SPIE UK, a subsidiary of SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, was awarded the contract to install new floodlights at Tynecastle Park, home of the Heart of Midlothian Football Club, as part of a major renovation programme at the ground as the club return to the Scottish Premier League.

The 176 halogen floodlights have been replaced with just 56 ArenaVision LED gen3.5 800 lux lamps which ensures that the lighting conforms with the Scottish Football Association’s 800 lux Eh Gold Criteria. The design of the lighting allows for the addition of more lamps in the future, which meets UEFA Level B criteria and qualifies the ground for hosting a wider array of games.

As well as illuminating the action, the new lighting solution will help Heart of Midlothian Football Club significantly reduce its impact on the environment. With the change to the more energy efficient LED lights, more than 34,000 kilos of CO2e could be saved each year. This stems from a calculated energy saving of circa 78 percent, which could also deliver an approximate cost saving in excess of £125,000 for the football club over ten years.

The new lighting system ensures that Tynecastle Park is ready for the future. New four-way TP&N 100 Amp distribution boards have been added to the stanchions upon which the lights are fitted. With the new distribution boards and the spare space on the floodlight gantry, Heart of Midlothian have the ability to add more lights to accommodate changing regulations or have the ability to install specialist lights and management software to enable the light shows common at many large stadiums.

According to Jim Skivington, Divisional Managing Director, SPIE UK, “Having provided Heart of Midlothian Football Club with facilities management services for the past five years, we were delighted to be invited to help them upgrade the lighting at Tynecastle Park as they prepare for a successful return to Scotland’s top division. Football clubs are like any other organisation, in that they have to take their responsibility to the environment seriously. We are pleased to help them significantly reduce their energy expenditure and carbon emissions. There were challenges with the Scottish weather and working under COVID-19 secure measures, but the team completed the upgrade to the highest standard. I hope that, when they can return, fans appreciate watching their beloved club in even sharper focus.”

“It is an exciting time for everyone here at Heart of Midlothian, so it was pleasing to work with SPIE, with whom we already have such a strong partnership, to replace the floodlights at Tynecastle Park,” said Derek Ferrier, Stadium Manager from Heart of Midlothian Football Club. Derek continued, “We are keenly aware of the role the club plays in the community and the responsibility we have to wider society, so to be able to deliver such a large carbon saving is very rewarding.”