Hydro.
The old lighting fixtures are being re-sold and repurposed (where possible) through the BC Government’s Asset Investment Recovery process, supporting the BC Government’s climate action initiatives.
Technical Overview
Number of LED Fixtures: 372 White + 36 colour (RGB)
Illuminance (Brightness): >2,000 Lux from Fixed Camera Positions
Colour Temperature: ~5,700K (Daylight) for Sports Broadcasting
Colour Rendering Index (CRI): >80
Life Span (rated): >81,000 hours. 25 year warranty.
Energy Savings: >50% reduction in energy usage. Minimum reduction of 744,000kWh per year.