A court lighting report should show where the light goes, how evenly it is distributed and which assumptions produced the result. Before you compare quotations for tennis or padel lights, check that the reports describe the same court, playing standard and mounting arrangement.
A headline such as “500 lux” is not enough to compare two offers. This checklist helps club owners read the numbers and ask useful questions before ordering.
1. Check the drawing matches your site
Start with the dimensions, pole positions and mounting heights. For an indoor court, also check the roof geometry, suspension positions and surface reflectances used in the calculation. Confirm that the report names the exact fixture, optic and quantity being quoted.
For example, our TNS 200 outdoor tennis lighting includes a single-court example for a 37 × 15 m area with eight fixtures at a 12 m mounting height. A club with shorter poles or different spacing needs its own assessment; the example cannot simply be transferred unchanged.
2. Understand average, minimum and maximum lux
| Report value | What it tells you | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Average illuminance | The average calculated light level across the assessment grid | Which area and measurement plane does it cover? |
| Minimum illuminance | The lowest calculated value on that grid | Where is that point on the court? |
| Maximum illuminance | The highest calculated value on the grid | How does the distribution compare with the darker areas? |
Check the numerical grid alongside any coloured diagram. Colours are a useful visual aid, but two reports can use different colour scales. A similar-looking heat map does not necessarily mean similar performance.
3. Read the uniformity ratio correctly
Overall uniformity, commonly shown as U₀, is the minimum illuminance divided by the average illuminance for the stated assessment area. The DIALux explanation of uniformity describes this minimum-to-mean relationship.
Our TNS 200 example reports 303 lx minimum and 355 lx average. Dividing 303 by 355 gives approximately 0.85, matching the reported U₀. A report showing a different uniformity definition must be compared on that definition; do not substitute minimum-to-maximum for minimum-to-average.
A good ratio alone does not prove there is enough light: a consistently dim court can also be uniform. Review the light level and uniformity together against the agreed project requirements.
4. Ask whether the figures are initial or maintained
Lighting calculations may allow for reduced light output and dirt over time through a maintenance factor. Ask which factor was used, why it suits the installation and what cleaning or maintenance assumptions support it. DIALux describes the contributing factors in its maintenance-factor guidance.
Do not compare a new-installation result in one quotation with a maintained result in another without making the difference explicit. There is no single factor that is automatically correct for every venue.
5. Keep glare and spill light in the discussion
Ask what glare assessment has been carried out, from which viewing positions, and what the report does not assess. For outdoor courts, identify surrounding houses, paths and boundaries before the design is finalised. A court’s average lux figure does not describe the light reaching a neighbouring property.
The TNS 200 examples report a maximum glare rating of 24 and ULR of 0%. Those are results for the supplied example geometry, not a blanket promise of no glare or no light outside your court.
6. Match the quotation to the report
- Check fixture model, optics, quantity, mounting height and aiming.
- Confirm the intended playing level and the applicable design criteria.
- Separate fixture costs from poles, cabling, controls, transport and installation.
- Agree who checks the completed installation against the design.
- Keep the final drawing and aiming schedule for installation and future maintenance.
Does a lighting report certify my court?
A calculation predicts performance under stated assumptions. It does not by itself confirm that the installed court meets every competition, planning or electrical requirement. Agree the relevant criteria and the commissioning checks for your project.
Turn the report into a practical buying decision
For padel, compare our PDL 230 and PDL 320 example designs alongside the padel lighting cost guide. Tennis clubs can start with our indoor and outdoor tennis lighting comparison.
Send your court dimensions and existing lighting details to discuss a suitable design →