Excel Tennis
Project location: Bath
Project Background Brief:
Excel Tennis at Bath is a pay as you play Tennis Facility, boasting multiple courts including four facilitated by a dome allowing dry indoor play throughout the winter months. The Courts are split into two blocks of two courts, back to back to each other, which were lit by 8no 10m lighting columns masts each boasting 2no 2kW metal halides which were 20+ years old.
The client were experiencing regular and frequent lamp failures, which were not only costly in terms of the forever increasing price of the replacement lamps and labour for changing them, but with this technology becoming fast obsolete it was becoming harder and harder to source replacement lamps and other parts required. Not just this, but with the domes used for indoor winter play, should there be floodlights not working then this could cause down time of the dome which generates a revenue for the club through pay as you play as opposed to membership. PPG Projects were commissioned during the summer months to upgrade the floodlighting to LED Tennis Lighting, to eliminate the maintenance and increase light levels to above the LTA Recommended Standards.
Particular Challenges:
The project was procured during COVID restrictions, but when playing Tennis had been permitted so the courts were regularly busy, especially with the warm Summer Weather and a Beach Bar Facility that had been introduced temporarily. In addition to this, with the Autumn fast approaching the club wanted to put their dome back up so it was essential that the project was completed to a timescale which meant the new Floodlighting would be installed prior to the clubs scheduled date for reinstalling the dome.
To ensure the project was delivered on time, we liaised with our supply chain to ensure delivery of materials could be fast tracked to ensure that both materials and labour were allocated within a programme period that would ensure completion. With regards to court downtime, our programme was carefully constructed in liaison with the client for phased working, which meant courts could still be in use and the club could generate revenue, even whilst the project was being carried out.
Special Project Features:
Both blocks of courts that we worked on are covered by an air dome throughout the winter months when the weather is often inclement. With the locations of the columns and both the tilt and angling of our floodlights were considered so that the best solution was achieved ”indoors” when play is conducted within the dome.
