Swimming Pool

Principles
Standards and Applications

Swimming Pool Lighting Lux Levels, Regulations & Designer Guide

No matter for new swimming pool installation or existing maintenance, lighting is an indispensable part. Having a proper lux level for swimming pool or aquatic center is important because the swimmers & lifeguard cab see clearly above or underwater. If the pool or stadium is designed for professional competitions such as Olympic Games or FINA World Swimming Championships, the brightness regulation would be more rigorous, as the lux level should be maintained at least 750 to 1000 lux. This article is providing you an ultimate guide on how to light up the swimming pool, and how to select the luminaires that are compiled to the regulations.

1. Lux (Brightness) Level of Swimming Pool Lighting in Different Areas

The first step of swimming pool lighting design is to take a look at the lux level requirement.

Swimming Pool Areas	Lux Levels
Private or Public Pool	200 to 500 lux
Competition Aquatic Center (Indoor) / Olympic-size Swimming Pool	500 to 1200 lux
4K Broadcasting	> 2000 lux
Training Pool	200 to 400 lux
Spectator Area	150 lux
Changing Room & Bathroom	150 to 200 lux
Swimming Pool Aisle	250 lux
Chlorine Storage Room	150 lux
Equipment Storage (Heat Pump)	100 lux

As we can see from the above table, the IES lighting requirement for recreational swimming pool is approx. 500 lux, while the brightness standard raises to 1000 to 1200 lux for competition aquatic center. High lux value is required for professional swimming pool because bright lighting provides better environment for broadcasting & photo shooting. It also means that the cost of swimming pool lighting is higher because we need to install more luminaires on the ceiling to provide adequate illumination.
Aside from the pool area, we also need to maintain sufficient brightness for spectators. According to IES regulations again, the lux level of swimming pool’s spectator area is around 150 lux. This level is adequate for the audiences to reading text on the seat. Besides, it is observed that the other areas such as changing room, aisle and chemical storeroom has lower lux value. It is because such the blinding lux level lighting would irritate the swimmers or staff.
2. How Many Watt of Lighting Do I Need to Light Up the Swimming Pool?

After taking a look at the lux level of the lighting, we may still have no idea on how many pieces or power of lights do we need. Taking the Olympic-size swimming pool as an example. Since the size of the pool is 50 x 25 = 1250 sq. meters, we will need 1250 sq. meter x 1000 lux = 1,250,000 lumens to light up the 9 lanes. Since the lighting efficiency of our LED lights is around 140 lumens per watt, the estimated power of swimming pool lighting = 1,250,000/140 = 8930 watt. However, this is just the theoretically value. We will need extra power of lighting for the spectator seat and the area surrounding the swimming pool. Sometimes, we will need to add around 30% to 50% more watt to the lights to satisfy the IES swimming pool lighting requirement.
3.How to replace swimming pool lighting?

Sometimes we would like to replace the metal halide, mercury vapor or halogen flood lights inside swimming pool. Metal halide lights have many limitations such as lower life span and long warm up time. If you are using metal halide lights, you will experience that it takes around 5 to 15 minutes to reach the full brightness. However, it is not the case after LED replacement. Your swimming pool will reach maximum brightness instantly after switching on the lights.

To replace the pool lights, one of the major considerations is the power equivalent of metal halide, or your existing lighting fixtures. For instance, our 100 watt LED light can replace 400W metal halide, and our 400W LED is equivalent to 1000W MH. By using the new lighting having similar lumen & lux output, the pool or spectator seat will not be too bright or too dim. Besides, the reduction in power consumption saves tons of electricity cost of swimming pool.

Another incentive of retrofitting swimming pool lighting fixture to LED is that we can save up to 75% energy. Since our LED has a high luminous efficacy of 140 lm/W. Under the same power consumption, LED emits brighter lights than metal halide, halogen or other conventional lighting solutions.

4. Color Temperature & CRI of Pool Lighting

Color of the lights does matter inside swimming pool, the table below summaries the recommended color temperature in different scenario.

Type of Swimming Pool	Light Color Temperature Requirement	CRI	Comments
Recreational / Public Pool	4000K	70	For swimming holding non-televised competitions. 4000K is soft and comfortable to see. The light color is like what we can see in the morning.
Competition Pool (Televised)	5700K	>80 (R9 >80)	For international competition such as Olympic Games and FINA events.
Customized Application	7500K	>80	By using the 7500K lighting, the water becomes bluer, which is favorable to the audience.

Products Recommended

Swimming Pool Lighting Standards

Lighting standards for swimming, diving, water polo, and synchronized swimming venues

Grade

Use function

Illuminance (lx)

Illumination uniformity

Light Source

Evmin

Evmax

Uvmin

Uvmax

Tcp(K)

Training and recreational activities

200

–

0.3

–

≥65

–

Amateur competition, professional training

300

0.3

0.5

≥65

≥4000

III

Professional competition

500

0.4

0.6

≥65

≥4000

TV broadcast national and international competitions

–

1000

750

0.5

0.7

0.4

0.6

0.3

0.5

≥80

≥4000

TV broadcasts major, international competitions

–

1400

1000

0.6

0.8

0.5

0.7

0.3

0.5

≥80

≥4000

HDTV broadcast major, international competition

–

2000

1400

0.7

0.8

0.6

0.7

0.4

0.6

≥90

≥5500

–

TV emergency

–

750

–

0.5

0.7

0.3

0.5

–

≥80

≥4000

Remark：

1. Should avoid artificial light and natural light reflected by the water surface to cause glare to athletes, referees, cameras and spectators.
2. The reflectance of the walls and ceiling is not less than 0.4 and 0.6, respectively, and the reflectance of the bottom of the pool should not be less than 0.7.
3. Should ensure that the area around the swimming pool is 2 meters, and the 1 meter height area has sufficient illumination.
4. The values of V grade Ra and Tcp of outdoor venues should be the same as VI grade.
Vertical illuminance of swimming (maintenance value)

Shooting distance 25m 75m 150m

Type A 400lux 560lux 800lux
Illuminance ratio and uniformity

Ehaverage : Evave = 0.5~2 (For reference plane)
Evmin : Evmax ≥0.4 (For reference plane)
Ehmin : Ehmax ≥0.5 (For reference plane)
Evmin : Evmax ≥0.3 (Four directions for each grid point)
Remarks:

1. Glare index UGR<50 for Outdoor only,
2. Main area (PA): 50m x 21m (8 Swim lanes), or 50m x 25m (10 Swim lanes), Safe area, 2 meters wide around the swimming pool.
3. Total Division (TA): 54m x 25m (or 29m).
4. There is a diving pool nearby, the distance between the two places should be 4.5 meters.

II The way to lay lights

Indoor swimming and diving halls usually consider the maintenance of lamps and lanterns, and generally do not arrange lamps and lanterns above the water surface, unless there is a dedicated maintenance channel above the water surface. For venues that do not require TV broadcasting, the lamps are often scattered under the suspended ceiling, roof truss or on the wall beyond the surface of the water. For venues that require TV broadcasting, the lamps are generally arranged in a light strip arrangement, that is, above the pool banks on both sides. Longitudinal horse tracks, horizontal horse tracks are arranged above the pool banks at both ends. In addition, it is necessary to set an appropriate amount of lamps under the diving platform and springboard to eliminate the shadow formed by the diving platform and springboard, and focus on the diving sports warm-up pool.

(A) outdoor soccer field

It should be emphasized that the diving sport should not arrange lamps above the diving pool, otherwise a mirror image of the lights will appear in the water, causing light interference to the athletes and affecting their judgment and performance.

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In addition, due to the unique optical characteristics of the water medium, the glare control of swimming pool venue lighting is more difficult than other types of venues, and it is also particularly important.

a) Control the reflected glare of the water surface by controlling the projection angle of the lamp. Generally speaking, the projection angle of lamps in the gymnasium is not greater than 60°, and the projection angle of lamps in the swimming pool is not greater than 55°, preferably not greater than 50°. The greater the angle of incidence of light, the more light reflected from the water.

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b) Glare control measures for diving athletes. For diving athletes, the venue range includes 2 meters from the diving platform and 5 meters from the diving board to the water surface, which is the entire trajectory space of the diving athlete. In this space, the venue lights are not allowed to have any uncomfortable glare to the athletes.

c) Strictly control the glare to the camera. That is, the light on the surface of the still water must not be reflected into the field of view of the main camera, and the light emitted by the lamp should not be directed at the fixed camera. It is more ideal if it does not directly illuminate the 50° sector area centered on the fixed camera.

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d) Strictly control the glare caused by the mirror image of lamps in water. For swimming and diving halls that require TV broadcasting, the competition hall has a large space. The venue lighting fixtures generally use metal halide lamps above 400W. The mirror brightness of these lamps in the water is very high. If they appear in athletes, referees, and camera audiences Inside, all will produce glare, affecting the quality of the game, watching the game and broadcasting. Swimming Pool4