Commercial
Croke Park
Summary
Client: Croke Park
Site: Dublin, Ireland
Sector: Sporting
Overview
SE Systems supported Croke Park in securing SEAI funding for a major pitch lighting upgrade, helping deliver significant energy savings, reduced carbon emissions, and improved operational performance across one of Ireland’s most high-profile sporting venues.
Through detailed energy modelling, technical analysis, and grant coordination, the project created a strong business case for investment while future-proofing critical stadium infrastructure.
The Challenge
As Ireland’s premier sporting stadium, Croke Park requires high-performance pitch lighting to support live sport, broadcasting standards, player safety, and major event operations.
The existing lighting infrastructure was energy intensive, with legacy systems creating high electricity demand, increased maintenance requirements, and growing operational costs. The client needed to modernise the pitch lighting system while ensuring full compliance with broadcasting and sporting performance standards.
Key strategic priorities included:
- Reducing electricity consumption and associated Scope 2 emissions
- Improving lighting efficiency and operational reliability
- Supporting wider sustainability and ESG targets
- Securing grant funding to improve project viability and reduce capital expenditure
- Delivering upgrades with minimal disruption to live fixtures and stadium operations
The project involved complex operational constraints, including strict event scheduling, high-performance lux level requirements, and coordination with specialist lighting contractors and funding bodies.
Baseline energy analysis confirmed that the existing pitch lighting system represented a major opportunity for energy reduction and capital efficiency through LED upgrade and controls optimisation.
The Solution
SE Systems led the energy modelling, technical assessment, and SEAI funding application process to support the pitch lighting upgrade project.
The modelling process included:
- Existing pitch lighting energy audit and baseline performance review
- Load profiling of match-day and event lighting demand
- Comparative modelling of existing versus proposed LED lighting systems
- Lifecycle cost analysis and ROI modelling
- Carbon reduction analysis
- Grant eligibility assessment and full SEAI funding support
Pitch Lighting Upgrade
The recommended solution centred on the replacement of legacy floodlighting infrastructure with high-efficiency LED pitch lighting designed to meet elite sporting and broadcast requirements while significantly reducing electrical demand.
Key System Specifications
- High-efficiency LED stadium floodlighting installation
- Reduced connected electrical load versus legacy system
- Enhanced lighting controls for improved operational flexibility
- Compliance with GAA, UEFA/FIFA broadcast lighting standards where applicable
- Improved asset lifespan and reduced maintenance requirements
The lighting design maintained full performance standards for televised events while significantly improving energy efficiency and reducing operating costs.
SE Systems prepared and managed the SEAI funding application, ensuring technical compliance, supporting documentation, and strong financial justification for grant approval. This significantly improved project viability and accelerated implementation.
Close collaboration was maintained between SE Systems, stadium operations teams, lighting specialists, contractors, and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland throughout delivery planning.
The Solution
Quantify everything you can. Energy leaders love numbers.
- Annual energy generated or saved: 201,945 kWh
- Carbon reduction: 45,235.7 kgCO2 savings per year
- Financial savings: €27,807.84 per year in electricity savings
- Operational improvements: LED lighting upgrades to stadium lights.
- Resilience and future proofing benefits: Lighting controls enhancement to include power and data provision and plug-in points for moving lights
Customer Feedback
Croke Park
SE Systems supported us from beginning to end. The grand process can be quite arduous, can take up a lot of time, quite technical. So having the support of someone like SE Systems is hugelly valuable.
Colin O'Brian
Sustainability Manager - Croke Park
Looking to Improve Energy Performance Across Your Venue?
Croke Park is a strong example of how large sporting, leisure, and events facilities can reduce energy use, lower operating costs, and strengthen long-term infrastructure through strategic energy upgrades.
Whether you are planning a lighting upgrade, exploring grant support, or building a stronger business case for investment, SE Systems can help you assess the opportunity and move forward with confidence.
Talk to us today about your commercial energy project.
The Partners
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