The main objectives are to ensure that students and staff have enough light to safely participate in sporting activities. These may require visibility of relatively small objects moving at high speed, or visual conditions suitable for the use of gymnastic equipment.

All sports to be conducted in the area should be defined and a design produced for the most stringent requirements. A good component of vertical illuminance should exist to aid the modelling of objects and people.

Good colour rendering is better to help you see team colours and sporting equipment such as balls, etc. against the hall background. The lighting should illuminate the entire three-dimensional space, allowing high objects to be easily seen.

The infinitely variable viewing positions of sports participants require good glare control. Luminaires should be robust and have protection against stray objects striking them (such as a wire guard to protect the lamps).

Ideally luminaires should be designed and mounted to minimise the risks of object becoming trapped within or behind them. Any lighting controls should be flexible to produce optimum conditions for all required sports.