The training grounds of the Red Bull Football Academy in Salzburg, Austria have been outfitted with environmentally friendly floodlights from Signify and STICH.

Providing their students with superior training in optimal conditions is their number one goal, but the academy also sought a way to carry on late-night and early-morning trainings that weren’t disruptive to the nocturnal creatures populating the surrounding area.

(Image: Signify)

Artificial light from outdoor facilities often create light pollution for nocturnal animals and insects, altering the nighttime habitat, negatively impacting reproduction behaviors and reducing populations.

For example, insects such as moths are highly sensitive to lighting with a high proportion of blue in the color spectrum. The Vereins zum Schutz der Umwelt (Association for the Protection of the Environment) recommends warm white light tones that don’t exceed 3,000 K.

In addition to the environmental aspect, the academy’s LED floodlights offer advantages compared to conventional floodlights. These include lower energy consumption, a longer life, and less glare for residents and the environment. These floodlights demonstrate how it’s possible to meet customer needs while at the same time respecting the environment.

Signify has also involved in an animal-friendly lighting project in 2018 for the Dutch town of Zuidhoek-Nieuwkoop. Signify helps to installed lights that emit a red color, which is bat friendly and its wavelength does not interfere with the bat’s internal compass, fundamental for safe nighttime navigation.

From bats to moths to people, Signify’s lighting solutions can meet the needs of multiple parties. And for the Red Bull Football Academy, their on-pitch wins now translate into a win for the surrounding winged creatures, who can now conduct their nightly business unbothered.