What GR (Glare Rating) Is Acceptable for LED Sports Floodlights Under EN 12193?
Glare control is a key part of professional sports lighting because excessive glare can reduce visual comfort and affect players, officials, and spectators. EN 12193 specifies glare-rating requirements for sports lighting and requires the GR value to be calculated from agreed observer positions and viewing angles.
What Is GR?
GR, or Glare Rating, is a metric used to evaluate discomfort glare from outdoor sports lighting installations. A lower GR indicates better glare control.
EN 12193 states that outdoor GR values should be calculated for agreed observer positions and angles of view, rather than evaluating the floodlight in isolation.
This is important because the same LED floodlight can produce different glare results depending on its mounting height, aiming angle, pole position, beam angle, and observer location .
What GR Value Is Acceptable?
There is no single GR limit for every sport and lighting class . The applicable value should be taken from the relevant EN 12193 requirements for the specific sport and installation.
As a general reference, GR 50 is a common maximum value for many higher-class sports applications , while some Class III applications permit values around GR 55 .
Therefore, it is better to specify:
GR ≤ the value required for the particular sport and lighting class
rather than simply assuming that every stadium must achieve GR ≤50.
How Can 41SL Help Control Glare?
The FORTOMO 41SL is available in 300W, 400W, and 500W , with approximately 45,000–75,000 lumens and multiple beam options from 7° to 45° .
Choosing the correct optic can help control the direction and spread of the light. For example, narrower beams can be useful for long-distance projection from high poles, while wider beams can provide broader field coverage.
However, beam angle alone does not determine GR . The complete lighting layout must be evaluated.
Factors That Affect Sports Lighting GR
When designing a 41SL installation, engineers should consider:
- Mounting height
- Pole location
- Floodlight aiming angle
- Beam angle
- Number of luminaires
- Observer positions
- Field geometry
- Nearby viewing areas
- Light source shielding
EN 12193 also notes that luminaire positioning and screening may require special attention where players need to look upward.
GR Should Be Verified by Photometric Simulation
A floodlight's catalogue specification cannot by itself guarantee a particular GR result.
For a professional football, tennis, cricket, rugby, or multi-sport project, the designer should model the actual 41SL configuration and installation layout using photometric software. GR should then be checked from the specified observer positions.
This approach also allows the designer to balance illuminance, uniformity, glare, beam distribution, and light spill at the same time.
Choosing 41SL for Sports Lighting
The 41SL provides flexible optical configurations and high output for international sports lighting projects. Its 300–500W power range and 7°–45° optics allow designers to adapt the fixture to different pole heights and field layouts.
For projects designed under EN 12193, the target GR should be established at the beginning of the lighting design rather than treated as an after-installation check.
In practice, good GR performance comes from the combination of the right floodlight, optic, mounting position, aiming strategy, and photometric design—not simply from selecting a fixture with a particular wattage.