Two lighting projects in the Netherlands show what a photometric-led LED retrofit can achieve: a waste container yard lit by high-mast FLS floodlights, and an outdoor sports range where eight 2,000 W traditional floodlights were replaced by eight 800 W FL series LED luminaires — a 60% reduction in connected load with better visibility.
Project snapshot
| Project | Location | Application | Worldhand solution | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste & container transfer yard | Leeuwarden, Netherlands | Outdoor container handling yard, high-mast installation | LED Stadium Lights FLS Series on existing masts | Even illuminance over the handling area, sharp cut-off to neighbouring plots, no lamp replacement at height |
| Outdoor sports & driving range | Netherlands | Outdoor practice range and sports area | 8 × LED Stadium Lights FL2C Series (800 W) replacing 8 × 2,000 W traditional floodlights | 60% lower connected load, higher uniformity, instant full output |
Why Dutch projects are a demanding benchmark
The Netherlands is one of the toughest markets in Europe for outdoor lighting. Electricity prices are among the highest in the EU, so every watt of connected load is scrutinised. Municipalities enforce strict light-pollution rules (lichtvervuiling), which means upward light and spill towards homes are limited. At the same time, safety requirements for industrial yards and sports facilities keep rising.
That combination — high energy cost, tight light control and no compromise on safety — is exactly where a properly designed LED retrofit wins.
Case 1 — Waste and container yard, Leeuwarden
The situation
A waste transfer and container handling yard operating long hours, with trucks, loaders and containers moving through the site. The original installation used traditional high-mast floodlights: high wattage, warm-up delay after a power interruption, and lamp depreciation that quietly reduced light levels year after year.
The problems we were asked to solve
- Uneven light: bright pools under the masts with dark zones between them, which is unsafe where vehicles and pedestrians share the yard.
- Maintenance at height: every lamp failure meant a crane or cherry picker, plus a site shutdown.
- Energy cost: the yard was lit at full output for the whole shift regardless of activity.
- Light spill: neighbouring plots complained about glare from the masts.
What we did
We started with a Dialux photometric study of the actual yard geometry, then specified FLS series LED floodlights to sit on the existing mast positions and mounting heights. Using the existing masts avoided any civil works — the retrofit stayed inside the electrical and structural budget.
The key engineering decisions were:
- Asymmetric optics that push light down and across the handling area instead of up into the sky, which simultaneously improves uniformity and reduces spill towards the site boundary.
- Correct lumen packages per mast rather than one large fixture everywhere, so the illuminance distribution follows the traffic routes.
- Surge protection and IP66/IP67 sealing for a coastal, wet and dusty environment.
- A 5-year warranty so the maintenance saving is not eaten by early failures.
The result
Containers, vehicle paths and walkways are now lit to a consistent design level, with sharply reduced glare outside the site. Because the LED luminaires reach full output instantly and do not lose light the way the old lamps did, the site stays compliant at a fraction of the previous wattage. Lamp replacement at height disappeared from the maintenance schedule, and the client used the freed budget on yard operations instead.
Case 2 — Outdoor sports range: 8 × 2,000 W → 8 × 800 W
The situation
The second project is a Netherlands outdoor practice range and sports area lit by eight traditional 2,000 W floodlights. The customer’s complaint was familiar: the field looked bright from the car park but was patchy where players actually stood, the fitting list drew a heavy load, and restarting after a power dip meant waiting for the lamps to warm up.
The comparison
| Parameter | Before — traditional floodlights | After — Worldhand FL series LED |
|---|---|---|
| Number of luminaires | 8 | 8 |
| Power per luminaire | 2,000 W | 800 W |
| Connected load | 16,000 W | 6,400 W |
| Energy for a 4-hour evening session | 64 kWh | 25.6 kWh |
| Light output | Degrades with age, warm-up needed | Instant full output, stable over life |
| Maintenance | Regular lamp replacement at height | No lamp replacement, sealed LED modules |
Energy per session falls by 60% (38.4 kWh saved every evening), and because the retrofitted luminaires use tighter optics, the useful light on the play area is more even than before — the reason the customer did not need more fixtures, despite the much lower wattage.
Why the optical design mattered more than the wattage
Dropping from 2,000 W to 800 W only works if the light lands where it is needed. We designed the aiming and beam angles so that the practice area receives uniform illuminance with a controlled cut-off at the boundary, which is what keeps the neighbours and the municipality satisfied. Glare towards players is controlled by recessed, shielded optics rather than by reducing light levels.
Energy and carbon results
Using the Dutch grid emission factor of roughly 0.997 kg CO₂ per kWh, the savings translate directly into carbon reductions:
| Item | Sports range project |
|---|---|
| Energy saved per evening session (4 h) | 38.4 kWh |
| CO₂ avoided per session | ≈ 38.3 kg |
| Energy saved per year (250 evening sessions) | ≈ 9,600 kWh |
| CO₂ avoided per year | ≈ 9.6 tonnes |
For the container yard, the saving is driven by LED efficiency plus the removal of lamp depreciation: a high-mast installation that previously needed oversized wattage to compensate for declining output can be re-designed at the real illuminance requirement.
What made the difference on both projects
- Design before products. Both projects began with a photometric study of the real site, not with a price list. This is why the retrofit could use fewer watts instead of more fixtures.
- Re-using existing infrastructure. Keeping the masts and the electrical supply points removed the civil-work cost that usually kills LED retrofit business cases.
- Optics matched to the task. Asymmetric and shielded optics solve uniformity and light pollution at the same time.
- Certified, documented hardware. CE, LVD, EMC, TM21 and LM79 data — plus our in-house testing laboratory and photometric equipment — is what European specifiers and their electrical contractors ask for first.
- Warranty and support. A 5-year warranty and local design support turn a one-off sale into a maintainable installation.
Specification checklist for a similar project
- Measure the actual area geometry and mounting heights before choosing wattages.
- Request a Dialux or Relux calculation with uniformity (Uo) and glare (GR) values, not just lux.
- Confirm the light-spill and upward-light limits that apply locally.
- Check the existing mast loading and wind area before specifying larger luminaires.
- Ask for LM79/TM21 data and the L70/L90 lifetime claim in writing.
- Plan the control strategy — schedule, motion or daylight — at the design stage; it is where the next 30-50% of savings hides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an existing high-mast installation be retrofitted to LED without changing the masts?
In most cases yes. The photometric study determines how much lumen output is needed per mast, and the new luminaires are selected to match the existing mounting points and wind-loading limits. Re-using the masts is usually the single biggest cost saving in a high-mast retrofit.
How much energy does replacing traditional sports floodlights with LED really save?
On this driving range the connected load fell from 16,000 W to 6,400 W, a 60% reduction, with better uniformity. Savings of 50-70% are typical when the retrofit is designed around measured illuminance rather than a like-for-like wattage swap.
Do LED sports lights need time to reach full brightness?
No. LED luminaires reach full output instantly, which matters for sports facilities that switch lighting on and off for sessions and for industrial sites that restart after a power interruption. Traditional high-intensity lamps needed several minutes of warm-up and restrike time.
Planning a similar retrofit?
Send us the site plan, mounting heights and the illuminance level you need. We will return a free Dialux design with uniformity, glare and energy figures, plus a fixture schedule you can take to your electrical contractor. Contact Worldhand — LED lighting manufacturer in Kunshan, China, supplying Europe since 2011.
