A revolutionary use of technology is the new way-finding system that helps the flow of patrons around arenas and stadia as PAUL SAPSFORD reports.

ydney's Superdome will be the first stadium in the world to use photo-luminous way-finding systems. Paul Sapsford, director of Strategic Industries, a New Zealand company specialising in photo-luminous products, reports on how this new approach to way-finding will improve safety and increase incentives for patrons to use stadium facilities during events.

Photo-luminous way-finding systems help the flow of patrons around arenas and stadia via a revolutionary use of technology that until now has lit up children's toys. Called "ecoglo ", this environmentally friendly system of way finding eliminates the need for expensive electrical lighting of aisles, rows and exits. The patented ecoglo process seals a specially developed photo-luminescent substance onto aluminium, for use as stair nosing and aisle and seat numbering.

Ecoglo improves the quality of lighting in subdued and black-out conditions at a fraction of the cost of electrical light, the traditional energy source used for way finding. The low cost and easy installation of ecoglo allows stadium managers to take a flexible approach to way finding, depending on the nature of the event.

Strategic Industries' interest in way-finding stemmed from discussions with members of the stadium industry, particularly fire engineers, indicating that traditional way-finding is regarded as an expensive and maintenance-heavy area of stadium management.

To install electrically powered way-finding, concrete must be drilled for internal wiring, and expensive aisle lighting and stair protection developed to ensure safety from electrical risk and health and safety hazards. As the gradient of the seating increases, so does the cost to facility managers, because it means that more than one light is required to illuminate the steps between each row of seats. There are also significant ongoing maintenance costs along with observable wear and tear.

The prospect of losing their way forces patrons out of their comfort zone once the lights dim, and strengthens their incentive to stay seated. With a lack of clear directions for returning to their seats, they are less likely to leave their seat for a refreshment break, reducing potential facility income during an event.

Arena foyer (75k).

Sydney Superdome

Ecoglo's first major way-finding task will be to glow for the Sydney Superdome. Located in Sydney's Olympic Park, the indoor arena is being built and operated by major Australian Construction Company Abigroup. Abigroup utilises leading edge economic and environmental solutions to issues such as lighting, air conditioning, and security. This 20,000-seat arena will house the Sydney 2000 Olympic basketball and gymnastics competitions.

The state-of-the-art Superdome was developed in the context of a move towards performance-based criteria in the Australian building code - reflecting an international trend predominant in Europe and North America. This code no longer strictly prescribes rules for aspects of stadium design such as way finding, but enables fire engineers and architects to recommend solutions that are most suited to the purpose and objectives of the venue.

This more flexible building code allowed Abigroup the scope to investigate environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional stadium way-finding.

Electric lighting was not an attractive option. The Superdome uses an American approach to stadium seating, with no crossovers and many aisles, potentially requiring a huge number of aisle lights. The size of the Superdome - featuring four levels of patron seating in a building with an area of close to 20,000 square metres - meant electrical lighting would have to be wired over huge distances at substantial cost. Abigroup and the Millennium Group, which operates the stadium, would also have to conduct regular checks to make sure each light was working, and replace faulty lights.

For Richard Polkinghorne, senior design manager for Abigroup, photo-luminous aisle lighting and numbering was very attractive. With the help of fire engineers Marianne Foley and Hamish McLennan, of consulting firm Holmes Fire and Safety, Abigroup investigated alternatives to electrically lit way finding. Other options explored included spot lighting, which was rejected because it would distract both audience and performers during events.

Foley and McLennan recommended that a photo-luminous solution would best meet Abigroup's needs because it does not require electricity or expensive maintenance.

A photo-luminous system (50k)
had to satisfy stringent criteria.

The decision to support a photo-luminous system was not taken lightly. The Superdome is the first stadium to house a photo-luminous system for way-finding anywhere in the world. As a new option in such an important area of stadium design and management, the details of photo-luminous way-finding involved extensive discussions between Foley, the Olympic Coordination Authority overseeing the project, the New South Wales Fire Brigade and a Certification Consultant.

Their considerations led to criteria that would satisfy:

Strict fire safety and performance guidelines. These were set at an output from the photo-luminous material of 10 millicandelas per square metre measured 140 minutes after exposure to light. The charging light source is set at 120 lux (dull office light) and exposure lasts 30 minutes (120 lux is equivalent to approximately 11-foot candles).

Environmental standards. Eco-rating principles were developed taking into account the desirability of principles such as zero greenhouse effect, use of solar energy, recycling, use of biodegradable materials and durable materials.

Strategic Industries worked to meet the Holmes Fire and Safety specifications in developing the ecoglo photo-luminous system.

This process enabled Strategic Industries to tailor a system of stair nosing and aisle numbering that more than halved the cost that would have been faced if an electrically-sourced system had been installed. Cost reductions were also seen in a low maintenance program that required only cleaning.

Easy to install, the ecoglo stair nosings and disks will glue to almost any surface and last the lifetime of the stadium. Polkinghorne cites the lower expense and ecological soundness of the photo-luminous solution as essential features that convinced Abigroup to install the new system.

The Superdome will be completed in time for the Luciano Pavarotti concert in November, and it is booked for such varied entertainment as motocross and a 24-hour youth festival. The collaborative and tailored nature of the work Strategic Industries undertook with Abigroup led to the installation of ecoglo in Grahame Park Stadium, a 30,000-seat rugby league ground north of Sydney, currently under construction.

The potential of ecoglo for the stadium industry is enormous, particularly in the development of way-finding alternatives for emergencies. Strategic Industries is working with fire safety engineers and architects to develop the potential of other way-finding solutions such as exit signs and direction signage in stadiums and other public assembly venues.

The flexibility of ecoglo means there is also potential to serve the conference and trade show sectors. It also applies well to an exhibition environment because it is so easy to install. For instance, a warehouse to be converted to an exhibition space can be easily retrofitted, reducing the need for expensive and complicated wiring.

Arena bowl (65k).

Photo-Luminescence

Ecoglo consists of a suite of deceptively simple products, which are made up of a pigment that emits a steady green or blue luminescent glow.

The ecoglo way-finding system includes numbered disks for aisle and seat lighting, which can be attached to almost any surface, and stair nosings. The stair nosings are made up of a photo-luminous strip inserted within castellations or ridges to ensure protection from foot traffic.

The process of photo-luminescence allows certain substances to emit light after they have absorbed various kinds of energy. The process involves:

The absorption of energy - normally light. This causes the electrons of the atoms of the absorbing material to become excited and jump from the inner orbits of the atoms to the outer orbits;

When the electrons fall back to their original state, photons of light are emitted.

When primed with the appropriate levels of light, ecoglo systems are visible to patrons entering a darkened stadium from brightly lit external areas at 10 metres - after 140 minutes of black out in the stadium.

Crystals in the pigment provide ecoglo's luminescence. It is highly responsive to energy - for instance, an ecoglo aisle number disk will glow after being placed over a hot cup of coffee.

The crystals continue to glow until exhausting the energy they have absorbed, but can be recharged repeatedly by re-exposure to light - maintaining their luminescence for the life of the stadium. The pigment is non-radioactive, non-toxic, and responds to both solar and artificial light sources.

A hard, long-lasting finish protects the surface of the disks and nosings. The only maintenance required is cleaning, and the materials last the life of the stadium. The products can be used indoors and outdoors, are UV stable and are resistant to cleaning chemicals, high-pressure water cleaning, and a wide range of climatic conditions.

Strategic Industries, a New Zealand company, was formed in 1997. In establishing the company, the directors gained world-leading knowledge of photo-luminosity, focusing on both the mix of the luminous compound and the manufacturing equipment used to develop the way-finding devices.

The company invested in research to develop a unique pigment combined with other additives to enhance its luminosity and durability. Therefore, it is able to adjust the mix of the compound used depending on the nature of the system it is required for, and lower and higher-grade compounds can be developed depending on budget. Strategic Industries also designed and patented manufacturing plant that outputs finished product to a client's specifications.

The development of ecoglo means that patrons will be stepping out during games with much more confidence. It also means stadium managers and event organisers are secure in the knowledge that they have achieved greater safety at lower cost.

Stadium designers can now use photo-luminescence to create better performing, more cost-effective way-finding that is superior to the traditional electrical systems. Although it will not be able to shed light on the final score at a stadium, ecoglo lights the path for way-finding innovation.

Contact: Paul Sapsford, Strategic Industries Ltd,
email: pauls@maxim.co.nz

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