Design volleyball lighting to support player safety, fair play, officiating and—if needed—broadcast-quality coverage. In Australia the primary technical reference is AS 2560.2:2021 (Sports lighting — Part 2: Specific applications); venue-level requirements (recreation → club → national → international) and measurement methods come from that Standard and from sport governing bodies such as FIVB and state federations. Standards
Key standards & references
- AS 2560.2:2021 — Sports lighting, Part 2: Specific applications. This is the Australian Standard that sets design, measurement and performance guidance for sports lighting (to be used together with AS 2560.1: general principles). Published 27 Aug 2021.
- FIVB Official Rules / Event Regulations. FIVB specifies minimum lighting and measurement methods for international events (see the lighting clause in the Official Rules / Event Regulations).
- State / national facility guidance. Example: Volleyball WA’s Facility Guidelines (tiers, minimums and show-court requirements) — useful for practical venue specifications in Australia.
Recommended illuminance (practical guidance)
All illuminance (lux) values below are horizontal illuminance measured at 1 m above the playing surface unless otherwise stated (this is the normal measurement plane for volleyball). See the Standards and FIVB rules for exact measurement grids and maintained vs initial lux conventions. FIVBEquipNorm
| Level of use | Typical target (horizontal maintained illuminance) — practical guidance |
|---|---|
| Social / training / low-level (Tier 3) | ~150–300 lux (sufficient for recreational play and training) |
| Club / competition (Tier 2) | ~300–500 lux (recommended for regular competition & club leagues). Volleyball WA lists minimum 300 lux for standard indoor competition tiers. |
| National / televised matches | 500–1000 lux (higher levels for clearer visibility, replays and broadcast) |
| FIVB / World & Official international competitions | Not less than 2000 lux measured at 1 m for FIVB-major events (show courts / broadcast). |
Notes: industry suppliers and designers often provide narrower targets within the ranges above depending on whether the venue needs broadcast lighting, multi-sport use or energy/maintenance constraints. Stadium Lights ProHalliday Lighting
Uniformity, glare, colour & other performance criteria
When designing lighting, AS 2560 (and good practice) requires attention to several metrics beyond average lux:
- Uniformity ratios — AS guidance requires a minimum uniformity (e.g., minimum/average or minimum/maximum ratios) so the ball’s flight and court markings remain consistently visible. (Exact uniformity figures depend on the level of play and are specified in the Standard.).
- Glare control — fixtures and aiming must minimise direct glare to players and officials (important for high ball lobs and serves). AS 2560 addresses glare control and acceptable limits.
- Colour rendering (CRI) and Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) — high CRI (≥80 recommended; higher for broadcast) helps accurate team-colour discrimination. Choose a CCT appropriate for the venue (typically 4000K–5700K for indoor sports).
- Flicker and dimming — for broadcast and slow-motion replay, low flicker and controlled dimming are essential (specify LED drivers and controls accordingly).
Measurement & reporting — what inspectors look for
- Measure illuminance on a regular grid over the playing area (AS 2560 prescribes point spacing and grid layouts). Report average (mean) maintained illuminance, minimum, and uniformity ratios.
- For high-level events use the 1 m above surface measurement plane (FIVB / AS convention).
Practical design tips
- Design for the highest intended use of the venue (e.g., if you plan to host televised events, design for broadcast levels or a dimmable staged system).
- Use asymmetric optics and careful aiming to improve uniformity and reduce spill/obtrusive light to neighbours.
- Prefer LED luminaires with quality optics and good thermal management — modern LEDs improve uniformity, life and energy use compared to older HID systems. Jasstech Sports and Commercial Lighting
- Consider control systems (zoning, dimming, preset scenes) for training vs match vs broadcast modes.
Compliance checklist (quick)
- Confirm the target level of play (recreation → club → national → international).
- Consult AS 2560.1 (general principles) + AS 2560.2:2021 (specific applications) for measurement & performance methods.
- Specify required average maintained lux and uniformity ratios in tender documentation.
- Require lighting layout and verification report from supplier with measurement grid results and photometric files (IES/LDT).
- Include controls, glare mitigation, CRI/CCT and maintenance plan in the spec.
Example — quick spec snippet you can copy
Venue purpose: Club competition (Tier 2)
Target maintained illuminance: 350 lx (horizontal, measured at 1 m)
Uniformity (min/avg): ≥ 0.6 (or as per AS 2560 requirement for the chosen level)
Colour rendering: CRI ≥ 80 (for broadcast events CRI ≥ 90)
Measurement & verification: Measurements to follow AS 2560.2 grid; deliver photometric report and IES files.
Frequently asked questions
Q — Do I need 2000 lux for every competition?
A — No. 2,000 lux is an FIVB requirement for World/official competitions and show courts (broadcast level). Most club and state competitions typically use much lower targets (300–1,000 lux depending on level). Choose the design target based on the highest events you expect to host.
Q — What height should fixtures be mounted?
A — Mounting heights depend on venue geometry and optics. AS 2560 and good lighting practice give guidance — work with a sports lighting designer to model pole positions, aiming and mounting heights to meet uniformity without glare.