Sustainable Lighting Control with UrbaSens Play

Lighting areas for recreational sports has always been a game of balance. We want well-lit spaces that feel safe and let people play and train whenever they can. On the other hand, we’ve got growing concerns about energy waste, light pollution, and what all that means for local wildlife and our planet.

Achieving this mindful balance was our core driving factor when developing UrbaSens Play. We wanted to create a simple, intuitive way to bring exceptional illumination to outdoor recreational sport environments, but only where it's needed and only when it's needed.

Across Europe, roughly 30% of light output is wasted as light pollution. That’s not damaging to ecosystems and the night sky, it’s an energy problem too. In fact, this waste racks up €3.3 billion in extra energy costs each year and generates 21 million tonnes of CO₂. That’s the equivalent of needing 875 million trees just to balance things out.

Evening runs, late-night football games and early morning fitness routines are all on the rise and all of these activities rely on good, safe lighting. But therein lies the challenge of creating balance between improving a communities perception of safety, the needs of local biodiversity, the night sky and energy savings.

UrbaSens Play helps significantly in managing this challenge. It lets you control lighting with real precision. If you’ve only got a handful of people on one tennis court, then that’s all you light. If only one end of a hall is being used for gymnastics, you can dial up the light in just that area, leaving the rest dimmed or off altogether.

Through Bluetooth control and an easy-to-use mobile app, facility managers and authorised users of the technology can switch zones on or off, adjust light levels, and tailor lighting to specific sports.

Of course, there’s more to sustainability than just cutting down your electricity bill. Light spill, especially at night, has a huge impact on wildlife. Many nocturnal species depend on darkness to hunt, hide, or rest. Constant, unnecessary lighting disrupts those rhythms.

That’s why UrbaSens Play is aligned with the mission of DarkSky International. Together, they’ve helped refine how lighting is directed, when it’s on, and how much is used. As a result, we’ve been able to bring UrbaSens Play to market to offer protection for local biodiversity and a clearer night sky for everyone.

When lighting recreational sporting environments, it’s essential that the installation helps to create a feeling of confidence and safety. Whether it’s a quiet jog around the local athletics track or a bustling skate park in the evening, having just the right amount of light makes all the difference.

When people feel safe, they’re more likely to use these spaces and when the lighting is tailored to actual use rather than just being on a timer or switch, everyone benefits, from local councils to grassroots sports clubs and all the way to national training centres.

You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use UrbaSens Play. The app is designed for easy day-to-day control. Switch lights on or off, tweak schedules, or fine-tune the output depending on the sport or event. The system even allows for luminaire grouping, so if you want to light up just the skate park or just the back three tennis courts, it’s a breeze.

Even better, the system is designed to retrofit into existing lighting setups. So if you’ve already got good luminaires with Zhaga D4i driver, there’s no need for a full replacement. Just hook up with UrbaSens Play and you’re good to go.

Sports venues are busy places, with a wide array of activities being undertaken at any point in time. Sometimes it’s training, sometimes a local league match, sometimes just a kick-about. Lighting needs change constantly.

The modular design of UrbaSens Play means it can grow with your space. Whether it's a multi-use indoor hall, an outdoor football pitch, or even a national training ground, the system scales up (or down) to suit your needs. That flexibility enables you to plan ahead for your ever changing facilities.