Location: Coral Gables, FL
Venue
The University of Miami BankUnited Center is a multipurpose arena on the campus of the University of Miami. With a capacity of just under 8,000, the venue hosts Miami Hurricanes men’s and women’s basketball games as well as concerts, trade shows and other university events. The venue is managed by Spectra, a division of Comcast Spectacor.
Challenge
Facility operators recognized their lighting system was aging and due for an upgrade. The system needed frequent and costly maintenance and was not energy efficient. It was difficult to maintain good light uniformity given the limitations and degradation of the metal halide system. The operators also wanted to improve their ability to put on more elaborate productions to better engage fans, and instant on/off, color temperature tuning and color flooding abilities were desired.
Scope
The project included replacement of the metal halide lights with Ephesus LED luminaries.
Solution
32 Ephesus sports lighting fixtures were installed over the court area and 24 separate sports lighting fixtures were installed over the seating areas. The fixtures used provide color temperature tuning capabilities to allow operators to adjust the overall feel of the lighting to be warmer or cooler depending on the type of event taking place. Prism color fixtures were also installed to create full RGB color flooding and unique fan experience effects. The lights are compatible with DMX to provide control over the new lighting and interface with standard industry control equipment using the DMX protocol.
Results
Fixture count decreased, the remote ballasts associated with the metal halide lighting were removed and the total system wattage decreased by over 71,000 watts for energy savings of over 73%. Operators improved energy efficiency, HDTV broadcast quality and their ability to produce more elaborate and varied types of events.
The Ephesus Lighting system consisting of Arena Pro lights and controls installed at the BankUnited Center has dramatically improved our operational flexibility for the variety of events held in the arena. Light quality and uniformity are greatly improved, while the elimination of maintenance and improved HDTV broadcast lighting are other key benefits.Kevin Retchless, Director of Facilities, University of Miami Bank United Center
