Rungg Sports Zone, South Tyrol (ITA)

The Rungg sports zone is in the heart of the nature reserve Montiggl Forest—a place where fitness, community and nature meet in perfect harmony. Both local clubs and professional teams such as FC South Tyrol train here. The German national soccer team has already prepared for the World Cup twice in Rungg. To honor the facility’s significance, as well as to meet the growing demands for energy efficiency and visual comfort, the entire floodlight system was thoroughly modernized in 2024. This upgrade was powered by a high-quality LED solution from ewo.

With five soccer fields, beach volleyball courts, tennis courts, and rehabilitation facilities, the sports area of Rungg serves as a professional-level training center. To ensure that sports activities can continue in the evenings, the local authority decided to convert the existing system to modern LED technology—with the aim of saving energy, improving the quality of light and eliminating undesirable light emissions. It was particularly important to illuminate the sports fields in accordance with standards, as the facility is frequently used for professional training and competitions. At the same time, spill light outside the playing areas should be avoided as far as possible and, in line with the dark sky approach, no spill light should be emitted towards the sky. This protects the surrounding flora and fauna, residents in the area, and the night sky from light pollution.

The new lighting system consists of a total of 60 R–System gen 4 (R1 & R2) and RIVAL floodlights. Precise, asymmetrical ewo optics in luminaires with full cut-off were used to direct the light specifically onto the playing field, minimizing light spill—an important criterion in the vicinity of the sensitive natural environment. The lighting design was carried out by lighting design studio Lichtraum2 under the direction of Daniel Schiefele.

One challenge was the subsequent adjustment of the lighting design: after delivery, it became apparent that the actual mast heights differed from the design specifications in some positions. By recalculating at short notice and using the ability to precisely adjust the tilt and orientation of the luminaires, ewo was able to achieve the required illuminance levels without compromising on lighting quality or energy efficiency.

With the new lighting solution, the Sportzone Rungg is not only technically advanced, but also fulfils a role in community life, making sports safer, more comfortable and possible all year round for all age groups.