IN Brief:
- The first phase covers the Barwell Stand and associated hospitality, corridor, staff, toilet, and operational spaces.
- The installation is forecast to save up to £9,000 and almost 15 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
- A mixture of DALI-controlled downlights, panels, bulkheads, strips, and emergency packs was selected for different operating areas.
Collingwood Lighting has completed the first phase of a stadium LED refurbishment for Northampton Saints, covering the Barwell Stand and a range of hospitality, circulation, staff, and operational areas.
The installation extends across spectator seating, corporate hospitality rooms, corridors, offices, toilets, kitchens, storage areas, and other public spaces. Different colour temperatures, distributions, control arrangements, and luminaire types were selected to match the function of each environment.
Annual carbon emissions are forecast to fall by almost 15 tonnes during the first phase, with operating-cost savings of up to £9,000 and an estimated payback period of approximately 19 months.
A complete stadium conversion is projected to reduce annual emissions by around 60 tonnes. Northampton Saints has committed to halving its emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2040 under the UN Sports for Climate Action framework.
Hospitality spaces and the Tunnel Club use 3000K Thea Pro downlights with DALI control and LED strip lighting. The warmer colour temperature supports customer-facing areas, while addressable control permits dimming, zoning, scene setting, and adjustment for different events.
Corridors, toilets, kitchens, storage rooms, and other functional spaces use 4000K equipment, including Thea Pro downlights, Solis LED panels, and Caiman bulkheads. Emergency packs have been incorporated into selected fittings where life-safety provision is required.
Different spaces require different operating strategies
A stadium contains several distinct lighting environments rather than one uniform installation. Hospitality rooms require adaptable scenes and accurate colour rendering, circulation areas need consistent illumination and clear wayfinding, kitchens require suitable task lighting, and public spaces must remain safe during periods of high occupancy.
Operating patterns vary just as widely. Some rooms are occupied throughout the working week, while others experience concentrated demand around fixtures and events, so scheduling, occupancy sensing, and local override arrangements must reflect actual use.
DALI allows luminaires to be grouped independently of the fixed power-circuit layout. Scenes can be programmed for hospitality, cleaning, maintenance, presentations, and event operation, provided addressing information and commissioning records remain available to the facilities team.
Commissioning must therefore extend beyond confirming that each fitting illuminates. Light levels, dimming ranges, sensor coverage, fade times, emergency operation, and user controls need to be tested within the completed spaces and adjusted around real operating conditions.
Emergency lighting carries a separate performance obligation. Fittings equipped with emergency packs must operate following loss of normal supply, provide the required duration, and support the inspection and testing regime applied to escape routes and open areas.
Refurbishment within an operating stadium also imposes access and phasing constraints. Installation must be coordinated around fixtures, hospitality bookings, staff activity, security, and public access, while temporary isolation cannot be allowed to interrupt unrelated services.
Savings depend on use, controls, and maintenance
The projected payback reflects both lower connected load and the operating hours accumulated by the previous lighting. Preparation, cleaning, administration, hospitality, and events can produce substantial annual usage even when the stadium is not hosting a match.
Controls can extend the energy saving by reducing full-output operation when spaces are vacant or daylight is available. Their contribution depends on correct programming and continued use, since permanent overrides or poorly adjusted sensors can erode the anticipated reduction.
Maintenance savings form another part of the lifecycle case. Longer LED service intervals reduce lamp replacement and the need for access equipment, although drivers, emergency batteries, control devices, and complete luminaires still require inspection and eventual replacement.
Product continuity becomes particularly important during a phased programme. Later sections need to remain visually and electrically compatible with the first installation, while replacement products must integrate with the selected DALI controls and emergency-testing arrangements.
Northampton Saints has already installed more than 800 solar panels and purchases zero-carbon electricity, while rainwater collection and improved insulation form part of the wider building programme. Efficient lighting reduces electricity use during evening events when photovoltaic generation may be low or absent.
Future phases will need to address additional stands, concourses, external routes, specialist sports lighting, plant spaces, and back-of-house facilities. Each area will present different requirements for glare, ingress protection, impact resistance, colour quality, emergency operation, and control.
Post-completion measurement will establish whether the forecast savings are realised. Sub-metering, control-system data, operating-hour records, and electricity bills can separate lighting reductions from changes in event schedules, occupancy, or other building loads.
The Barwell Stand establishes the first operating section of a broader stadium conversion. Its combination of efficient luminaires, addressable control, and emergency provision provides a technical basis that can be adapted as the programme moves into areas with different environmental and operational demands.